Republic of Moldova — NATO Strategic Dialogue’s Advancement Discussed in Belgium

CHISINAU, February 5, 2019 — Minister of Defense Eugen Sturza met with Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), in Mons, on February 4.

The two officials talked about the advancement of the strategic dialogue between the Republic of Moldova and the allied countries and their support for the National Army’s consolidation and modernization.

The Minister of Defense referred to the institution’s medium and long term priorities that have the objective to train the professional military staff, with a focus on creating a school for training the sergeants corps, participation and organization of joint exercises with the allied and partner states in order to test interoperability, as well as intensifying contribution to global and regional security.

Gen. Scaparrotti mentioned that NATO is ready to continue to offer assistance for the defense sector’s reformation, especially for the implementation of the project aimed to enhance the weapons and ammunition management in National Army depots and the creation of the training school for the sergeants corps in compliance with international standards.

At the same time, Eugen Sturza and Gen. Scaparrotti, who is also Commander of the U.S. European Command, reviewed the Moldovan-American defense cooperation through training and assistance projects implemented both in Moldova and the USA.

Gen. Scaparrotti thanked the Republic of Moldova for its contribution to international security, as well as for the availability to organize the annual conference on the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) Evaluation and Feedback Programme, this year, in Chisinau.

While in Mons, Minister Sturza talked also with Maj. Gen. Odd Egil Pedersen, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Military Partnerships Directorate of SHAPE.

The main topics discussed during the meeting were the training and testing of National Army soldiers in compliance with the OCC, the performance of Moldovan contingents within the peacekeeping operation KFOR in Kosovo, training in NATO schools, as well as the standardization of National Army’s logistic system.

The Minister of Defense is paying an official visit to Belgium, during February 3-5, 2019.

Photo source: nato.int