CHISINAU. June 6 (Interfax) - NATO is helping Moldova ensure its national security while respecting the principle of the country's neutrality, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said at a meeting with Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu in Brussels on Tuesday.
"Moldova contributes to Euro-Atlantic security and NATO supports Moldova's security in full respect of its constitutional neutrality," Geoana said.
NATO is providing support to Moldova according to the country's request, by helping the country strengthen its national security agencies, cybersecurity and strategic communications, Geoana said.
"Allies fully support the Republic of Moldova's European integration. And our cooperation will help you to implement the necessary reforms on the path to EU membership. The Republic of Moldova's future is in the family of European democracies. It has never been more important, and our cooperation has never been closer. I look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership," he said.
Moldova has been invited alongside other NATO partners to take part in the alliance's summit in Vilnius on July 11-12.
During the meeting, Popescu spoke in favour of intensifying Moldova-NATO cooperation.
"Moldova's cooperation with NATO will help anchor the country in the European space. NATO always supported democracy, the process of reform, and peace and stability in Moldova over the last thirty years," Popescu said, as quoted by the Moldovan Foreign Ministry's press service.
"For Moldova, it is very important to strengthen ties with international partners," and the country's leadership is therefore "planning to continue joint work with NATO in the future," he said. Popescu expressed the hope that this "will help shore up democracy in Moldova."