Joe Biden precedes Obama?
Chisinau / Moldova.ORG/ -- The White House announced the departure of the United States vice president, Joe Bidden, in a diplomatic tour in Finland, Russia and Moldova to consult with Washington’s partners on regional and global issues.
In each of these three countries, the vice president will meet with key leaders and discuss various aspects of bilateral issues.
Although it is not specifically known when the meetings will take place, the White House said in a report that Biden's first visit will be in Helsinki, Finland where he will discuss with Finnish partners about both countries’ global and regional priorities.
The trip to Moscow aims to restore US-Russian relations with focus on ways of affirmation and prosperity of both countries. On Thursday, at Moscow State University, Biden will make a speech about Russian-American relations.
The White House reported that in Chisinau, the vice president will signal U.S. support in democratic and economic reforms in development and assistance in European integration aspirations of the Moldovan authorities.
The Vice President received Vlad Filat’s invitation to Moldova during Prime Minister’s visit to USA in January 2010. Joe Biden’s visit occurs in the context of Moldova celebrating 20 years of independence this year, and especially a lot of hard work to build democracy and reform the economy.
“The reforms that the Alliance for European Integration --government has begun are difficult. And we want to make clear that the United States stands behind and supports the government as it sees those reforms through to completion. And I think we’ll also have an opportunity to signal support for resolution to the Transnistrian conflict, one that respects Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, said the Vice President Joe Biden during a Conference Call.
Last year, the U.S. has appreciated the results of parliamentary elections in Moldova as a step forward in the democratization process of the country.
About Biden's visit to Moscow, Russian news agencies speculated with the idea that its aim would be the preparation for Obama’s future visit in Russia, but the White House has not confirmed these rumors.
Barack Obama's last visit to Moscow was in July of 2009, the meeting’s purpose being a revival of relations between the U.S. and Russia, when they discussed issues related to reducing nuclear weapons that have evolved to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which came into force this month.
Russia’s president Dmitri Medvedev visited Washington last year in June, when he held talks with Obama. Besides, the two leaders meet frequently at international summits where they talk in private.
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