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Romania is hosting, in the coming days, the first high-level event of the North Atlantic Alliance in a state on the Eastern Flank, on the front line of NATO's defense, after the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
"The fact that Bucharest was chosen as a place of Ministerial has multiple meanings. And I am glad that in the coming days", 'all eyes' will be on Bucharest, because, in reality, for a few days, the most important topics for regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security will be debated here. It is a clear signal that Romania, in this part of the world, counts, both at NATO and EU level, as well as at international level in general," the Foreign Affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu told an interview with AGERPRES, released last Saturday.
The Romanian chief diplomat highlighted that "for Romania, the moment also has a special symbolic load, given that this year marks 20 years since our country received the invitation to join NATO at the Prague Summit on November 21-22, 2002, which will be marked on the sidelines of the meeting".
"In addition, it is the first formal allied summit in Romania after the Bucharest Summit in 2008. But it is also the first meeting of the Allied foreign ministers after the Madrid Summit in June, so a moment that allows us to examine the state of implementation of its very important decisions, especially for the Eastern Flank. And I am glad that, symbolically, we have the opportunity to bring to the attention of the public opinion the importance of NATO's role and the values the Alliance represents, the ample security guarantees it offers us," Bogdan Aurescu stated.
As regards the substance of the meeting, he noted in the interview that "the proximity of the Black Sea, the region most seriously affected by the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, is also at the center of attention".
"Choosing Bucharest, based on intense and lasting diplomatic efforts for which I thank all my colleagues who have contributed to this approach and to all the organizational efforts, also indicates the strategic importance of the Black Sea for NATO and for the Euro-Atlantic security in its entirety, as it was enshrined in the Madrid Summit documents.
We can therefore say that the Bucharest meeting is an expression of allied solidarity with the Eastern Flank states, as well as of NATO's commitment to continue supporting Ukraine and to support the other partner states in the region, such as the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. In fact, our country plays a particularly active role at regional, European and Euro-Atlantic level, especially in the context of the illegal war waged by Russia against Ukraine. This role is very pragmatic and concrete: from the unconditional support given to the more than 2.9 million refugees from Ukraine who have crossed our borders, to the extensive involvement in managing the effects of this crisis, including by facilitating the transit of Ukrainian grains to third destinations - over 8.4 million tonnes of cereals and other Ukrainian agricultural products so far," minister Aurescu emphasised.
At the same time, it is no coincidence "that the first formal participation of a minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova in a NATO Ministerial meeting takes place here in Bucharest," he added.
According to the Romanian head of diplomacy, "a Joint Declaration of the Foreign ministers is in preparation, the text of which is currently being negotiated".
"Such a practice is not common to the meetings of the ministers of Foreign Affairs, which proves once again the importance of the Bucharest meeting. (...) I am confident that the efforts of Romanian diplomacy and the other Allies will result in a Declaration reflecting Romania's major interests and objectives as part of the common interests and objectives of NATO states, including in preparation for the upcoming Vilnius Summit in 2023, but also in order to reaffirm the determined and visionary approach of the Alliance," Bogdan Aurescu concluded.AGERPRES
