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At their joint session next week, the Romanian and the Moldovan Governments will discuss pro-Europe cooperation, natural gas transmission, bridge building and exchanges of students, Romania's Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu reports.

'By this joint session, we try to move on to somehow more pragmatic projects. Both countries have reaffirmed their readiness for further cooperation in the area of European integration and I believe this is the best approach at this time; our hope is that we will get to sign an action plan to be taken up by the prime ministers that will provide concrete details of projects and pro-Europe cooperation between Romania and Moldova,' Diaconescu told the Romanian public radio station.

He added that the Romanian and the Moldovan Governments will discuss at their joint session in Iasi, Romania, aspects that will be finalised most likely by agreements in relation to gas transmission, bridge building and exchanges of students. He pointed out that Romania has been helping Moldova in the education field with a 100-million-euro grant, but the projects in this area have to be agreed upon.

'Our hope, and I have noticed the determination of Prime Minister Ungureanu in this respect, is to have as concrete as possible projects that we can present as arguments, which I should say would be more solid, when discussing European integration,' Diaconescu added.

Asked about the priorities of Romania's Foreign Ministry in Romania's relationship with Moldova, Diaconescu mentioned preparations in Brussels for a fast-track accession of Moldova to the European Union

'We are cooperating at multiple levels with the Moldovan authorities. Here we also talk about the preparations for the start of negotiations in Brussels over a fast-track accession of Moldova to the EU. We are also talking about the way in which Romania can provide political support in its conversations with its partners and advance the pro-Europe aspirations of Moldova. There are very many projects underway. We are practically acting inside an active good neighborly relationship with Moldova and inside an Eastern partnership launched in 2009 by the EU that includes six countries, and, in relation to Moldova, Romania is trying to make things happen,' said Diaconescu. AGERPRES