US to give 262-million dollar grant to Moldova.

WASHINGTON, January 22 (Itar-Tass) -- The United States will provide a
262-million dollar five-year grant to Moldova to restore roads and
implement several agriculture projects, including upgrading of irrigation
infrastructure.
The agreement will be signed on Friday. Moldova's Prime Minister Vlad
Filat and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the ceremony.
Filat told Tass he held negotiations with Vice-President Joe Biden who
backed Moldova's drive fro European integration.
Moldova's cooperation priorities with the United States target
political and economic spheres and education. Filat said military
cooperation was not discussed.
The prime minister also met U.S. special envoy for Eurasian energy
Richard Morningstar to discuss Moldova's energy security. "It is extremely
important for us to diversify energy supplies and generating capacities,"
Filat said, adding his country has numerous projects, including with
Russia.
Speaking earlier in the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Filat said Moldova's rapprochement with the United States and Europe after
pro-European political forces came to power in the country will facilitate
the settlement of the breakaway Dniester conflict.
"The closer we are to the EU and the US, the closer we shall come to
the settlement of the Dniester problem. It is a key to Dniester
reintegration", Filat said.
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