The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca on Sunday met at the southeastern Kogalniceanu military base with the US Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer and the commander of the US Marine Corps four-star general Robert Blake Neller, a release sent to Agerpres by the National Defence Ministry (MApN) reads.
The event was attended by the US ambassador to Romania Hans George Klemm, alongside the Air Forces' Chief of Staff Brigadier General Viorel Pana and Fleet Rear Admiral Mihai Panait, Chief of Staff of the Fleet Command.
During the meeting, the Romanian and the US officials talked about the joint activities unfolded in 2017 and the future 2018 ones, have met with commanders and talked with the American and Romanian troops in the Kogalniceanu military base, who are to spend the Christmas and New Year's holidays here, together.
"The strategic partnership with the US and the NATO is the fundamental pillar of Romania's security and national defence. Romania advocates the development of a strong, permanent trans-Atlantic relationship as an essential prerequisite for the Euro-Atlantic area's security and stability. Following the Warsaw's NATO summit's decisions, the allied troops' deployment on Romania territory is underway, in a clear solidarity, integration example. The US troops stationed at Mihail Kogalniceanu base do enhance the potential of the defence and deterrence posture of the entire Alliance, not only of Romania's. It is a clear proof of Alliance's solidarity and determination to defending the NATO territory against any aggression," the MApN release adds.