Moldovan foreign affairs minister says cooperation relations with NATO important for Moldova

Chisinau, 18 October /MOLDPRES/ - The North Atlantic Alliance is open for an as deep as possible cooperation with Moldova  on all dimensions, including through development of the country’s security and defence capacities, proceeding from the latest challenges and developments in the region. President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Rasa Jukneviciene has made statements to this effect at a meeting with Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Tudor Ulianovschi, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s press service has reported.

The president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly noted that the cooperation of the NATO, which is an alliance for peace and democracy, with Moldova was described as successful one, as during more years, joint projects had been carried out not only on the segment of military collaboration within the Partnership for Peace programme or other initiatives, but also in the social, environment, education and other fields, with a positive pact of the citizens of Moldova. Rasa Jukneviciene highlighted the importance of Moldova continuing the course of European integration, democratization and modernization, with the states of the North Atlantic Alliance willing to share their expertise and experience and to provide Moldova with the needed assistance. “The North Atlantic Alliance is ready to further offer Moldova every expertise and experience for the development of both the security and defence sector and other important fields, which have a major impact on citizens’ lives,” the president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly stressed.      

For his part, Minister Tudor Ulianovschi described the cooperation relations with the NATO as important for Moldova, as they contribute to the edification of a viable national security and defence system, proceeding from the new risks and challenges, which appeared in the region in the wake of the Transnistrian conflict, war in Ukraine, etc. The Moldovan diplomacy head emphasized the Declaration of Brussels Summit from last July, which confirms the support by the NATO member states for Moldova’s efforts as to the unconditional withdrawal of the foreign military forces from the territory of Moldova. Ulianovschi said this would allow minimizing the risks for the territorial, military, ecological, cyber and other kinds of security in the region, creating premises for the economic, social, cultural development, etc.     

Minister Tudor Ulianovschi pointed out the Moldovan authorities’ interest in the development of the cooperation relations with the North Atlantic Alliance both directly and through other international organizations, thus contributing to the creation and establishment of a viable regional and international security system. “At present, through participation in different peacekeeping missions, including with military contingents, Moldova shows to the international community that it is not only a consumer of security, but also an active provider of it,” Tudor Ulianovschi said.    

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is an inter-parliamentary organization, which presently brings together lawmakers from those 29 member states of the North Atlantic Alliance, as well as from 12 NATO associate member countries. Moldova has been associate member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly since November 1994.