Moldovan president meets Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe

Chisinau, 23 April /MOLDPRES/- President Nicolae Timofti met General, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Adrian Bradshaw at the state residence today, the presidential press service has reported.

The talks were focused on the development of defence capacities of Moldova, in the context of actions taken by the North Atlantic Alliance on strengthening security in the region.

Timofti pointed out that the presence of Russian troops in the Transnistrian region, without the consent of Moldovan constitutional authorities, as well as the evolutions in Ukraine, represented major threats to the country's security.

The head of state informed the NATO official about the modernisation programme of the Armed Forces and elaboration of a new national security strategy, adjusted to the new geopolitical realities. Timofti underlined that the document was strictly defensive.

Bradshaw said that NATO's foremost interest was to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The NATO official said that the North Atlantic Alliance would offer assistance to Moldova for developing capabilities of resistance to military dangers, as well as non-military threats.

"We appreciate the actions of discouraging propaganda, rejection of cyber attacks and economic pressures. Consolidation of state democratic institutions represents a condition needed to foil any destabilisation attempts from outside", he said.

Bradshaw welcomed the Moldovan servicemen's participation in NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. He noted that the development programmes on interoperability of Moldovan servicemen with armed forces of states from the region would contribute to strengthening the defence capacity of Moldova.

(Editor M. Jantovan)