Brussels, 19/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - At the fifth EU-Moldova Cooperation Council, held in Brussels on Tuesday and chaired by Moldavian prime minister Vasile Tarlev and the deputy Greek foreign minister Anastassios Giannitsis in the presence of Javier Solana and External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten (see yesterday's Europe, p.10), the European Union said it was prepared to support the idea of sending an EU observer to Transnistria to attempt to resolve the conflict and provide assistance in managing border controls along Ukraine's borders with Transnistria. Given the great poverty and economic problems facing the country, the EU wants the Moldova government to sign an agreement with the international financial institutions which would enable the EU to provide macro-financial aid of EUR 15 million. The EU and Moldova feel that the European Commission's Communication on the EU's future neighbours opens the way for a "new level of cooperation" but Tarlev hoped this would not lead to "new borders".
In its conclusions, the EU called on Moldova to comply with last year's Council of Europe recommendations on respecting democracy, the rights of parliamentary opposition parties and media and religious freedom. The EU reiterated its support for President Voronin, who will be chairing the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers. The EU is also calling for the establishment of a healthy legal and administrative environment to attract foreign direct investment and said that cooperation with Moldova over justice and home affairs was vital to combat human trafficking (including the prostitution of women), drugs trafficking, illegal immigration and contraband cigarettes and alcohol both to and from Moldova. Finally, the EU called on Moldova to implement a preventative strategy to counter corruption.