EU about Association Agreement: “Progress rate depends on Moldova”

“The EU committed itself to assisting Moldova in achieving the ambitious objectives it set. The composition of our delegation shows that we are determined to sign this agreement,” Gunnar Wiegand, the head of the European Union's delegation of negotiators, said at the start of the first round of talks on the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU. The talks started on Tuesday morning in Chisinau, Info-Prim Neo reports. The negotiations involve experts representing the two parties. The Moldovan delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman, while the European one by Gunnar Wiegand, Director for Eastern Europe and South Caucasus of the European Commission's Directorate-General for External Relations. At the beginning of the talks, the head of the European delegation voiced hope that the negotiations will end with the signing of a new, extensive agreement that will replace the cooperation agreement between Moldova and the EU signed earlier. The European official said the Association Agreement will be a very detailed document that will be signed after long discussions. The negotiations will focus on the adjustment of the legal framework. Gunnar Wiegand also said that this is the first Association Agreement negotiated by the EU after the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon so that these talks will be instructive for the European community. “The rate of the progress depends on Moldova's readiness to fulfill its commitments,” he said. During the talks, the European and Moldovan experts will form four working groups that will center on: the politic dialogue and reforms; cooperation in the area of security and foreign policy; economic, sectoral and financial cooperation; justice, freedom and security, and interhuman contacts.