Moldovan president welcomes opening of NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau

Chisinau, 1 December /MOLDPRES/ - The signing of the agreement on the opening of the NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau represents an important step in the context of modernizing Moldova and in the country’s relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, by keeping the state’s neutrality status, President Nicolae Timofti has said, according to the presidential press service.   

The relations between Moldova and the NATO have become a confirmation of the society’s democratization, as well as of our aspirations for openness and modernization.   

I signed a decree on starting negotiations and approval of the signing of the agreement between Moldova and the NATO back on 27 July 2016. Now, I am proud of the fact that the NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau was officialized on the period of my mandate. The event confirms our success of consolidating the European and pro-Western enthusiasm of Moldova.  

I want to remind those who try to manipulate the public opinion, by invoking the neutrality status, that this will be a civil office, not a military base, which facilitates identification of sectors in which Moldova needs assistance, in order to reform its security and defence sectors.  

Moreover, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that “NATO fully observes Moldova’s neutrality.”    

The truth is that nothing affects more the neutrality of the state than the army of Russia, deployed on the territory of Moldova against our will.  

I am confident that the Moldovan MPs will soon ratify the agreement and will encourage the implementation of reforms in continuation.

(Editor M. Jantovan)