Rebel Moldovan region seeks more Russian peacekeepers

By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Transdniestria, a strip of land that fought a brief war to break away from Moldova nearly 20 years ago, wants Russia to boost its peacekeeping troops after pro-Western parties formed a government in the ex-Soviet state.

Moldova lies on the doorstep of the European Union and may yet become a flashpoint in ties between the bloc, which has warmed to the new government, and a Russia wary of losing its sphere of influence in one of its former Soviet allies.

Russian-speaking Transdniestria broke away in 1990 and fought a short war in 1992, fearing that Moldova would one day unite with neighbouring EU-member Romania, with whom Moldovans share a linguistic and historical legacy.

Shortly after four pro-Western parties ended eight years of communist rule by forming a government last month, the acting president said Russian peacekeeping troops, stationed mostly on the Transdniestrian side, should be withdrawn.

"We are asking Russia to return its peacekeeping contingent to its previous number of 2,700 soldiers. You cannot have a vaccuum and if Russia leaves here then obviously someone else will take its place," said Oleg Beleacov, co-chairman from the Transdniestrian side of a commission controlling peacekeepers.

"It is no secret to anyone that any other foreign presence in whatever size or capacity in Transdniestria, apart from Russian, will be treated with hostility," he told Reuters.

The peacekeeping force numbers 1,500, more or less equally split between Russian, Moldovan and Transdniestrian, together with a small number of Ukrainian officers.