Moldovan, Georgian, Ukrainian Parliament Speakers meet Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs

Chisinau, 29 June /MOLDPRES/- Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine face the same challenges, have the same aspirations of modernizing and approaching the West. We welcome the association of the three countries in their desire to find common solutions on security issues and on behalf of the prosperity of the citizens of the three states, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs A. Wess Mitchell said at a meeting with the three parliament speakers.

“The US State Department has a clear position on international security issues. We will find the compromise formula and we will protect our partners - the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. The US will engage fully and actively in the region on defense," the official said. He encouraged the Moldova to adopt the National Defense Strategy and to continue the reforms and the fight against corruption.

For his part, Candu thanked the USA for its support to external challenges, external interference in domestic politics and electoral processes.

The speaker said that the format of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, with the participation of Romania, the Baltic States, Poland facilitates the exchange of experience and helps eliminate the gaps in the legislation that can be used from outside. "We have common goals. Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine are champions of the Eastern Partnership, want to regain territorial integrity, have strategic dialogue with the USA and association agreements with the European Union," he said. He requested support for US Congress resolutions for Moldova and for the three states.

During the meeting, Moldova was also supported by the head of the Verkhovna Rada, Andriy Paruby, who was indignant about the way in which Chisinau’s decision was taken to restrict news broadcasts by antipropaganda law.

Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Viktoras Pranckietis stressed the support for the three countries to the day-to-day challenges in the East and European path. “Lithuania has worked out a Marshall Plan for Ukraine and would like to be examined, supported and applied, including towards Moldova and Georgia,” he said. Also, he insisted on the exclusive political nature of Nord Stream 2 and was aligned with the request for active intervention to stop this project.

The same position on Nord Stream 2 was expressed by Adam Bielan, deputy speaker of the Polish Senate, who announced that his country has advanced in the construction of liquefied natural gas terminals and can provide imports of up to 5.5 billion m3 of gas. He also declared support for Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine on the security field.

Candu along with his counterparts from Georgia and Ukraine pay a trilateral visit to the USA for the first time on 25 June-1 July, in order to demand full and active engagement of the United States in the region.

This visit comes after the joint commitment to promoting security policies and reforms for the European integration of the three Eastern Partnership champions, assumed at the 2 March Conference in Chisinau and institutionalized in Kiev by creating the interparliamentary Assembly Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia.

Wess Mitchell took office in October 2017, from Victoria Nuland, being in charge of the European file.