Foreign Affairs on December 16–31, 2009

European integration

Meeting of Moldova-EU Cooperation Council

The meeting took place in Brussels on December 21 and the Moldovan delegation was led by Prime Minister Vlad Filat and Deputy Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, minister of foreign affairs and European integration. According to a communique by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the parties reviewed some issues relating to Moldova-EU cooperation; situation related to rule of law, human rights, results of economic and sectoral cooperation etc. They discussed the Transnistrian problem as well. The sides signed a joint statement at the end of the meeting, stressing the following facts:

The European Union recognises the European bids of Moldova;
Moldova’s progress in respecting human rights, democratic principles and rule of law is regarded as a precondition for strengthening Moldova-EU relations. Civil society plays a special role in this context;
The progress of EU-Moldova relations will also depend on strengthening of Moldova’s administrative capacity at all levels. A Comprehensive Institution-Building Programme will be defined and implemented for this purpose within the framework of the Eastern Partnership;
Annual Action Plan implementation tools continue are effective as tools aimed to strengthen the domestic reform process in Moldova, as well as EU-Moldova relations;
The new EU-Moldova agreement will be innovative and ambitious that will enhance the bilateral relations and deepen sectoral cooperation;
A dialogue will begin in 2010 to consider conditions for visa-free travel of Moldovan citizens to the EU, as a long-term goal;
The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) will be established when Moldova will meet relevant conditions, inclusively those indicated by the EU-Moldova Action Plan;
Completing the demarcation of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border is important for the parties and the technical expertise of EUBAM could be used to facilitate this process;
EU will keep helping efforts to find a long-term solution to the Transnistrian conflict in the limit of territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova.

As well, the parties signed an understanding memorandum on EU advising assistance for the Moldovan Government. EU will deploy a high-ranking advice group to key institutions of Moldova to assist Moldovan authorities in implementing democratic and economic reforms needed to join the EU. According to Prime Minister Vlad Filat, the meeting concerned opened the EU over Moldova and confirmed its readiness to support Moldova in exploring new opportunities of reaching the European integration goal.

Moldova — member of European Energy Community

The accession of Moldova and Ukraine to the European Energy Community was approved during the 7^th Meeting of the Energy Community Ministerial Council in Zagreb, Croatia on December 18, 2009. The accession will be effective just in the case Moldova and Ukraine will get rid of shortcomings of national legislation on natural gas and will adjust it to requirements of the acquis communautaire. According to the European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, the accession of Moldova and Ukraine to the Energy Community will catalyse the reforms in energy sector of these countries and will enhance their energy security.

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Romania

The end of presidential elections in Romania and nomination of a new Romanian Government gave light to the Moldova-Romania relations. Shortly after the appointment of the Boc Cabinet, Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat and Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca had telephone conversations with their Romanian counterparts, Romanian Premier Emil Boc and Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi, about current priorities of bilateral relations. On the other hand, the Moldovan Government ordered competent authorities to issue the documents needed to remove the barbed wire walls at the border with Romania and decided to open the Consulate General of Moldova in Iasi.

Republic of Moldova — Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pyotr Poroshenko was on a flash visit to Chisinau on December 17 to meet his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leanca and Prime Minister Vlad Filat. The agenda also included issues related to bilateral relations: demarcation of the Moldova-Ukraine border, settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, cooperation within GUAM, as well as within Eastern Partnership. The ministers summarised the Moldova-Ukraine relationship and agreed to go ahead with the demarcation of the Transnistrian section of the Moldova-Ukraine border. As well, they signed a joint letter to Mrs. Catherine Ashton, Vice President of the European Commission, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to announce the plans of the parties to establish the Euroregion “Nistru” and seek appropriate financial and technical support within the Eastern Partnership. The cooperation agreement on ensuring the right of national minorities was signed during the visit.

The process of demarcation of the Moldova-Ukraine border began on December 28, as the first border pillar was installed in the presence of official delegations from both countries and EU representatives.

Republic of Moldova — China

On December 17, Prime Minister Vlad Filat and the Chinese Ambassador to Moldova, Shi Longzhuang, signed an agreement on economic and technical cooperation between governments of the two countries. Under this agreement, the Chinese Government will provide an unredeemable grant worth 20 million Yuan (about 3 million US dollars) to Moldova as technical assistance. Areas to be covered by this grant will be established later with the Chinese side. The assistance is expected to cover spending for participation in the 2010 Shanghai world exhibition and promote Moldovan wines on Chinese market. As well, negotiations on signing the one-billion-dollar loan agreement for Moldova by China go on.

Note by ADEPT: China’s efforts to intensify relations with the new Chisinau Government match China’s current strategy on strengthening trade relations with Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, China’s grant could be interpreted as an action preceding the signing of the one-billion-dollar loan agreement, a measure matching with China’s current strategy on diversifying reserve currencies.

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