Moldova's Parliament approved the country's membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS--a group of 12 former Soviet republics) and a CIS charter on economic union in April 1994.
In 1995, the country became the first New Independent State admitted to the Council of Europe. In addition to its membership in NATO's Partnership for Peace, Moldova also belongs to the United Nations, the OSCE, the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
In 1998, Moldova contributed to the founding of GUAM, a regional cooperative agreement made up of Georgia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan, in addition to Moldova. In 1999, Uzbekistan also joined the group, renamed GUUAM. Although the agreement initially included a declaration of mutual defense, Moldova has since declared its disinterest in participating in any GUUAM-based mutual defense initiative.
As noted, Moldova has sought a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Transnistria region by working with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia, by calling for international mediation, and by cooperating with the OSCE and UN fact-finding and observer missions.
Disputes - international: separatist Transnistria region, comprising the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine, has its own de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs
Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe and possibly the United States
- See also : Moldova
