Moldova will have the full support of the United States as Moldova and the United States will intensify cooperation on matters of defense and security at political and strategic level, declared Moldovan Defense Minister Vitalie Marinuta at a press briefing on Monday, after his visit to Washington during January 10-13. The minister said he learned during his visit that Moldova's sociopolitical developments are closely watched by the United States. “The American officials were apparently pleased that the Moldovan society chose in the 2009 parliamentary elections a democratic government”, he said. “The first steps taken by the Chisinau government, in their opinion, seem to be promising and are appreciated accordingly, among these being mentioned the solving of the problem with the visa regime imposed on Romania in 2009”. “The European integration objective set by the current government coincides with the United State's objective for Moldova. The United States will offer the necessary assistance in the process of joining the EU to the extent of its possibilities”, said Marinuta. The minister added that another issue discussed in Washington was the Transnistrian conflict, which has been under constant scrutiny at the US National Security Council. The US officials observed that most actors have been passive in finding a solution in the 5+2 negotiation setting and suggested that additional solutions should be looked for. The US promised to supplement financing for assistance projects destined for Moldova and carry out training courses for the Moldovan army. “The perseverance of the new government will significantly enhance Moldova's image as a reliable partner. The United States closely watches the sociopolitical processes in Moldova and is interested in strengthening democratic governance in Moldova”, stated Vitalie Marinuta. Moldova and the United States have been holding bilateral consultations on defense matters once in two years since 2000.