CHIŞINĂU (Imedia) - Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea and his Moldovan counterpart Vitalie Marinuta signed an agreement on March 29 regarding cooperation between the military air forces in the two countries. The project includes the provision of mutual information on the flights of military airships in the airspace near the two states, radar data exchanges, mutual assistance provided to endangered military airships near the border, and participation in common activities, according to a Mediafax report.
The officials also spoke about the assistance Romania has provided in the field of military education. During the 2009-2010 academic year, 37 Moldovan students have been attending various classes in Romanian military educational institutions, says a press release from the Romanian Defense Ministry.
The release adds that „regarding the proposal of our Moldovan partner to create a mixed battalion, the two parties said that the initiative could mean real support in the improvement of ties between two states and agreed with the fact that a detailed analysis of practical elements is necessary to allow its application."
Commentary:
Radu Vrabie: For a number of years, because of the lack of funds, Moldova has been unable to efficiently protect its airspace and has not had radars of such quality
Radu Vrabie, a political analyst with the Foreign Policy Association, says that „this agreement is normal."
„We should no longer be surprised that officials from Chisinau and Bucharest visit each other. These are natural things between two neighboring and friendly states, especially in a context in which Moldova wants to join European structures.
Good ties with neighbors are an important element in this situation. I hope that, in the future, such meetings, no matter whether they're between the Defense Ministers or any other ministers, or even heads of Government and state, become regular and are not an opportunity of agitation in Moldovan public opinion.
As far as I can understand, the protocol is more about radars, and that there will be some commonly controlled airspace. For a number of years, because of the lack of funds, Moldova has been unable to efficiently protect its airspace and has not had radars of such quality. Now, in terms of security, I think things will evolve positively. Of course, there will be very many interpretations and discussions, especially about the resolution of the Transnistrian conflict.
My expectation is that the Tiraspol administration will try to use this argument as a pretext to make some gains in the negotiations process. But despite the fact that overcoming the Transnistrian crisis is one of the main goals of the Chisinau Government, we should not become hostages of its regulation. If we look at the entire history of the negotiations conflict, we will see that the Tiraspol administration has tried repeatedly to find reasons to block the negotiations process. So any Government action can be interpreted inadequately on the left shore of the Nistru [Imedia: the left shore is another common name for Transnistria, since the separatist republic is on the left banks of the river Nistru]," Mr. Vrabie notes.
Vlad Lupan: Moldova does not have enough means to protect its interests in airspace and cooperation with Romania is beneficial in this regard
Vlad Lupan, an independent expert, thinks that the recent agreement „is a sign of normality after ten years of deteriorated ties."
„This was a normal visit during which the Defense Ministers from the two neighboring and friendly states met and talked about military cooperation. Let us not forget that for Moldova it is much easier to implement military cooperation projects because we speak the same language.
As far as the protocol signed in Bucharest, Moldova certainly does not have enough means to protect its interest in airspace and cooperation with Romania is beneficial in this regard," Mr. Lupan adds.
He notes that this document will not affect Moldova's military neutrality.
„We have various military documents signed with a number of states, including NATO members.
That fact that we are signing another one with Romania changes nothing.
Moldova's neutrality status is not going to be ignored with this agreement," Mr. Lupan concludes.
File:
This is the first time since 2000 when a Moldovan Defense Minister - Mr. Marinuta in this case - has visited Bucharest.
Romania was the country country that signed a military agreement with Moldova. Until 2000, the two countries had cooperation ties in 13 military fields. Military education and troop training was the most intense form of cooperation. The first bilateral military applications occurred in 2000, on the Romanian Army's Smirdan polygon.
The legal bases of military cooperation between Moldova and Romania were established on December 14, 1992, when the Defense Ministries from the two countries signed a cooperation agreement.
Romania cooperated militarily with Moldova before the agreement was signed, especially during the civil war in March-July 1992.
At that time, Romanian authorities unofficially helped the Moldovan state with armament and munitions. Chisinau was dealing with an acute deficit of military equipment at the time since its army was just being formed.
