Plan for restoring Moldovan-Russian trade-economic relations doesn't envision review of existing intl agreements - Moldovan Economy Ministry
CHISINAU. July 15 (Interfax) - A plan to restore trade and economic relations between Moldova and Russia does not envision the review of the existing international agreements, the Moldovan Economy Ministry said in a press release shared with Interfax on Friday.
"The roadmap that Chisinau and Moscow are supposed to discuss and sign does not envision the review of the agreements that the RM [Republic of Moldova] signed with the European Union, CIS, and other international and regional organizations," it said.
The roadmap is so far only a draft that Moldova and Russia have to discuss, it said.
"The document will be bilateral and will establish and consolidate basic principles of trade and economic cooperation between Moldova and Russia in various sectors of the two countries' economies, including the energy sector," it said.
The Moldovan Economy Ministry said it invited Russia to arrange a meeting of an expert task force in Moscow at the end of July to discuss the roadmap of trade and economic relations between the two countries. The Moldovan part of the task force would be led by Deputy Economy Minister Vitalie Iurcu.
Following the task force's meeting in Moscow at the end of July, the roadmap should be finalized and prepared for signature by the co-chairs of the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, i.e. Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Octavian Calmac and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
Media on Thursday published some details of the roadmap that Russia handed to Moldova at the end of June. The document includes 14 clauses the implementation of which is aimed at restoring trade and economic relations between the two countries and resuming Moldovan exports to Russia.
The reports suggested that some requirements concern the implementation by Moldova of various agreements within the CIS framework going against the Association Agreement signed between Moldova and the EU. The document also reportedly includes some geopolitical provisions requiring that Moldova remains permanently involved in the work of CIS institutions and guarantees to sign newly-adopted decisions within the CIS and comply with such new obligations.
In particular, to lower the barriers in trade and economic relations, Russia reportedly demanded that Chisinau guarantee its "unconditional observance" of the free trade agreement of October 18, 2011 and also the certification, metrological appraisal, standardization, and veterinary agreements. The Russian Economy Ministry suggested that "the implementation of a number of requirements stipulated by the roadmap, which are of fundamental importance to us, may require Chisinau's dialogue with Brussels."