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Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Pavel Filip

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

29 Nov. 2016

(As delivered)

Good afternoon Prime Minister Pavel Filip,

You are really warmly welcome to NATO Headquarters and it's good to see you here and it's good also to have had this opportunity to meet with you and to address the strong partnership between the Republic of Moldova and NATO.

The Republic of Moldova has been a close partner to NATO for several years and NATO Allies continue to support the independence, the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova. And I would like to personally thank you for the strong contribution of the Republic of Moldova to NATO's operation, NATO's peace-keeping mission in Kosovo. This promotes peace and stability in Europe. That's important for NATO and it's important for the Republic of Moldova. So we are very grateful for your contribution to KFOR and NATO's presence in Kosovo. We will continue to involve you closely in the decisions shaping our mission and we look forward to continue to work with you in Kosovo.

We have just had an excellent discussion on how to strengthen our partnership, how to strengthen it even more. In the past years, we have stepped up dialogue and practical cooperation with the Republic of Moldova. NATO Allies are supporting your defence reforms and helping to strengthen your armed forces. We are also providing practical support in the area of cyber defences. And we are destroying dangerous chemicals that threaten the lives and livelihoods of Moldovans.

Today, we took an important step forward. We just signed an agreement that will pave the way for the establishment of a NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau. This office will help promote practical cooperation, practical cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and NATO. It will allow us to better support your reforms. And it will allow us to communicate more clearly what NATO is, and the support we can provide. So the new NATO Liaison Office will be important for our political support but also for our practical support for the Republic of Moldova. This is a small, civilian office - not a military base. It is about cooperation, not about imposing NATO priorities or membership on Moldova. We stand by the right of all countries to make their own foreign and security policy choices. NATO fully respects Moldova's neutrality. In fact, many of our closest partners are neutral countries. Sweden and Finland are two close partners of NATO, they are neutral. The Republic of Moldova is a close partner of NATO, you are also neutral and of course we respect that neutrality. Through cooperation with NATO, the Republic of Moldova can make its armed forces even more professional, and make a stronger contribution to peace in Europe.

Prime Minister,

NATO fully supports a stable, secure and prosperous Moldova. It is important that Moldova remains committed to the implementation of reforms that benefit all its citizens. And that it remains committed to the values shared by European democracies.

So Prime Minister, once again thank you for coming here and thank you for signing the letters together with me today and thank you for being so committed to strengthening the partnership we have developed over so many years. So welcome. Please, you have the floor.