Moldova May Benefit From NATO Missile Defense – Minister

CHISINAU, May 23 (RIA Novosti)

Moldova may become an indirect partner in construction of a European missile shield and receive missile warning data from radars deployed in neighboring Romania, Moldovan Defense Minister Vitalie Marinuta said on Wednesday.

“I think that it [the European missile network] could cover Moldova, but whether we will benefit from this [radar] data or not would depend on our involvement in cooperation with the NATO,” Marinuta said in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

Whilst being a NATO partner, Moldova is not seeking closer cooperation with the alliance as the population does not actively support the authorities on this issue, Marinuta said.

“The population still lives with old stereotypes about this bloc,” he said, adding the authorities should step up efforts to educate Moldovans on the nature of NATO and its goals.

Official NATO-Moldovan relations began in 1992 when Moldova joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. The Individual Partnership Action Plan between NATO and Moldova was signed on May 19, 2006.

However, the Moldovan authorities have declined so far to take any action toward gaining NATO membership as the country’s Constitution enshrines neutrality. Only 10 percent of the population supports the idea of NATO membership.