Foreign Affairs on November 1–15, 2009

European integration

Parliament gives green light to MFAEI to begin negotiation of new political agreement with EU

The parliamentary commission for foreign policy and European integration gave green light in early November to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to begin negotiation of a new bilateral political agreement with the European Union. NewsIn Agency quoted commission chairman Igor Corman as saying that the Chisinau authorities would like an agreement to open clear EU accession prospects. According to Igor Corman, this goal will equally depend on developments inside EU and internal evolutions in the Republic of Moldova. The negotiation team of Moldova will be led by Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca and made of deputy ministers of the ministries involved. The new agreement will be structured into four blocs: politics and security, rule of law and interior affairs, economy and sectors. Corman noted that the Republic of Moldova will be unlikely coupled with Ukraine in the EU accession process, with the EU declaring the differentiation principle as basic for relations with its Eastern neighbours.

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Romania

During November 13–14, Prime Minister Vlad Filat was on a working visit to Bucharest and met there Romanian President Traian Basescu, incumbent Premier Emil Boc, Senate Chairman Mihai Geoana, and the head of the Chamber of Deputies, Roberta Anastase, Romanian businesspersons. In Bucharest Filat signed three Moldovan-Romanian agreements: the small border traffic agreement, the agreement concerning the border crossing stations at the Moldova-Romania state border, and a protocol on amendment of the mutual investment promotion and protection agreement signed in Bucharest on August 14, 1992. While meeting Romanian officials, Prime Minister Vlad Filat was assured that after the presidential elections in Romania the latter will keep backing Moldova’s bids, and relations of the neighbouring country with the Republic of Moldova will become a priority.

In the same period, Romanian President Traian Basescu has signed the decrees on opening of Romanian consulates in BaltiRO and CahulRO, while the Romanian Government nominated the consuls-general of Romania in Balti (Dumitru-Nicanor Teculescu) and Cahul (Gentiana Serbu), and will shortly appoint a Romanian ambassador in Chisinau. The consulates will start working by January 2010.

Republic of Moldova — Ukraine

The secretary of the Supreme Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, Raisa Bogatyreva, was on a working visit to Chisinau on November 3 and met officials there. The visit concerned may be regarded as a first step forward restoring Moldovan-Ukrainian relations and settling lots of problems delayed in the last years. During meetings with Chisinau officials the parties tackled some sensitive issues such as delimitation of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, resolution of estate-related problems, signing of a cooperation agreement to protect the rights of minorities, circulation regime for Moldovan citizens in Ukraine. The last topic is very sensitive for Moldovan citizens, after the Ukrainian Government has included Moldova into the list of countries with “migration” risk, and Moldovans were required to hold 1,100 Euros while entering Ukraine. This decision was temporarily suspended upon a request by Vlad Filat. Deputy Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, minister of foreign affairs and European integration, said that the new Chisinau Government treats Ukraine as a strategic partner and is ready to approach bilateral problems pragmatically and efficiently. In her turn, Raisa Bogatyreva appreciated the new vision of Moldovan authorities regarding relations with Ukraine and stated that Ukraine’s eventual decision to cancel the travel restriction for Moldovan citizens will depend on evolution of political dialogue aimed to settle the problems raised by Kiev. At the same time, both officials stressed the plans of Ukraine and Moldova to reanimate GUAM.

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — CEI

On November 13 Bucharest hosted the Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Member States of the Central European Initiative (CEI), with the participation of prime ministers from the 18 CEI member states. Moldovan Premier Vlad Filat addressed the meeting and presented the priorities of the new action programme of the Moldovan Government, called for a continuous support to CEI members which did not join yet the EU in achieving their European bids, and expressed support to permanently strengthening relations between CEI and EU. At the end of the meeting the participants adopted the annual report of the CEI Secretary-General and the CEI Action Plan for 2010–2012.

Republic of Moldova — NATO

A delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), led by Marc Angel (Luxembourg), Special Rapporteur on Moldova for the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security, visited Moldova on November 2–4, 2009. The NATO parliamentarians met governmental officials, legislators, lecturers and civil society representatives, foreign diplomats, and representatives of international organisations in Chisinau and Tiraspol. The visit was organised in connection with the report by Mr. Angel “The Republic of Moldova: Internal Challenges; Prospects for Euro-Atlantic Integration”, which will be discussed at the Annual NATO PA Assembly in Edinburgh, Great Britain, on November 14–17, 2009. Following are the key conclusions of the visit:

The political situation in Chisinau: although the new Government has presented an ambitious reform agenda, the political situation is unstable as long as a chief of state is not elected;
The unresolved conflict over Transnistria: the Government adopted a new vision on the Transnistrian settlement; but so far on short and long terms, there are many serious challenges and obstacles for the conflict resolution;
The accession to the European Union (EU): the European integration, harmonisation of Moldovan legislation and institutions to European standards are key priorities of the new Government; immediate goals include the signing of an association agreement with EU and visa liberalisation;
The accession to NATO and security and defence reform: many obstacles have protracted cooperation with NATO in the past; the new Government hopes to impel relations with NATO and enhance efforts to reform the security and defence sector;
Other foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Moldova, relations with its neighbours: the delegation has also discussed priorities of the new Government in terms of relations with Russia, Romania and Ukraine.

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