NATO HQ Brussels 12 May 2006

Speech NATO assists Moldova to deal with dangerous chemicals JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER (Secretary General of NATO): Dear Friends, ladies and gentlemen, let me start by welcoming you all here today to witness the signing of what we call legal agreements to support the Moldova Pesticides Trust Fund Project. As you know it's the second Trust Fund Project for Moldova and it is significant for a number of reasons. It's the first time we have established a joint trust fund project with the OSCE, an organization, given my own past, which is close to my heart. And it's also the first time we have the operational participation of a non-governmental organization Dutch Milieukontakt. Check my pronunciation, Dutch Milieukontakt. (LAUGHTER) This broad participation reflects the complicated nature of this task. The project, of course, is not only important from a defence and security point of view, but has also significant environmental consequences. I would like to applaud Belgium and Romania , present here through the ambassador and the chargé d'affaires, who are both taking the lead in a Trust Fund Project for the first time. Having said this and welcoming you again, Minister, could I now ask the lead nations to sign the Financial Management Agreement and the Executive Agent Agreement please? DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Bon, je vais demander maintenant à l'ambassadeur de la Belgique, l'Ambassadeur Struye de Swielande de dire quelques mots. C'est à vous, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur. DOMINIQUE STRUYE DE SWIELANDE (Représentant permanent auprès de l'OTAN): Monsieur le Secrétaire général, Monsieur le Ministre, Chers Amis, chargés d'affaires. La Belgique est très heureuse de développer ce projet de coopération avec la Moldavie. Ce pays se rapproche en effet chaque jour un peu plus des organisations euro-atlantiques. Ses efforts en ce sens encouragent notre soutien comme en témoigne l'IPAP de la Moldavie qui devrait être agrée aujourd'hui à midi. Nous sommes extrêmement satisfaits aussi d'avoir pu grâce à ce projet accroître notre coopération concrète avec la Roumanie et cela avec succès. Il est extrêmement heureux de voir que les membres fondateurs et des membres qui ont rejoint plus récemment l'OTAN puissent collaborer dans ce genre de projet. Je souhaite aussi profiter de cet événement pour remercier une fois encore les pays qui ont accepté de contribuer à ce projet à ce jour: la Norvège, la Suède, la Turquie, les Pays-Bas, la Bulgarie, la République tchèque, la Lituanie, le Luxembourg, l'Irlande et le Royaume-Uni. Et j'invite tous les pays qui n'ont pas encore contribué à y contribuer. Je voudrais enfin souligner qu'il s'agit d'une première collaboration entre l'OTAN et l'OSCE. Et comme vous le savez, la Belgique a la présidence de l'OSCE en ce moment dans la mise en oeuvre de Trust Fund du partenariat euro-atlantique et ce, dans le cadre de l'initiative pour l'environnement et la sécurité, l'ENVSEC, qui est une association entre l'OTAN, OSCE, le PNUD et le PNUE. Voilà, Monsieur le Secrétaire général, tous les remerciements que je souhaite adresser à tout le monde. Et je me réjouis de la mise en oeuvre de ce projet dans les meilleurs délais. Merci beaucoup. DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Merci à vous. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur. Could I call on Mr. Boranescu, please, the chargé d'affaires of Romania to say some words. MARIUS BORANESCU ( Chargé d'Affaires , Romania ): Yes, thank you very much. Distinguished audience, from the outset I would like also to express my satisfaction for these positive developments that have taken place after the launching of this project and indeed, this is an important moment of this process. With your help we think that the perspectives of achieving the objectives of these projects are now real and your presence here, Mr. Secretary General, and also the presence of all partners demonstrate that it is indeed important and important for our common endeavour. I would like to thank in my turn, Belgium , for assuming the call-it (?) of this trust fund and work with us. I'd like also to thank all the contributing nations because you know, the financial support is essential, and also to thank to the team of NAMSA and IS who apparently coordinated all our efforts. But last, but not least, many thanks to Moldovan authorities for facilitating our cooperation and also for the NGO Milieukontakt for their active participation. And finally, I would like to underline this project is a highlight of our mandate as a contact point embassy Chisinău and we are pleased to contribute, to strengthen the partnership and the relation between the Republic of Moldova and NATO, both at the level of political dialogue and practical cooperation. And in this particular case, to solving a complex and complicated situation with a direct impact on Moldova and population. Thank you very much. DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Thank you very much, Mr. Boranescu. Is my impression correct, that Minister Plesca and General Münzner have already signed the Implementation Agreement? UNIDENTIFIED: Not yet. DE HOOP SCHEFFER: My impression is not correct. May I now ask Minister Plesca and General Münzner to sign the implementing agreement, please. Here we are. (DOCUMENTS ARE SIGNED) DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Minister, may I call now on you to make a few remarks. Minister, please. VALERIU PLESCA (Defence Minister of Moldova): Thank you. (TRANSLATION)... Mr. Secretary General, dear Ambassadors, dear colleagues, today's event is seen as a proof of intensified cooperation of relations between the Republic of Moldova and the North Atlantic Alliance. It has a double importance for Moldova . As Mr. Secretary General already mentioned, with the successful implementation of the first project on destruction of the large and anti-personnel mines, the image of NATO as a credible partner has soared in the eyes of the population. Also this project is to be mentioned in the context of IPAP, whose approval procedure is to be completed in several days they hope. The project being included in the action plan as a partnership objective that shall be accomplished (inaudible). We continue to count on the support of the Alliance in the full implementation of the project and in this context I would like to present, on behalf of the government of Moldova the expression of sincere thankfulness to you personally, Mr. Secretary General, and to International Secretariat for the constant attention and support offered in the promotion of the project. At the same time, please allow me to express the deepest gratitude to pilot countries, the Kingdom of Belgium and Romania as well as the countries that have contributed to this achievement. And in conclusion I would like to tell we have tried to mark this event in your minds by a cocktail which will be next door and with a drink from Moldova wine which will be tasted by you. And I would like to mention that wine in Moldova is not only a beverage, it's a culture, it's a tradition, it's a way of life. Thank you very much and welcome to you next door. DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Minister, thank you very much and no need to convince me, you're preaching to the converted by telling good things about Moldova and Moldovan wine. Very much looking forward to that. May I call on General Münzner to say a few words, please. KARL-HEINZ MÜNZNER (General Manager of NAMSA): Thank you, Mr. Secretary General. Ministers Plesca, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Having signed these two contracts on behalf of NAMSA, its member nations and NAMSA the executing agency, I'm happy to express my thanks to you, especially the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium and to Romania, the OSCE and the other donor nations. But I also would like to include into my thanks Ambassador Erdmann, the ASG, and his team, and all of them have worked very intensely to bring this dormant project back to life, which has been out there for some years waiting for someone to take an initiative about removing the threat to health and environment. We have been working in Moldova on demilitarization issue, but we are very happy to do this new type of work. This new project that we are starting here is just the first phase of possible further phases. It's only laying the foundations for the final elimination of the threat. But it's necessary and it was very urgent to undertake it. And finally, I would like to thank also the Moldovan authorities, you Minister, and I'm pretty sure that we will soon lay the foundation by developing the necessary trust for good and excellent cooperation as we had in the past. Thank you very much. DE HOOP SCHEFFER: Thank you very much General. Let's confirm what was just signed with a handshake first, and then I invite the lead nation and NAMSA and the Moldovan representatives, headed by you, Mr. Minister, to gather for a group photograph, a photo de famille, with all the donors. But first, congratulations. PLESCA: Thank you. (APPLAUSE)