Moldovan deputy foreign minister visits Estonia

Chisinau, 10 February /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Foreign and European Integration Minister Daniela Morari paid a working visit to Estonia on 9-10 February, the Foreign and European Integration Ministry’s information and media communication service has reported.   

The visit’s agenda included meetings at the Estonian Foreign Ministry and parliament, as well as participation, as key speaker, at the international conference Cooperation and Communication: Expectations and Challenges for the Eastern Partnership in 2017, organized by the Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership in partnership with the European Commission and the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute.   

The meetings with the Estonian officials helped promote demarches of Moldova’s European integration and are aimed at backing the substantive bilateral dialogue, including on the European integration dimension. The sides share interest in promoting joint initiatives, meant to contribute to the outlining of a strategic vision concerning the Eastern Partnership’s future. Major importance is attached to preparations for the EaP Summit, due in November 2017, a period when Estonia is to hold the presidency of the European Union’s Council. 

A meeting with Estonian Deputy Foreign Minister Matti Maasikas, in charge of the relations with EU and of preparations for taking over Estonia’s presidency of the European Union’s Council, represented a good occasion to reiterate Moldova’s vision on prospects for development of the Eastern Partnership, as well as expectations from the EaP Summit. The Estonian official expressed his country’s willingness to further support Moldova’s European integration agenda through assistance and expertise of Estonia in the sectors of excellence.      

The discussions with the head of the parliamentary commission for foreign relations, Marko Mihkelson, were focused on the European vector and domestic situation in Moldova, as well as possibilities of advancing cooperation on parliamentary dimension, including re-launching the work of the Moldovan-Estonian parliamentary friendship group this year.    

The conference, Cooperation and Communication: Expectations and Challenges for the Eastern Partnership in 2017, provided needed platform for carrying out an exchange of opinions between experts and institutions of the European Union, member states of EU and EaP countries on prospects, preparations for the EaP Summit, as well as the post-Summit period. In her speech, Daniela Morari highlighted the importance to give a strategic character to the dimension of communication within EaP, which should be inter-connected with the future visions in terms of development of the Eastern Partnership.