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Interior Minister Lucian Bode discussed on Tuesday with a U.S. congressional delegation to Bucharest about the implications of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, stressing that the permanent dialogue with the U.S. for the close coordination of the response to the current humanitarian and security crisis is particularly important for Romania.
"I welcomed a visiting delegation of the U.S. Congress headed by Stephen Lynch, chair of the House of Representatives' National Security Subcommittee. Together with the members of the U.S. congressional delegation, we assessed all the implications of the military aggression on Ukraine and discussed joint priorities in the field of home affairs, a fundamental element of the relationship connecting Romania to the U.S.," Bode wrote on Facebook.
He added that the talks proved the strength of the Romania - U.S. Strategic Partnership that turns 25 this year, as well as the firm commitment of the U.S. regarding the security of Romania and NATO's eastern flank allies.
"We emphasized our very close cooperation on law enforcement. As a matter of fact, the cooperation with U.S. agencies in the fight against organized crime, cybercrime, emergency and border management has yielded very good results," Lucian Bode said.
According to the Minister, an important objective in the bilateral relationship remains Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program.
"We are in the process of intensified consultations with our partners in Washington, with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, to meet the criteria set out in the U.S. legislation for joining the program. Romania largely meets the criteria for joining the VWP, proving even in the current difficult context that it is an important provider of security and stability in the region," Bode notes, Agerpres informs.
