NATO deputy head visits Moldova to enhance ties

Moldova's cooperation with the NATO will bring tangible results for the population of the country, visiting NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said Monday.

Both NATO and Moldova could do more to expand their partnership, through enhanced political dialogue and practical cooperation, Vershbow told the Moldovan officials here.

Soon after his arrival in Chisinau on Monday, the NATO official met separately with the Moldovan president, prime minister and foreign minister.

"The fostering of this partnership will contribute to Moldova's development, will change for the better people's life," said Vershbow when meeting with Prime Minister Lurie Leanca.

This cooperation framework respects Moldova's neutrality stipulated in the Constitution, stressed Vershbow when meeting with Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman, pointing out that NATO member states "continue to support the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Gherman told Vershbow that Moldova counts on the NATO states' support to find a peaceful settlement for the conflict of Transnistrian, a breakaway region of Moldova.

The officials highlighted in the meetings the importance to keep stability in the region, by identifying a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis.

The NATO official will stay in Moldova until Wednesday. He is expected to address the conference "NATO Partnerships: Achievements and Prospects," organized in the context of the 20th anniversary of the Partnership for Peace.

• According to NATO sources, Moldova and NATO are currently revising their Individual Partnership Action Plan, a tool of cooperation between NATO and countries that have the political will to enhance their cooperation with the Alliance.

Key areas of cooperation include assistance to the preparation of strategic documents, defense planning and budgeting, enhancing military education and training.

Moldova is not a NATO member but joined the alliance's Partnership for Peace program in 1994.

• In one of his interviews last week, Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti expressed concern over the developments in Ukraine and said that membership in NATO "would help Moldova ensure better security."

Yet, an opinion poll in April showed that only 14 percent of Moldovans thought that NATO membership would be the best solution to ensure the country's security, while 52 percent spoke in favor of neutrality and 12 percent thought it would be better to join the Collective Security Treaty Organizations (CSTO), an intergovernmental military alliance signed by several post-Soviet states.

Timofti's stand also spurred criticism from parliament opposition. 
[globaltimes.cn]
13/5/14