Moldovan, NATO officials tackle defence-related issues

Chisinau, 23 April /MOLDPRES/ - By  participating in an infantry platoon and a team of sappers in the KFOR mission in Kosovo, Moldova has turned into a provider of peace and stability on the European continent.  Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Adrian Bradshaw made statements to this effect at a joint briefing with Moldovan Defence Minister Viorel Cibotaru today.
Generalul Bradshaw also highlighted that NATO provided assistance to Moldova to implement reforms, as well as to train servicemen. „Our cooperation ties are very solid and we spoke out for boosting this partnership,” Bradshaw said. 
For his part, Viorel Cibotaru thanked for NATO’s support provided to train Moldovan servicemen in NATO schools, as well as in multinational drills held within the Partnership for Peace Programme. „I underline that, after Moldova had joined this programme in 1994, the National Army detached about 2,000 servicemen to NATO/PfP exercises. The goal of all these drills was to train servicemen for real peacekeeping missions, in which Moldovan military take part at present as well. Thus, by involving in these exercises, the servicemen of the National Army learn to be interoperable with militaries of other states and gain experience in order to modernise the defence institution,” Cibotaru said. 
Cibotaru welcomed Moldova joining  initiatives launched during the NATO Summit held in Wales in September 2014 — „Interoperability Platform” and „Defence Capacity Building Initiative”. „By participating in these initiatives, we will get assistance to analyse our present defence capacities and identify areas in need to be developed, as well as support as to education and training,” Viorel Cibotaru said. 
Adrian Bradshaw pays a visit to Moldova on 22-23 April and is the first NATO military official to come to the country.
(Reporter V. Rusu, Editor M. Jantovan)