GOVERNMENT TO START TALKS WITH ROMANIA TO AMEND DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENT

The Moldovan government will initiate negotiations and sign a protocol to amend the Agreement with the Romanian government on cooperation in the defense sector, signed in Chisinau on April 20, 2012. According to INFOTAG, such a decision was made at a government meeting on Wednesday.

State Secretary of the Moldovan Defense Ministry Sergiu Plop explained that the amendment will complete the agreement with a new clause, which implies the obligation of the sides to provide mutual logistic and administrative support in the preparation and participation in international peacekeeping missions.

He also said that, given the reduction of the Moldovan side's expenses for the participation in such missions, the Romanian side will take over a part of the expenses. Plop recalled that one of the authorities' goals is to increase the level of participation of the Moldovan armed forces in peacekeeping missions, so that “Moldova would be not only a consumer of security, but also a provider.”