Without naming Russia, Romanian leader assails its policy in countries such as Georgia and Moldova

AP ^ | October 31, 2006

[Tailgunner Joe]

WASHINGTON Romanian President Traian Basescu took aim Tuesday at Russia, indirectly accusing the country of benefiting from the continuing "frozen conflicts" in countries such as Georgia and Moldova.

"The single winner of the extended period of having frozen conflicts is the country which doesn't like to have democratic development," Basescu said.

"It is the country which still continues to believe that different countries can be controlled for next decade or for the next century," he said.

Basescu's comments were delivered via an international video hookup in Bucharest to a gathering of experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

He was a participant in a conference on economic and security development in southeastern Europe.

Basescu, whose country was part of the old Soviet bloc, warned that the status quo in countries where there are frozen conflicts could become permanent if they are allowed to fester.

"It is our obligation to find a solution as soon as possible," he said, adding that no solution should be accepted that does not respect the territorial integrity of each country.

It was not clear whether Basescu was holding Russia responsible for all frozen conflicts of the Black Sea region. Russia has troops in the disputed South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia and in the Trans-Dniester area of Moldova.

[spanalot]

""The single winner of the extended period of having frozen conflicts is the country which doesn't like to have democratic development," Basescu said. "

$20 oil will take care of this problem and others real quick