The Longbow/Lancer was a very modest exercise designed to help troops train for UN peacekeeping. It was tiny — just 1,000 soldiers — and did not include contingents from most NATO members. On the other hand, it /did/ include contingents from (among others) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, and Belarus… again, countries with no interest whatsoever in joining NATO.

I note that both the IPAP and the exercise happened back in 2006, when Voronin was going through his brief phase of being disgruntled with Moscow. I suspect these were gestures of independence on his part. Whatever the motivation, they definitely don’t reflect a consensus on the part of Moldova’s population or its elites.

Also, you want to take a look at Article 11 of the Moldovan Constitution. That requires Moldova to be neutral and forbids the stationing of foreign troops on Moldovan territory. Basically, it makes NATO membership impossible. The Constitution could be amended, of course, but the provisions on neutrality can’t be amended without a referendum first — see Article 142, section 1.

Doug M.

Ron

Has Moldova really a neutral attitude toward NATO? Well…not really. Of course Moldova is not a full NATO member but they do have a rather close relationship with it.
Moldova has signed a IPAP-2 treaty with NATO. According to this treaty Moldova’s military is equipped and trained toward NATO standards.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-41BC9D1C-AC605C3A/natolive/topics_49727.htm
So Moldova is already cooperating with NATO, but do they also allow NATO troops on their territory? Of course, when they were really totally neutral they wont, but as I said they are not totally neutral. Already in 2006 in Moldova was held the NATO organised exercise Longbow/Lancer. (Later they were also hosting NATO organised exercise Medceur). Not surprisingly this was seen as a provocation in Transnistria.
Recently U.S. Vice President Joe Biden made a statement about Moldova should joining the NATO when they are ready for it.
For there is only one link allowed in a comment, I will give the links to exercise Longbow/Lancer and the statement of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in two separate comments.
Ron.

Keep in mind that Moldova is a small place, and the political-economic elite there is a very small group indeed. There’s no strong reason to start a blood feud. Whoever becomes President — and I expect someone will, by year’s end — Voronin will be allowed a graceful retirement, and his disgusting son will get to keep his empire.

Neutrality: almost everyone in Moldova agrees that the country should be neutral and not join NATO. (Note that joining NATO would require something like a tenfold expansion of Moldova’s tiny military.) The Russians seem to realize this; it’s probably one reason they’re not getting too upset at Voronin’s fall.

Doug M.

The communist party, lead by the retired USSR-general Voronin, was, till they lost the elections, always the most important defender of the Russian interests in Moldavian politics. Reading this Romanian article, it seems that the Russian leadership has find now an “new” favourite in the Moldovan politics, and will give full support to Lupu with his effort to become the new president of Moldova. This ahum..”ex”-communist, is the only important oppositional leader who has an eye for the Russian interests, of which the most important one is to prevent that Moldova will join the NATO.
It wont surprise me if Russian intelligence has given some support with the parachuting of Lupu as the new oppositional leader, after all this is Moldova…..
Ron.

Very interesting article, it shows us how sleazy the methods are, that are used by Voronin and his communist clan, to protect their interests at al costs. But maybe this is not the last trick of our communist leader. Marian Lupu, the former minister of economics of Europe’s most economically failed state and widely seen as Voronin’s successor, suddenly left the communist party shortly after the April selections to become the leader of the oppositional Democratic Party
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/aug2009/mold-a08.shtml
Recently Moldova’s oppositional party’s have formed a coalition, in order to gain a majority in parliament. And guess who is trying to profile himself now as the new opposition leader…
Doesn’t it looks if Voronin’s clan has parachuted Marian Lupu as the new opposition leader, so he could protect their interests in case the opposition takes over power?
Ron.