Bilateral meetings of Defence Minister Fifor, on NATO ministerial reunion's sidelines in Brussels

The National Defence Minister Mihai Fifor on Wednesday had bilateral meetings with his counterparts of Poland, Canada and Bulgaria, on the sidelines of the NATO member states' defence ministers' reunion in Brussels, informs a National Defence Ministry (MApN)'s release. 

The talks of Mihai Fifor with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak focused on aspects regarding the bilateral cooperation in defence, the security situation in the region in the context of implementing the Warsaw summit's decisions as well as the importance of strengthening the political and military dialogue in security issues, considering the specific of the two countries' geostrategic position, of NATO and EU eastern flank. 

A special accent was put on the preparation of the first reunion of the defence ministers of the B9 member states, to be co-staged by Romania and Poland, in Bucharest, in March, an event that will occasion the necessary framework to deepen the dialogue and coordination among allies in Central and Eastern Europe, in the perspective of the next NATO summit. Moreover, the two dignitaries agreed upon maintaining the high level of the bilateral defence cooperation, engaging on the next moments of the bilateral dialogue at this level. 

Likewise, the Romanian and Canadian Defence ministers, Mihai Fifor and Harjit Singh Sajjan stressed the significant progress recorded by the bilateral defence cooperation and the favourable outlook to further develop the military relations. A particular emphasis was placed on the deepening of the military medicine cooperation, especially as regards the improvement of the research system, of risk management and the post-traumatic stress disorder specific diagnosis and treatment. 

In the context, minister Mihai Fifor expressed the solid commitment to developing cooperation between the two armies, and thanked Canada for its substantial contribution to all components of the NATO advanced presence in the Black Sea region. The two dignitaries also agreed to further dialogue to identifying new cooperation opportunities for the strengthening of the Canadian military presence on the eastern flank's southern segment, the MApN release adds. 

During talks with his Bulgarian counterpart, Krasimir Karakachanov, Mihai Fifor emphasised the ascending course of the bilateral military cooperation, through intensification of the political and military dialogue and participation in joint exercises and training activities. The two ministers have had a swap of information on the security situation in the Black Sea extended region, reiterating their joint interest to strengthen the regional stability, through the allied advanced presence in the area included. They have also stressed the importance of the following B9 reunion at the NATO member states' defence ministers' level, due in Bucharest, the MApN informs.

Agerpres