PHOTO Moldova marks 30th anniversary of joining Partnership for Peace

Chisinau, March 26. /MOLDPRES/- Moldova marks the 30th anniversary of joining the Partnership for Peace. On this occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a postage stamp today.

Attending the event were Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defense Anatolie Nosatîi, the head of the NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau, Michaela Guerard Šimák, and representatives of the diplomatic staff accredited to Chisinau from the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance.

Popșoi said that in these 30 years of partnership, the Republic of Moldova has got many benefits. "The North Atlantic Alliance was the partner that supported the independence and integrity of the country. In these 30 years of collaboration, we have always had constant political support for the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova. We have achieved important results in the field of science and innovation. The capabilities of the national army were strengthened. We thank the partners for the close collaboration for the benefit of the citizens. Today we will celebrate this partnership by setting up a postage stamp, so that this anniversary will remain in history", he said.

Anatolie Nosatîi emphasized that the partnership represented an important stage in the country's history. "We managed to achieve numerous achievements. Defense capabilities were developed. At the same time, assistance and expertise were provided during joint exercises. Today we have a well-trained military and we are up to the task of maintaining peace and stability. This partnership is strategic for security and stability, that's why we propose to strengthen our cooperation", he said.

The Partnership for Peace Program became accessible to the Republic of Moldova on March 16, 1994, after the signing of the Framework Document. Participation in the partnership offers our country a real possibility to strengthen its national security and defense capabilities. The framework of the partnership allows the Republic of Moldova to benefit from the expertise and experience of NATO member and partner countries in the security and defense, the reform of the armed forces, assistance in the training of cadres, language training of the officers of the National Army etc.

The partnership also ensures access to information, statistics, sources of political, technical and financial aid.