Moldovan deputy premier attends 29th OSCE Ministerial Council

Chisinau, Dec. 2 /MOLDPRES/- The head of Moldovan diplomacy, Nicu Popescu, participated in Łódź (Poland) together with foreign ministers and senior officials from the entire OSCE region in the 29th Ministerial Council, at the invitation of OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, the MAEIE press service has reported.

In front of the 56 states participating in the OSCE, 11 partners for cooperation and several high-ranking officials from other international organizations, the Moldovan official delivered a speech referring to the topical issues for security in the OSCE area and the future of the organization, as well as the dramatic consequences of Russian aggression on Ukraine and the impact for our country in energy and socio-economic terms.

"I reaffirmed that Russia's brutal war against Ukraine threatens peace, security and prosperity in Europe, and is a flagrant violation of international law, the Helsinki Final Act and the UN Charter.

Our country stands in solidarity with Ukraine in its struggle for freedom. We remain steadfast in our support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. We will continue to provide support to the more than 80,000 Ukrainian refugees living in the Republic of Moldova, and we will provide the necessary humanitarian assistance," said Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu.

In his intervention, the Moldovan diplomat pointed out that despite the multiple challenges, we remain firm on our irreversible path to the European Union.

"Moldova is and will remain part of the free world. This year, the Republic of Moldova became a candidate country for the EU. We continue to advance on the path of reforms in the justice system, fighting corruption, investing in renewable sources, modernizing our economy. We are grateful for the support we receive bilaterally and through the Support Platform for the Republic of Moldova, initiated by Romania, France and Germany," said Minister Nicu Popescu.

The Deputy Prime Minister presented the latest developments in the process of resolving the Transnistrian conflict, expressing deep concern for the constant violations of human rights in the Transnistrian region.

"We are determined to resolve the conflict exclusively through dialogue and peaceful means based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova within our internationally recognized borders.

I reiterated in my intervention that the illegal presence of Russian military forces continues to violate the sovereignty and neutrality of the Republic of Moldova. The complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces and ammunition from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, in accordance with the relevant OSCE commitments from 1999 at the Istanbul Summit, with Resolution 72/282 of the year 2018 of the United Nations General Assembly is imperative.

I would like to thank my colleagues from the MFAIE, from the embassies of the Republic of Moldova in Vienna and Warsaw, for the good organization and promotion of our country's objectives during this year's OSCE meeting", concluded the Moldovan official.

The national declaration of Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu during the 29th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3ORhHQx.

Photo: MAEIE