Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to join previous speakers in expressing deep regret that this Council was not able to adopt the Ministerial Declaration and the Statement on Moldova at its annual meeting. The Moldovan delegation has worked in a constructive and result oriented manner. Despite the tireless efforts from the part of my Delegation and the most of the involved actors we failed for the sixth year in a row to reach consensus on these important documents.

While my delegation has aligned itself with the Statement delivered on behalf of the European Union, I would like to concentrate on the main issues that Moldova perceives as very important for the Council to take into consideration.

We are determined to find a political settlement exclusively by peaceful means, based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders. We stands ready to resume constructive work in the 5+2 negotiating format in order to achieve at the earliest possibility a sustainable, final and comprehensive settlement, which will define a special, legal status of the Transnistrian region within the Republic of Moldova.

We express our appreciation for the role of the European Union and the Unites States of America in determining positive developments both in the conflict settlement and in the broader regional context. In particular, we would like to commend the activity of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine and look forward to its extension.

We call once again on all involved actors to engage actively in the discussions for the substitution of the military contingents in the Security Zone by a multinational civil mission under an international mandate. We reiterate our position concerning the full, early and unconditional withdrawal of the all military forces and ammunition of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Moldova in compliance with the obligations undertaken in the framework of the OSCE Summits. This will provide the necessary ground for the ratification by the Republic of Moldova of the Adapted CFE Treaty.

We invite all interested actors to provide assistance for the democratization of the transnistrian region of Moldova and call on the transnistrian authorities to remove all obstacles in the way of free movement of persons and goods between both banks of the Nistru River, and to start the demilitarization process in the context of confidence and security building measures.

Mr. Chairman, I ask that this statement be attached to the Journal of the day.

Thank you.