North Atlantic Treaty Organization
February 10, 2014
NATO Secretary General and Moldovan Foreign Minister discuss stepping up cooperation
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed Moldova’s commitment to increased political dialogue and practical cooperation with the Alliance in talks with Moldova’s Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman on Monday (10 February 2014). The Secretary General congratulated the minister on the recent initialing of an Association Agreement with the European Union at the Vilnius summit, which shows Moldova is on the right track to meetings its European integration objectives. He expressed strong appreciation for Moldova’s upcoming deployment to the NATO-led KFOR mission, which demonstrates that Moldova wishes to be a security provider in the Euro-Atlantic area.
Mr. Fogh Rasmussen urged Moldova to continue its defence and security sector reform programme and reiterated the Alliance’s commitment to build closer relations. He mentioned the modernisation of Moldova’s Military Academy, the efforts to strengthen transparency in the defence sector, as well as the destruction of pesticides and dangerous chemicals as concrete and beneficial results of the cooperation between NATO and Moldova.
The NATO Secretary General made clear that Allies understand and respect the importance of Moldova’s constitutional neutrality [sic]…He underlined that NATO will continue to support Moldova’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. [That is, re Transdniester and Gagauzia.]
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