Being a part of the international conventions against terrorism, Moldova thoroughly implements their provisions as well as the recommendations of the Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001), 1390 (2002), and 1455 (2003). The measures undertaken by the Government of Moldova in combating terrorism have been outlined in three reports presented to the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC).

The commitment of Moldovan forces to the US-led Multinational Coalition operations reflects the nation's willingness to support the world efforts in its wider response to security problems around the globe and confirms the extensive possibilities of small- and medium-sized countries to actively participate in the preservation of peace and stability.

Supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom

In the atmosphere of heightened sensitivity to terrorism following the events of September 11, 2001, Moldova has been a supporter of American efforts to increase international cooperation in combating terrorism. Moldova started to send contingents to Iraq on September 8, 2003, immediately after the Moldovan Parliament approved of their participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The first contingent consisted of an infantry platoon, an engineer team, and medics. The contingent was attached to the 4th Infantry Division (US) and conducted its mission in vicinity of Sammara in Multinational Division North-Center (MND-NC). The missions of the contingent were:

• patrolling;
• providing security of convoys;
• engineer reconnaissance;
• destruction of unexploded ordnance;

The second contingent was deployed to Iraq on July 26, 2004. It consisted of a nine-soldier Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attached to the 1st Infantry Division in MND-NC. An additional three staff officers were attached to the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) headquarters in Baghdad . The Moldovan EOD Team displayed great enthusiasm and flexibility when the 1-33rd Field Artillery Battalion conducted Operation Capture Enemy Ammunition. They also conducted over 80 combat EOD missions at the Tikrit North Ammunition Supply Point (ASP). Moldovan soldiers in close cooperation with US EOD and 1-33rd Field Artillery Battalion soldiers disposed over 160,000 articles of unexploded ordnance (UXOs), which otherwise would have threatened the lives of Coalition soldiers and the local Iraqi population.

After clearing the Tikrit North ASP, Moldovan EOD was attached to Forward Operating Base Speicher in Tikrit where it conducted explosive ordnance reconnaissance and disposal on base and in the area. During this period, over 20,000 articles of UXO were discovered and destroyed. The total number of UXOs discovered and disposed of by Moldavian EOD during the 6-month period has reached 182000. The contingent was redeployed on February 11, 2005

The third contingent was deployed to Iraq on January 13, 2006. It consisted of a nine-soldier Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attached to the 43st Infantry Brigade in MND-NC. An additional three staff officers were attached to the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) headquarters in Baghdad. The Moldovan EOD Team has conducted over 100 combat EOD missions at the Asraf, Karwi, Salum airfield, Habib Al-Haizaran, Tajdari. The total number of UXOs discovered and disposed of by Moldavian EOD during the 6-month period has reached 99432. The contingent was redeployed on July 13, 2006.

The fourth contingent was deployed to Iraq on July 24, 2006. It consisted of a nine-soldier Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attached to the 43st Infantry Brigade in MND-NC. An additional three staff officers were attached to the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) headquarters in Baghdad. The Moldovan EOD Team has conducted over 70 combat EOD missions at the Asraf, Karwi, Habib Al-Haizaran, Tajdari. The total number of UXOs discovered and disposed of by Moldavian EOD during the 6-month period has reached 35046. The contingent was redeployed on January 25, 2007.

The fifth contingent was deployed to Iraq on Jun 16, 2006. It consisted of a nine-soldier Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attached to the 43st Infantry Brigade in MND-NC. An additional three staff officers were attached to the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) headquarters in Baghdad. The Moldovan EOD Team has conducted over 100 combat EOD missions at the Asraf, Karwi, Salum airfield, Habib Al-Haizaran, Tajdari. The total number of UXOs discovered and disposed of by Moldavian EOD during the 6-month period has reached 65505. The contingent was redeployed on December 23, 2007.

On December 10, 2007, the Moldovan Supreme Security Council decided to send a sixth group of service members to Iraq. The new contingent of twenty soldiers, including sixteen mine engineers and four staff officers, went through intense training based on the experience and recommendations of its predecessors.

NEW MOLDOVAN CONTINGENT

Interview with the Moldovan Senior National representative

The Republic of Moldova’s contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom have been significant. Since joining O.I.F. in September 2003, Moldovan EOD teams working alongside their American counterparts have safely disposed of almost 520,000 enemy explosives.

Moldovan Army Lt. Col. Alexandru Cebanu currently works as country’s Senior National Representative (I.E. ranking officer) at US Central Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base. He views this as both a personal and professional opportunity.

“I enjoy working in a multinational environment,” he said. “I believe we are going to do this in the near future and the long term. It’s hard to see how a single country could deal with what we face right now, the global terrorist threat. A single country can’t do that. What we are going to see is multinational forces doing joint efforts. Group efforts. The tendency is going to be a multinational force.”

According to Lt. Col. Cebanu, tolerance is a necessary quality for participation in a coalition on a personal level.

“When you work in a multinational environment, you have to learn how to tolerate people and how to respect somebody else,” he explained, “It is not only about (accommodating) people from other countries, backgrounds, religions, but also differences in their knowledge, skills, approaches, procedures and interests.

“This is the best way to find a commonality.”

Coalitions have a synergistic effect: They allow each participating nation to add their own individual skills to a shared talent pool. This creates a unified force greater than the participants possess on their own. In the case of Moldova, this is reflected in the de-mining skills obtained during its war in the early 1990s with the breakaway Republic of Transnistria.

“Moldova has very good experience in de-mining operations. Unfortunately, in 1992, we had a conflict and our engineers and sappers did a lot to clear areas where there still were the remains of that conflict,” Cebanu said.

“Also, thanks to the United States’ assistance, our troops -- particularly those who deal with explosives -- have high-quality equipment, the latest equipment. We have it in our hands. I guess you can say that our capabilities in de-mining situations may not be the best in the world, but we can be proud of them.”

Links:

About Moldova

Moldovan Army

Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs