Moldova is ready to negotiate an Association Agreement with EU, negotiators

Moldova opened the talks on the Association Agreement with the European Union on January 12. When this accord is signed, Moldova will become a real partner of the EU, Info-Prim Neo reports. The results of the first round of talks were announced in the afternoon by Moldovan Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca and the head of the delegation of European experts Gunnar Wiegand, who is Director for Eastern Europe and South Caucasus of the European Commission's Directorate-General for External Relations. “After the signing of the agreement, Moldova will become the EU's partner. Not many countries enjoy such a status,” Gunnar Wiegand said, stressing that Moldova is ready to continue the talks that started in Chisinau today. The negotiations on the liberalization of the visa regime between Moldova and the EU will start in February. “We made considerable effort to convince the European partners that the Moldovan people have the right to move freely,” Iurie Leanca said. The two teams of negotiators discussed the possibility of creating an extensive and comprehensive free trade agreement, which, according to Wiegand, will imply more complex and difficult talks. The head of the European delegation also said that the EU will provide macroeconomic assistance to Moldova to help it overcome the economic crisis, in addition to the support offered by the IMF. Asked if the possible parliamentary elections could affect the talks, Wiegand said they would not stop the negotiations. Unofficial rounds of talks as part of video conferences will be held between the official rounds in order to hasten the negotiation process. The next official round of talks between experts will take place in the second half of March in Brussels.