Foreign Policy Association together with Friedrich­Ebert-Stiftung offer you a newsletter on foreign policy and European integration issues of the Republic of Moldova. The newsletter is part of the “Foreign Policy Dialogue” joint Project. NEWSLETTER MONTHLY BULLETIN JULY 2023 NR.7(209) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates NTheewnselewttselre-tutel resistedreevaelliozpaet ddebyMMădăădlăinlinNNeceșcușțuuț,ur,eeddaitcotor-rc-ocooordrdinoantaotror TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Burcu San, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations: Moldova is in the“driver’s seat” in the relationship with NATO and we are ready to help in any way it would like us to 2. Editorial by Dionis Cenusa, political analyst: Moldova after the NATO summit in Vilnius: between increasing cooperation and respecting constitutional neutrality 3. Andrei Curararu, political expert: Politicians, high-ranking officials, especially those in the security field, should explain in a pragmatic way to the citizens what our relationship with NATO means 4. Analysis: Platform for Security and Defense Initiatives(PISA): The results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius: regional configurations and implications for the Republic of Moldova News in Brief The Government of the Republic of Moldova decided, on Wednesday, July 26, to reduce the number of diplomatic personnel of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau, as a result of hostile actions against the Republic of Moldova by Russia. The number of Russian diplomats in Chisinau was significantly reduced, thus Chisinau sent home 18 Russian diplomats and 27 technical staff of the Embassy. They have to leave the territory of the Republic of Moldova until August 15. Previously, Russia had 87 people in Chisinau, of which 52 were accredited diplomats and 35 people were technical staff. After this decision, only 10 diplomats and 15 technical staff will remain in Chisinau, which means a three-fold reduction of the Russian diplomatic staff in Chisinau. Instead, Moldova still has only six diplomats in Moscow, while before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Chisinau had 15 diplomats in the capital of the Russian Federation. The expulsions of Russian diplomats come in the context of the publication of a journalistic investigation which concluded that Russia uses an excessive number of antennas on its diplomatic buildings for espionage actions. NATO leaves open a window of opportunity: will the Republic of Moldova use it or not? The President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Igor Grosu, and Bogdan Aurescu, the adviser on foreign policy of the President of Romania, had a meeting on Tuesday, July 25, in which they discussed security in the region. The Moldovan speaker of Parliament emphasized that Romania is a reliable partner in this context as well.“Through the Support Platform for Moldova, an initiative of launched by Romania, Germany and France, our country benefitted from support to get through this winter, manage the flow of refugees efficiently and, last but not least, ensure peace in the country and focus on the European agenda”, declared Igor Grosu. During the meeting, Igor Grosu appreciated the effort made by Romania to open negotiations with the European Union. The Moldovan speaker mentioned the importance of Romania’s initiative to establish, at the European level, a separate regime of sanctions against people who try to destabilize the situation in the Republic of Moldova. The Government approved, on Wednesday, April 26, the denunciation of the agreements of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States regarding the Armed Forces and the Border Guard Troops and, respectively, regarding the Strategic Armed Forces. The Agreement on the Armed Forces and Border Guard Troops provides for the resolution of defence and security issues, including border guarding of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The agreement on the Strategic Armed Forces provides for the resolution of issues related to the management of the Strategic Armed Forces and sole control over nuclear weapons. The Ministry of Defence specifies that the documents that were concluded in Minsk on December 30, 1991, have not been implemented by the Republic of Moldova until now. The spokesperson of the Government, Daniel Vodă, stated that if an agreement is not useful, it is denounced. According to him, all denunciations of agreements within the CIS take into account the interests of the Moldovan citizens. The relationship between the Republic of Moldova and NATO experienced a revival caused, mainly, by the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, but also by the increasing awareness of the government in Chisinau that this select club of developed European countries, in their vast The Moldovan Foreign Affairs Minister, Nicu Popescu, together with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Mircea Goeana, at the NATO summit in Vilnius, July 11-12 majority, do not dissociate the EU accession from the NATO one. On the contrary, NATO accession is often regarded in practice as a precursor to EU accession. The reasoning is simple: ensuring a very clear security climate where foreign investors can secure the capital with which they enter a new market. The authorities in Chisinau quickly understood that no one would come to invest in a country with shaky security, a weak rule of law, and law enforcement and justice institutions that act either insufficiently or Monthly newsletter, No.07(209), July 2023 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: fes-moldova.org. E-mail:fes@fes-moldova.org