CEI Secretary General congratulates Moldova on program fulfilled while it held CEI presidency

The Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI) Pietro Ercole Ago congratulated Moldova on the program carried out while it held the presidency of this regional organization. “We are sure that the good examples will be continued by Romania, which will hold the CEI presidency in 2009,” the official told a news conference held at the end of the Summit of CEI Foreign Ministers on November 27, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We managed to achieve the objectives set when we took over the presidency,” said the Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Andrei Statan. Moldova was entrusted with the important task of monitoring the implementation of the decisions concerning the re-positioning and restructuring of the organization. Speaking about the subjects discussed during the Summit of CEI Foreign Ministers, Stratan said that the budget of the Cooperation Fund has been approved. The budget will be by 20% larger than in 2008 and will enable to finance a number of projects proposed by the CEI member states. It was also decided to extend the term in office of the Deputy Secretary General of the CEI. This post is now held by a representative of Ukraine, who showed good organizational skills and contributed significantly to the effective activity of the organization. The Deputy Prime Minister said that the meeting approved of the final document on Moldova’s CEI presidency, which is to be adopted at the Summit of CEI Heads of Government held in Chisinau on November 28. An important section of this document concerns the strengthening of cooperation between the CEI and the EU, the Moldovan Foreign Minister said. Asked why the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania did not attend the meeting given that his country is to take over the presidency of the CEI, Stratan said that the reporters could put this question directly to Lazar Comanescu, who came to the Summit of CEI Heads of Government. The minister avoided saying whether his Romanian colleague was angry over the recent statements made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. He said yet that it would be better if the tensions in the election campaign in Romania are not transferred to Moldova. Stressing that he is not the right person to comment on the Moldovan-Romanian relations, Pietro Ercole AGO said that many statements are made during the elections campaigns in all the countries, but they are forgotten when the elections end and do not necessarily lead to a deterioration in the relations.