Moldova expels Romania diplomats

Moldova:Moldova has expelled two Romanian diplomats amid a fierce row over what it calls Bucharest's attempts to influence and even take over a state with which has strong historical and cultural ties.

Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin - the only communist to still rule a former Soviet republic - is furious at Romania's refusal to sign border treaties with his impoverished country, which Bucharest says would legitimise frontiers that were illegally imposed by the Soviet Union.

"The fact that Romania does not want to sign these two treaties means it still does not recognise the Republic of Moldova as a sovereign country," said Mr Voronin, who is also angry with Bucharest for offering his citizens Romanian passports.

Moldova was part of Romania until 1940, and two-thirds of its 4.2 million citizens are of Romanian descent. Some 800,000 Moldovans have applied for Romanian passports since it joined the EU in January.

"We should give Romanian citizenship to everyone if they are citizens of Moldova, in a sea of Romanians. Moldova is a sea of Romanian citizens," Romanian president Traian Basescu said this week. "I will remain a supporter of tightening the relationship with the Romanian population, because there are Romanians living there," said Mr Basescu, adding that his country "should regard Romanians from Moldova with due respect, because they are suffering an historical injustice." He said he was not worried by Moldova's expulsion of the Romanian diplomats, or Mr Voronin's threat to ask Brussels to resolve their dispute. "We must not respond to provocations by the communist regime in Chisinau," he said, referring to the Moldovan capital.