Opening Remarks and Answers by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at Press Conference Following Talks with Republic of Moldova Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign and European Integration Minister Iurie Leanca, Chisinau, November 22, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like to thank my counterpart Iurie Leanca for the invitation to visit the Republic of Moldova.

Despite this being a brief visit, it has been packed with meetings. We have just completed our talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed important documents. Ahead are meetings with Acting President, Parliament Speaker Marian Lupu and with Prime Minister Vladimir Filat. We plan to discuss the whole range of our bilateral relations and how the agreements reached at summit level and at the level of Heads of Government are being fulfilled. The now-regular meetings set the tone for all activities of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and other agencies of our countries.

Today we issued a joint statement marking the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Russia and the Republic of Moldova. Ten years ago it laid a reliable foundation for Russian-Moldovan relations. We concur on the need to extend this Treaty as a guarantee of continued sustainable development of our partnership.

We note the positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation in economic and commercial ties – the intergovernmental commission is working, trade between our countries has come close to two billion dollars. We want to reinforce this tendency by increasing investment cooperation, which so far lags behind the possibilities that exist in this area.

The signing of the Free Trade Zone Agreement on October 18, 2011 at the CIS Heads of Government Council meeting in St. Petersburg opens up good prospects complementing bilateral cooperation. Strong relationships have taken shape in the field of cultural collaboration. The Program of Humanitarian Cooperation, signed in March during Minister Leanca's visit to Moscow, is already being implemented and provides important guidance in this area for the period until 2013.

We agreed to prepare for the upcoming twentieth anniversary in 2012 of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. We also exchanged views on preparations for the CIS anniversary summit, to be held in mid-December in Moscow, and on the progress in preparing for the meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, slated for the first week of December in Vilnius. For us, the OSCE is an important venue for unity and the indivisibility of security in the Euro-Atlantic area. We devote special attention to ensuring that there are no dividing lines here. After the end of the Cold War, we do not see any ideological reasons for their preservation. We consider it important not to let the missile defense project serve to divide Europe contrary to the thesis proclaimed by all Euro-Atlantic states that no one would ensure his security at the expense of others. We have informed the Moldovan colleagues of the Russian position on this issue.

We discussed the Transnistrian conflict settlement process. Two months ago, in Moscow the representatives of the so-called "5 plus 2" group adopted a formal decision on the need to resume official negotiations in this format, the first round of which will already be held in late November in Vilnius. We are seriously getting ready for it. We consider it important to help de-mothball this situation and focus on finding solutions that will ensure a reliable and sustainable political settlement within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova while providing a special guaranteed status for Transnistria. Russia as a mediator and guarantor of the settlement is ready to actively facilitate the search for such solutions. I am convinced that cooperation between our foreign affairs agencies will be strengthened. This is facilitated by the signing today of the Plan of Consultations between the foreign ministries of our countries for 2012. We attach great importance to the Agreement on Cooperation between the two foreign affairs agencies in archival affairs. We have many pages of common history. It is important in conditions of the independent existence of Russia and the Republic of Moldova not to lose the main thing that unites us – human ties, the friendly, warm, kinship relations between our peoples.

To strengthen this tendency among the younger generations, we have agreed to consider creating a Joint Commission of Historians. I hope we'll soon be able to tell about the course of the fulfillment of this agreement.

In conclusion, let me again express my gratitude for the hospitality, for the excellent organization and rich program of the visit. I look forward to not only a meeting with the leadership of the Republic of Moldova, but also with students, scheduled for the afternoon.

Q: A poll published in Moldova recently found that most people favored integrating into the Customs Union rather than joining the EU. On what terms can Moldova join the European Union?

Foreign Minister Lavrov: There are no contradictions between the integration processes in the west and the east of Europe because they both come down to the free movement of goods, capital, services and labor. The documents signed by Russia and the EU in 2004 contain the four roadmaps for the formation of four common spaces, and also stipulate that the integration processes must be compatible and should not be in conflict.

I am convinced that, regardless of public opinion and political statements of some leaders on the ways of further development of the Republic of Moldova, its citizens are the ones to decide on this issue. Migrant workers from the country working in Russia and Moldovan businessmen carrying out joint projects with Russian economic operators have their own opinion on this score. Each country should consider its geographical position and economic ties when deciding on its further development. I am convinced that the Republic of Moldova acts in just this way.

We do not have the feeling that Chisinau is in the process of choosing whether the country should be with the EU or with Russia. Borders must gradually become conditional as we witness now in Europe, within the framework of the Customs Union, the Single Economic Space and as we will in the future in the Eurasian Economic Union. These processes are not closed, as the presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus have clearly stated. Within EurAsEC, deeper forms of integration are in the making. Everything will depend on the desire and readiness of a country deciding to become a candidate for membership.

Q: Does Russia intend to open polling stations on December 4 in Transnistria? What can you say about Russia's position on Transnistrian presidential elections, which will be held the week after that? And how does Russia feel about the candidates of the unrecognized republic, in particular Igor Smirnov?

Foreign Minister Lavrov: Our position on the upcoming elections to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is based on the following principles. First, we need to do everything to ensure that the maximum number of Russians in Russia and abroad is able to use their right to vote. Second, we will ensure the rights of Russian citizens residing in the territory of the Republic of Moldova within the framework of full respect for the sovereignty of this country.

As to the December elections in Transnistria, the Russian leadership has already laid out its position. It remains as stated.