Biden: U.S. supports Moldova's aspirations to boost ties with EU

October 22, 2009

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During his visit to Romania, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Washington supported democracy in Moldova, one of Romania's neighbours and the poorest nation in Europe, AFP reports.

The US vice president also said the U.S. would like to see former Soviet republic Moldova join NATO "when they are ready."

Biden made his remarks during a visit to Bucharest in a three-nation tour of eastern Europe. Romania is a close ally of Moldova and wants it to join the European Union and NATO, according to the Associated Press.

"We share a desire that Romania's neighbors including Moldova will continue along the path for democracy and ... that they will be integrated into European institutions when they are ready," Biden told reporters in a joint statement with Romanian president Traian Basescu, Reuters reports. "That's why we have to sustain this bid to stabilize economically Moldova."

Pro-Russian Communists who came to power in Moldova since 2001 lost elections in July. A new pro-Western alliance won the elections and now has a parliamentary majority, but does not have enough votes to elect a new president.

Moldova is a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program and has sent troops to Iraq. New leaders say they want closer relations with NATO but do not intend to apply for membership.

Russia is opposed to former Soviet republics Ukraine and Georgia's bids for NATO membership.

Moldova's pro-European parties won the last general elections in July but the upcoming presidential vote to replace former communist President Vladimir Voronin may be postponed as only one candidate had registered to run.

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