Dominique de Villepin: I’m honored to contribute to stronger business community in Moldova

“It is a great pleasure for me to visit Chisinau at the invitation of the Moldova Business People Association (AOAM) and I want to say I’m honored to be contributing to the strengthening of the business community in Moldova, which will inevitably lead to stronger partnerships with the EU member states, especially French business people,” French politician and writer Dominique de Villepin, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Premier of France in 2005-2007, said on his arrival in Chisinau, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Association’s Public Relations Service. While in Moldova, Dominique de Villpain will have an official meeting with businessman Vlad Plahotniuc, who founded the AOAM. The meeting will be centered upon aspects of the cooperation between Moldova and the European Union, especially the development of investment activities in the context of the global recession and economic decline in emergent countries. The AOAM will be officially launched on October 7, 2010. The international business forum that will be held on this occasion will bring together more than 100 representatives of the business community and officials from the EU, Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Diplomats, representatives of business associations and journalists from ten countries will also take part in the event. The international conference themed “East-West Regional Economic Cooperation” will be opened by speeches delivered by Dominique de Villepin, Valeriu Lazar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Moldova, Dorin Dragutan, National Bank Governor, and Vlad Plahotniuc, AOAM founder. According to the communiqué, the Moldova Business People Association is a nongovernmental, apolitical, nonprofit organization that aims to improve the business environment and support the entrepreneurial spirit for a sustainable economic development in Moldova, in accordance with the EU values. The main objectives of the Association are based on three directions: legislative initiatives for optimizing the normative framework; promotion of Moldova's image abroad and attraction of foreign investments; programs to support the SME sector, and building of an efficient business and investment environment.