Moldova is closer than ever to the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, peacefully, while the support of the European partners and of the European Union represents an important prerequisite to go forward in this process. The statement was made by President Vladimir Voronin, on Wednesday, May 21, at the summit of heads of states and governments of the member-countries of the Southeast European Cooperation Process, a forum at which Moldova took over the presidency of this organization, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We have established our priorities and objectives and I assure you of the seriousness and the capacities with which we'll approach this mandate and they will allow to contribute to the continuous development of the SEECP and of the countries in the area. We'll focus much on carrying out the basic objective – advancing the countries on their way of integration into the EU,” Vladimir Voronin stated. The head of the state has said the SEECP has become an efficient tool to approach and promote the joint policy of the member-countries, in order to respond to the challenges and problems of the area, offering, at the same time, development opportunities for the whole and assistance to countries on the way of European integration. Vladimir Voronin has said he hopes, in a week, at the sitting of the Moldova-EU Cooperation Council, the process of reflecting on the future legal framework with the EU will be launched, and Moldova may get the negotiating mandate till the end of the year. During the period 2008-2009, Moldova will chair five presidencies in regional arrangements in Central and South-Eastern Europe: the Central European Initiative, CEFTA, the Multinational Advisory Group (MAG) of the Security Cooperation Center – RACVIAC, the SEE Health Network and the SEECP.