"The Commonwealth must be developed as one whole-I have always been sure of that. All its regional structures can never strike the main target - to make the CIS an efficient working unit," he stressed in yesterday's public address on the central national television channel.
"I was addressing the previous CIS summits, and I shall address the nearest, due in Astana, Kazakh capital, September 15. I repeated one call to all the gatherings, and I shall make it once again: Messrs. Presidents of the Commonwealth countries, let us work out something we shall all share-something that will bring us certain achievements. Each CIS country is to make a sacrifice for others' sake. Meanwhile, none of us has done anything to meet the others halfway.
"The bigger [CIS] countries-Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan-are surely to set an example to the others. When we all see practical fruit, the Commonwealth will become much more efficient," the President emphatically reasoned.
CIS membership is no obstacle on Moldova's way to integrate into Europe, he reassured. "Some say we are severing our ties with the CIS as we strive to integrate into Europe. Those opinions lead to nothing but problems. They promise Moldova dire and unpredictable fruit," warned Mr. Voronin.
"Our longest-established markets are in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. We get almost all our energy resources from there-so how can we assume that our Commonwealth membership is a barrier on our road to Europe?" he exclaimed.
