United States Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said his visit to Chisinau represents a proof of the important role played by Moldova in the Black Sea region, noting the reformation of the Moldovan army should take place in parallel with the justice sector reform and corruption fighting. He made such statements in a meeting with President Nicolae Timofti, IPN reports, quoting the presidential press service.
“My visit to Moldova, which is a country without direct access to the sea, represents an additional proof of the importance of this state in the Black Sea region,” stated the U.S. official.
Nicolae Timofti thanked the United States for the support provided to Moldova, including in modernizing the technical-military sector. He noted that Moldova is ready to cooperate with NATO within the limits set by the international law and underlined the necessity of further modernizing Moldova’s armed forces, with the partners’ support.
In this connection, Ray Mabus welcomed Moldova’s initiative to increase the defense budget, saying the army reform must be done simultaneously with the justice sector reform, while corruption fighting should remain a priority for the authorities.
The interlocutors appreciated the cooperation between Moldova’s Armed Forces and the U.S. Navy, which is aimed at improving the country’s defense capacities.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus is making a two-day familiarization visit to Moldova, on June 24-25, 2015. The visit includes meetings with Moldovan government officials to discuss issues related to bilateral cooperation and regional security and Moldova’s security in particular.
