CHISINAU -- Moldovan Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan says his country wants European Union neighbor Romania to put an end to years of a "diplomatic vacuum" and sign important political and border treaties that the two countries have negotiated for many years.
Stratan told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service that there are "few obstacles" left in the way of the treaties to be finalized and that he will try to remove those obstacles in talks with his new Romanian counterpart, Cristian Diaconescu, who will visit Chisinau on January 22.
Over the last two decades, Romanian governments have been reluctant to sign treaties with Moldova, which was part of Romania before the Soviet Union occupied it in 1940.
Moldova's governments, especially the current pro-Russian administration of President Vladimir Voronin, have interpreted Romania's reluctance as a sign of territorial ambitions.
Stratan told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service that there are "few obstacles" left in the way of the treaties to be finalized and that he will try to remove those obstacles in talks with his new Romanian counterpart, Cristian Diaconescu, who will visit Chisinau on January 22.
Over the last two decades, Romanian governments have been reluctant to sign treaties with Moldova, which was part of Romania before the Soviet Union occupied it in 1940.
Moldova's governments, especially the current pro-Russian administration of President Vladimir Voronin, have interpreted Romania's reluctance as a sign of territorial ambitions.