Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Natalia Gherman was designated as chief negotiator on behalf of Moldova in the talks over the new cooperation agreement with the European Union, Info-Prim Neo reports. On November 11, the Government approved the nominal composition of the state commission for European integration. Prime Minister Vlad Filat was named chairman of the Commission, while Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie Leanca and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar as deputy chairmen. Valeriu Gheorghiu, the head of the Foreign Ministry's European Integration Department, will act as a secretary. The members include Deputy Prime Ministers Ion Negrei and Victor Osipov, Minister of State Victor Bodiu, 13 ministers responsible for different areas and a deputy minister. The state commission will coordinate the fulfillment of the commitments deriving from the Moldova-EU documents and understandings. It will convene once a month or more often if need be. Iurie Leanca said that at the start of 2008, the European Commission decided to open talks on the the new agreement between Moldova and the EU. In November last year, the Council of European Commissioners approved the draft mandate of the talks. The new agreement will succeed the Cooperation and Partnership Agreement regulating the relations between Moldova and the EU that came into force on July 1, 1998. It will contribute to the gradual achievement of the European integration objective. According to Leanca, the draft mandate enables to negotiate articles concerning security, justice and foreign affairs, sectoral cooperation and, partially, economic issues. It does not yet give permission to negotiate an extensive free trade zone. To open talks on this issue, the European Commission needs an additional mandate. As it was mentioned at the Government's meeting, the period during which the agreement will be implemented depends on the pace at which Moldova will carry out the agreed reforms.