Brussels, 06/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Moldova is a genuine success story of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in eastern Europe, Hungarian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh stated after a meeting of the EU-Moldova Cooperation Council in Brussels on 5 May. Németh, who chaired the meeting, told press that the country had recently seen some “very positive developments” in terms of political stabilisation and democratic and socio-economic reform. Moldova has also made quite spectacular progress in its relations with the EU: on-going negotiations on an association agreement are progressing well and the final chapter in talks, which makes provision for negotiation of a free-trade area (FTA), will probably be opened in the very near future Németh said. “We believe that it (the FTA) can be quickly negotiated and be the final phase of the association agreement talks”, he said. The Council of the EU is expected to grant a negotiating mandate to the Commission to open talks on the FTA. Moldovan Prime Minister Vladimir Filat, who took part in the Cooperation Council, said his country was “ready” to negotiate an FTA, as soon as member states grant the Commission a negotiating mandate. Filat also expressed the hope that the dialogue with the EU on possible visa liberalisation would soon move into its “second phase”. On 15 May, the Moldovan government will submit an interim report to the Commission on the measures taken by Moldova in response to European concerns in the area of justice and home affairs. “We would like to reassure our European partners” that Moldova can meet the responsibilities that go hand in hand with removal of the requirement for visas, Filat told journalists.
European aspirations. In general, the EU hailed Moldova's “European aspirations” and its “commitment to political association and economic integration” with the EU. In a press release published after the meeting, the Cooperation Council highlighted the importance of Moldova's abiding by democratic principles and standards and the rule of law. The EU has also called on the Moldovan authorities to find a way out of the current deadlock on election of the president of the country. Even though it is making good progress in its reforms, the country still has much to do, for example, on tackling corruption, improving the business climate and reforming the justice system, the Cooperation Council noted.
Transnistria. The EU repeated its preference for the “5+2” formula to find a diplomatic solution to the issue of Transnistria. “The 5+2 formula is the only viable framework for discussion of this issue”, Németh stated. The EU, which does not want to see Moldova lose any of its territory, remains committed to working to help find an appropriate solution to Transnistria, said president in office of the Council Németh. (H.B./transl.rt)