“In these difficult times for the Republic of Moldova and the region, it is more important than ever to secure the support and solidarity of our partners – those who support the freedom and Europeanness of Moldova,” Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu stated in the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council, IPN reports.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu took part in the diplomatic marathon at the OSCE Ministerial Council, together with the foreign affairs ministers and high-ranking officials from the whole OSCE area, at the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Zbigniew Rau.
“In the name of our country, I addressed the 56 OSCE participating states, 11 cooperation partners and high-ranking officials from other international organizations, speaking about the main security themes that are topical in the OSCE area and about the dramatically consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and their impact on our country at energy and socioeconomic levels,” Nicu Popescu stated at the end of the meeting.
The Moldovan official conferred on the bilateral agenda with his counterparts and discussed the organization of the European Political Community Summit in Moldova next year so that this joint initiative is developed for the benefit of the citizens on the European continent.
In the meeting with Minister Bogdan Aurescu, the delegations of Moldova and Romania observed together the National Day of Romania. Good news also came from Rabat, where it was decided that the multinational file “The Art of the Traditional Blouse with Embroidery on the Shoulder (Altiță) - an Element of Cultural Identity of Romania and the Republic of Moldova” will be added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
“I talked to my Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba about how we can cooperate closer in areas of mutual interest. The Republic of Moldova is solidary with Ukraine. We firmly condemn the brutal war of aggression waged by Russia against our neighbor,” stated the official.
Together with Victoria Nuland, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Nicu Popescu discussed the strengthening of the Moldova – U.S. relations in the context of the bilateral Strategic Dialogue, issues of interest on the regional agenda following the dramatic consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the Transnistrian settlement process. “I appreciated the substantial support offered by the U.S. for building resilience and alleviating the unfavorable consequences of the economic and energy crisis,” said the Moldovan official.
With State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Shunsuke Takei, Nicu Popescu conferred on the bilateral relations concretized in projects and initiatives in sector areas, the Japanese investments in Moldova, which generate jobs, and the challenges generated by Russia’s unjust war against Ukraine, primarily in the energy and humanitarian sectors.
On the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council, Nicu Popescu exchanged opinions with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell on the regional security situation, the acute energy crisis. “In the meeting with the EU foreign policy chief, I reiterated the Moldovan authorities’ determination to do the necessary reforms in the process of joining the European Union. We also continued the discussion on the strengthening of our country’s security through the European Peace Facility,” said the minister.
Nicu Popescu congratulated his Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani on the taking over of the OSCE Chairmanship in 2023.
The diplomatic marathon at the OSCE Ministerial Council was held in Łódź on December 3.
