TIRASPOL, March 23 (RIA Novosti, Vladimir Sandutsa) - The leader of a self-proclaimed republic in Moldova has asked the president of Belarus to send humanitarian aid to the region to overcome the effects of an economic blockade, the presidential press service of the breakaway province said Thursday.
Igor Smirnov, the leader of the unrecognized republic of Transdnestr, sent a latter to the newly reelected president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, asking him to provide the assistance because measures imposed by Ukrainian authorities on March 3 had blockaded the foreign trade operations of Transdnestr enterprises, severed transport links with the self-proclaimed republic and foreign trade contracts.
"The republic's losses amounted to more than $46 million as of March 23, 2006," the letter said. "This is the money that the republic's budget, pension and other social funds, and also enterprises have failed to receive. This situation threatens the payment of wages, pensions and other benefits because the region is on the verge of humanitarian disaster."
Given this situation, Smirnov asked the Belarusian leader to "consider urgently providing humanitarian and economic aid to the republic."
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has already dispatched a convoy carrying baby food, other produce and medicines for Transdnestr residents.
