Foreign relations of Moldova 19249 224460031 2008-07-08T22:56:09Z Serhio 569400 /* Territorial disputes */ {{refimprove|date=July 2007}} {{Politics of Moldova}} After achieving independence from the [[Soviet Union]], [[Moldova]] had established relations with other European countries. A course for [[European Union]] integration and [[Neutral country|neutrality]] define the country's foreign policy guidelines. In [[1995]] the country became the first [[post-Soviet state]] admitted to the [[Council of Europe]]. In addition to its participation in [[NATO]]'s [[Partnership for Peace]] program, Moldova is also a member state of the [[United Nations]], the [[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe|OSCE]], the [[North Atlantic Cooperation Council]], , the [[World Trade Organization]], the [[International Monetary Fund]], the [[World Bank]], the [[Francophonie]] and the [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development]]. In [[2005]] Moldova and EU established an action plan that sought to improve the collaboration between the two neighboring structures. After the [[War of Transnistria]], Moldova had sought a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the [[Transnistria]] region by working with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia, calling for international mediation, and cooperating with the OSCE and UN fact-finding and observer missions. ==Relations with the European Union== {{main|Moldova and the European Union}} Moldova currently aspires to join the [[European Union]]<ref>[http://www.moldpres.md/default.asp?Lang=en&ID=68715 Moldova will prove that it can and has chances to become EU member], Moldpress News Agency, June 19, 2007</ref> and is implementing its first three-year Action Plan within the framework of the [[European Neighbourhood Policy]] (ENP) of the EU.<ref>[http://politicom.moldova.org/stiri/eng/40/ Moldova-EU Action Plan Approved by European Commission], [[December 14]] [[2004]], retrieved [[July 2]] [[2007]]</ref> ==Relations with Romania== {{main|Romanian-Moldovan relations}} Moldova's relations with its western neighbour, Romania, have been sinuous since 1994. Most of Moldova was part of Romania during the [[interwar period]] (1918-40) and linguists generally agree that the [[Moldovan language]] is in fact identical with [[Romanian language|Romanian]]. However, Moldovans have been ambivalent about whether they consider themselves Romanians or Moldovans. Early signs that Romania and Moldova might unite after both countries achieved emancipation from communist rule quickly faded. Romania remains interested in Moldovan affairs, especially that country's civil conflict with the breakaway republic of Transnistria. However, the two countries have been unable even to reach agreement on a basic bilateral treaty; Romania is insistent (against determined Moldovan resistance) that such a treaty would have to refer to Romania and Moldova's 'special relationship'. Since 1994, the two countries enjoyed a visa-free arrangement that ended on [[January 1]][[2007]] with Romania's entry into [[European Union]]. This prompted a lot of Moldovan citizens to apply for Romanian citizenship.<ref>[http://www.evz.ro/article.php?artid=285660 Cetatenia romana, portita spre Europa] December 27, 2006</ref> ==Relations with Russia and other post-Soviet states== {{main|Moldovan-Russian relations}} The Moldovan Parliament approved the country's membership in the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] and the CIS charter on economic union in April [[1994]]. Moldova however has never participated in any military aspects of CIS, citing its neutrality status. In [[1998]] Moldova contributed to the founding of [[GUAM]], a regional cooperation agreement made up of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Ukraine]], [[Azerbaijan]] and Moldova. Although the agreement initially included a declaration of mutual defense, Moldova has since declared its disinterest in participating in any GUAM-based mutual defense initiative. Russia continues to maintain military presence in the [[Transnistria]]n region of Moldova, despite previous agreements with Moldova and within OSCE and CAF to withdraw its troops and ammunition. ==Separatist movements== {{main|Transnistria}} The territory of Moldova includes the separatist [[Transnistria]] region. Transnistria had a particularly large non-Moldovan population (ca. 60%) and broke away from Moldova less than a year after Moldova became independent at the [[fall of the Soviet Union]]. It has its own de facto government and acts independenly from [[Chişinău]] since the [[War of Transnistria]]. The international diplomatic situation with respect to the question of Transnistria determines and is determined by Moldova's relations with Russia. [[Russia]], [[Ukraine]], [[OSCE]], [[EU]], and [[USA]] are involved at different degrees in the conflict resolution. ==Diplomatic representations== {{main|Diplomatic missions of Moldova}} Moldova has embassy-level relationships with: *[[Austria]], [[Belarus]], [[Belgium]], [[Bulgaria]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Greece]], [[Hungary]], [[Italy]], [[Latvia]], [[Poland]], [[Portugal]], [[Romania]], [[Sweden]], [[Ukraine]], the [[United Kingdom]] in Europe (excl. Russia and Turkey) *[[Azerbaijan]]{{Fact|date=July 2007}}, [[People's Republic of China|the People's Republic of China]], [[Israel]], [[Russia|the Russian Federation]], [[Turkey]], the [[USA]], and [[Uzbekistan]]{{Fact|date=July 2007}} outside Europe *Representations the European Communities, the United Nations (in Geneva and New York City), the Council of Europe (Strasbourg), OSCE (Vienna)and the [[International Parliament for Safety and Peace]] in Italy. ==See also== *[[List of diplomatic missions in Moldova]] ==References== <references /> {{Foreign relations of Moldova}} {{Foreign relations of Europe}} [[Category:Foreign relations of Moldova| ]] [[it:Relazioni internazionali della Moldavia]]