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MoldovaCommonwealth of Independent States
The domestic political ramifications of Moldova's civil
conflict in Transnistria were matched by its effect on
foreign
relations. Domestic sentiments limited the foreign policy
flexibility of the government in dealing with the former
Soviet
Union. Although President Snegur signed the Minsk
Agreement
(which created the CIS; see Appendix C) on December 8,
1991, and
the Alma-Ata Declaration (which expanded the membership of
the
CIS; see Appendix D) on December 21, 1991, Moldova's
Parliament,
strongly influenced by the Popular Front bloc of
delegates,
refused to ratify the agreements.
Further, along with Ukraine and Turkmenistan, Moldova
refused
to sign a January 1993 agreement that would have
strengthened
political and economic integration among CIS members. It
thus
embarked upon a difficult course of independence,
maneuvering
between Russia and Romania, both of which have strong
interests
in the region, and each of which is more powerful than the
young
republic. It was only in April 1994 that the new
Parliament
finally approved Moldova's membership in the CIS and
signed a CIS
charter on economic union.
Data as of June 1995
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