Date:20/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/20/stories/2006092003951600.htm

International

Province to rejoin Russia

Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW: Moldova's breakaway province of Trans-Dniester has overwhelmingly voted to become part of Russia. Over 97 per cent of voters who took part in a referendum held in Trans-Dniester on Sunday said they supported the region's independence from Moldova and "subsequent voluntary accession to Russia." A mere 3.4 per cent backed the alternative proposal to renounce independence and reunite with Moldova. The Russian-speaking region of 550,000 broke away from Moldova following a bloody war in 1992. Moldova, the E.U. and the U.S. refused to recognise the referendum, while Russia called for taking into account the results of the vote.