Weekly meeting of the Joint Control Commission
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Today, February 17, the weekly meeting of the Joint Control Commission took place in Bender, with the participation of the delegations from the Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation and the Transnistrian region, as well as the representatives of Ukraine and the OSCE Mission.
While agreeing upon the meeting’s agenda, the Moldovan delegation asked to include the subject regarding the settlement of the actions of the rapid reaction groups of the military contingents of the sides within the Mixed Peacekeeping Forces, so that the trainings of these groups could be undertaken only outside the Security Zone.
This initiative generated heated discussions, as the Transnistrian representatives were trying to argue that the trainings of the rapid reaction groups using munition would be something normal for a peacemaking mission.
The delegation from Chisinau reminded that the military personnel is deployed in the Security Zone already trained to fulfill their peacemaking mission, not to train, especially as it provokes alarming of the residents of the local villages.
The same message has been reiterated in a statement of the Moldovan delegation, which pointed out that starting from August 2021, after numerous trainings conducted using imitation means, the concerns of the citizens intensified, especially in the context of an increase of the regional tensions.
The reply of Tiraspol to undertake ”explanatory work” with the population was qualified as an insult to the people, because it assumes that the inhabitants are being suggested to get used to the blows and the smoke of explosions in the Security Zone.
The function of the peacemakers is to enforce and maintain peace, the statement said, and the fact that the citizens feel intimidated and express their concern about the trainings which take place in the Security Zone is forcing the Joint Control Commission to take attitude.
Thus, in order to ensure stability in the Security Zone, to restore the climate of trust in the activity of the Joint Control Commission and the Joint Military Command, the delegation of the Republic of Moldova requested the sides to examine swiftly and support its proposal regarding the undertaking of the instruction process in the points of permanent deployment of the rapid reaction groups (in the military units).
We remind that the issue of the military contingents’ trainings was also addressed by the OSCE Mission to the Republic of Moldova, which monitors the situation in the Security Zone and which asked the sides to consider the possibility of informing its representatives in advance regarding planned trainings in its address from February 2, 2022.
For the time being, JCC has not come to a unanimous decision, the sides agreed to hold additional consultations.
Regarding other matters examined during the meeting, we mention the appointment a military observer from the Republic of Moldova and the approval of the report of the Joint Military Command concerning the situation in the Security Zone for the period February 9-15.
The Delegation of the Republic of Moldova in the Joint Control Commission

