Moldovan president calls for holding OSCE summit to ease tensions in Europe

CHISINAU, November 1. /TASS/. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) states’ leaders should gather to discuss ways to ease tensions between countries, Moldovan President Igor Dodon said, addressing students at Lomonosov Moscow State University on Thursday.

“Our country is concerned to see growing tensions in our neighboring country of Ukraine, as well as developments in the Balkans and the Middle East,” Dodon said. “In my view, an OSCE summit on strengthening strategic stability could prevent further global tensions,” he noted, as cited by his press service. The Moldovan president pointed out that OSCE leaders had last held such a meeting in Kazakhstan’s Astana in 2010.

“As head of a small state – the Republic of Moldova – I have to say that when big players – great powers – are unable to agree to mutually respect each other’s interests, weaker countries and entire regions fall victim to their disagreements,” he said.

According to Dodon, “Moldova is ready to actively participate in discussions of the current pressing issues concerning the arc of crisis.” He also said that the country was reluctant to get involved in the confrontation between the East and the West, and planned to pursue “a balanced foreign policy.” “In this connection, we intend to ensure our permanent neutrality… and seek its recognition at the international level,” the Moldovan president stressed.