 Following the example of Georgia, another former Soviet republic, Moldova, has demanded that Russia pull out its troops from the country's territory, Interfax news agency reports. The Moldovan parliament passed on Friday a draft law ordering Moscow to withdraw its troops from the break-away Transdniestr region by the end of the year. The pullout is needed for the fulfillment of the demilitarization plan as part of the Trandsniestr peace settlement. The so-called "Yushchenko plan" was offered by the Ukrainian president and approved by the Moldovan parliament earlier on Friday. Already supported by the U.S. and the European Union, it includes holding elections at the Supreme Soviet of Transdniestr as a constituent region of Moldova, involving U.S. and EU negotiators in peace talks, and the development of military and civilian observers' work. |