Valeriy Anatolievich Litskai

Valeriy Anatolievich Litskai ( _ru. Валерий Анатольевич Лицкай) (born 13 February 1949) [ [http://mfa-pmr.org/eng/?category_no=437 Profile at the website of the Transnistrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs] ] was the foreign minister of Transnistria from 2000 until July 2008. He was born in Tver in Russia in 1949 and obtained Transnistrian citizenship after Transnistria declared independence. He is the head of the commission of negotiations of Transnistria and Moldova and also one of initiators of the "Hague initiative on settlement of conflicts in CIS".

Recently, Litskai has come under pressure from the Supreme Soviet for the lack of success he has had in getting Transnistria recognized internationally [Tiraspol Times, 19 March 2008 [http://tiraspoltimes.com/news/pmr_parliament_to_take_foreign_minister_to_task_for_failings.html PMR Parliament to take Foreign Minister to task for diplomatic failures] ] . It was speculated that the pro-western Litskai would soon be replaced by pro-Russian Vladimir Yastrebchak, currently first deputy minister of foreign affairs [Tiraspol Times, 14 March 2008 [http://tiraspoltimes.com/news/new_face_set_to_replace_transnistrias_foreign_minister.html New face set to replace Transnistria's Foreign Minister] ] , also because president Igor Smirnov is now criticising him [Tiraspol Times, 20 March 2008 [http://tiraspoltimes.com/news/igor_smirnov_we_have_not_worked_enough_with_other_countries.html Igor Smirnov: "We have not worked enough with other countries"] ] . On April 2, 2008, Litskai appeared before parliament to defend himself against criticism. Litskai convinced parliament to let him keep his job, but will have to show progress when returning to parliament in July [Tiraspol Times, 3 April 2008 [http://tiraspoltimes.com/news/down_but_not_yet_out_fm_litskai_takes_a_beating_in_parliament.html Down, but not yet out: PMR FM Litskai takes a beating in Parliament] ] . On July 1 president Smirnov issued a decree to fire Litskai immediately. He was replaced by Yastrebchak, as was previously predicted [Pridnestrovie.de, 1 July 2008 [http://news.pridnestrovie.de/20080701206/PMR-Innenpolitik/eil-aussenminister-valeri-litskai-entlassen.html Pridnestrovie's Aussenminister Valeri Litskai entlassen] ] [Новый Регион (New Region), 1 July 2008 [http://www.nr2.ru/pmr/184818.html Министр иностранных дел Приднестровья отправлен в отставку] ] . This is despite apparent success in talks with Moldova, which resumed earlier this year and were organized by Litskai [Tiraspol Times, 11 April 2008 [http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/news/moldovan_and_transdniestrian_presidents_meet_for_talks_in_transdniestria.html Presidents of Moldova, Transdniestria meet for talks in Transdniestria] ] .

Litskai speaks English and Spanish [Pridnestrovie.net [http://pridnestrovie.net/valeri_litskai.html Valeri Litskai, Minister of Foreign Affairs] ] . He is a historian by training.

References

External links

* [http://www.mfa-pmr.org/eng/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (official website)]
* [http://www.pridnestrovie.net/mfa.html Pridnestrovie.net Ministry of Foreign Affairs profile]