President of Moldova Igor Dodon spoke today at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
A delegate from Russia, State Duma deputy Leonid Kalashnikov, communist, asked the Moldovan president if he wanted to teach his neighbors a balanced foreign policy, which Dodon himself does so well.
“Should someone take an example from us? Independent countries make decisions based on their national interests on how to move forward.
Moldova, like other republics of the former USSR, has a number of features. Society is divided: 50% want European integration, 50% want rapprochement with Russia.
I am a supporter of a balanced foreign policy, because any attempt to make a choice splits society. I don't want us to be friends with someone against someone. This is very difficult for small countries, because big countries are trying to win small countries over to their side against their geopolitical enemy. Moldova will gain nothing from this.
Only a neutral status can keep our country from falling apart. On the other hand, this is the only guarantee of solving the Transnistrian problem. It is not easy, but it is closer to resolution compared to other frozen conflicts. If our neighbors are interested in this, we can share our experience,” Dodon said.
In his speech at PACE, he explained that a balanced foreign policy presupposes the effective implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU, the restoration and development of “strategic partnerships with the Russian Federation, Romania, Ukraine, the United States and Turkey.”
“We support the idea of creating a united Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok. I would like Moldova to no longer be considered pro-Russian, pro-European, pro-American or pro-Romanian. We have citizens who can support all these directions at the same time or none,” Dodon said.