Moldovan foreign minister meets Dutch counterpart

Chisinau, 1 June /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Andrei Galbur today had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister of the Netherlands Albert Koenders, on a working visit to Moldova, the Foreign and European Integration Ministry’s information and media communication service has reported.  

Following the meeting, the two ministers held a news conference, within which Andrei Galbur made the following statement:

‘’Good afternoon and welcome to the Foreign Ministry,

Dear Mr. Minister,

Dear members of the Dutch delegation,

I would like, first of all, to thank my Dutch colleague for the honour he made us by coming to Chisinau on the period of the Dutch Presidency at the European Union’s Council. Yet, beyond this, the concerned visit highlights once again the sustainable character of the cooperation and friendship relations between Moldova and the Netherlands.   

We had, according to me, a quite frank and open discussion on the entire spectrum of the bilateral relations, as well as about the relations between Moldova and the European Union, describing them as active enough during the Dutch Presidency.  

I also had the occasion to explain my counterpart Koenders about the concept of the process of implementation of the reforms in Moldova through the light of the instrument which we elaborated along with colleagues from the European Union in a crisis moment. I mean the Roadmap of the agenda of priority reforms. I managed to set forth the actions which we have undertaken for the promotion of this roadmap, with about 57 per cent of this document being implemented at present. We still have time till 31 July, we hope that we will manage to fulfill the entire set of priority actions.

We discussed not only the Roadmap, but also all the commitments coming from the Association Agreement, including as regards the enforcement of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, as well as the role of the European Union in general, and in particular, of our partners in the bilateral relation, especially the Netherlands.

I discussed, expressing gratitude to the government and the people of the Netherlands for support, the assistance programmes which, during years, had been and continue being promoted here in Moldova, programmes concerning the key sectors in the state’s development and modernization, such as justice, fighting corruption, financial and banking sector, human rights protection, economic development, strengthening the institutional capacities, including of the Foreign and European Integration Ministry, as well as other programmes. We also referred to the need to boost our economic cooperation. The Netherlands is one of the most important trade partners of Moldova; yet, we are far from being able to say that we have fully turned to account the present potential, including within the Association Agreement.  

We reviewed also the present stage in terms of the peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, which remains a basic objective and which must be settled by identifying a comprehensive political solution, with the observance of the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova.

We also exchanged opinions on the regional situation, our relations with the neighbours – Ukraine and Romania, as well as the relation with Russia.

We also discussed possibility to deepen the relations in the field of humanitarian exchanges, including in the context of programmes for students. As I said from the very beginning, we had a sincere discussion. I praised the openness of my Dutch colleague for dialogue and I hope that this visit will represent a new impetus, so that our relations continue in the same pace in continuation as well.’’  

(Editor A. Raileanu)