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Moldovan diplomacy head has meeting with Turkish counterpart in Istanbul

15:14 | 08.12.2022 Category: Official

Chisinau, 8 December /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu has had a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavușoğlu in Istanbul. The officials’ discussion was focused on the bilateral relations, perspectives for cooperation in diverse sectors and on reducing the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the region, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.  

„This intense dialogue is meant to confirm once again the strategic character of our bilateral relations. We are interested in strengthening the cooperation in the energy sector,’’ Deputy PM Nicu Popescu said.   

The diplomats referred also to the commercial and economic ties, as Turkey ranks second among the countries for Moldova’s exporters, with a weight of 10 per cent after Romania. Thus, the sides are willing, by sustained efforts, to exceed also the threshold of one billion dollars in the bilateral trade and for this, it is necessary to advance in the process of the commerce’s liberalization through adjusting and updating the free change agreement with Turkey.    

„I want to note also the humanitarian assistance provided by Turkey to improve the situation of the Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, as well as the commitment at the meeting of the Moldova Support Platform in Paris, through reiterating the backing provided through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), as well as the future concrete contribution on the dimension of the domestic affairs and borders’ management,’’ the Moldovan diplomacy head said.

During those over 25 years of work, TIKA has implemented and continues to implement over 400 projects in such sectors as healthcare, education and environmental protection.  

Obviously, the officials touched upon the importance of the Gagauz autonomy, the fellow countrymen of which represent a solid linking bridge between the two countries and an example of good coexistence of the ethnic minorities in Moldova, based on mutual respect.  

The security situation in the Black Sea region is and will remain quite complicated. In the context, Turkey plays an important role in the process of regional negotiations. Turkey has always supported the sovereignty, territorial integrity and peace in Moldova, being a force which contributes to the stability and well-being of this country. We appreciate the role of Turkey and the personal commitment of Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu in the negotiation of the agreement on export of cereals. Along with the European Union’s solidarity corridors, UN  Black Sea Grain Initiative, they contribute to the avoidance of a penury of food products in the world and the decrease in prices for these products. Moldova also actively contributes to these solidarity corridors, which allow and facilitate the export of food products to international markets, so that the impact on other countries and regions is as low as possible.         

Also, Foreign Affairs Minister Nicu Popescu spoke about the importance of cooperation in the Black Sea region and the role of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), the chairmanship of which is held by Moldova in 2022.  

„We have an excellent interaction also within more international and regional organizations and we want it to remain at the proper level.

We also discussed Moldova’s status of country candidate for accession to the European Union.

We also referred to the hosting by Moldova in 2023 of the Summit of the European Political Community – an important international platform, on which we work with the partners from EU and the participating countries.  

In the end, I donated, on behalf of Moldova, a traditional shirt, given that UNESCO Committee on the last days had recorded the national shirt, - traditional element of cultural identity in Moldova and Romania – in the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of  humanity,’’ Nicu Popescu added.  

Photo: MAEIE

 

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