Ukraine and Moldova to Jointly Control the Border

Presidents Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine and Vladimir Voronin of Moldova have made a “political decision” to instruct their countries’ governments to draft within ten days, in conjunction with Transnistrian authorities, a document setting out the procedure of transporting goods across the Ukrainian- Moldovan border, Interfax-Ukraine quotes Pres. Kuchma as saying in Vinnytsia, addressing a press conference on the results of his talks with Pres. Voronin on November 9. “This raises the problem of a joint control of the border,” he said. Moldovan President Voronin emphasized it was necessary to find “mutually-acceptable mechanisms within ten days.” He said Moldova “in no way has any goal of imposing an economic blockade on Transnistria... We don’t play this kind of games with Transnistria,” while he also stressed that Transnistria is “an inseparable part of Moldova... We cannot play tricks with the common people to punish Smirnov” (Igor Smirnov, the leader of Transnistria).