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President Klaus Iohannis presented on Wednesday the arguments for joining the race for the position of NATO secretary general, stressing that the countries of the Eastern Flank are in the "allied first line of deterrence and defence of deterrence and defence", but also that Romania has consolidated its status as a "reliable partner" within the Alliance.
"NATO's Eastern flank countries are, in these times, in the first allied line of deterrence and defence to maintain Euro-Atlantic security in the face of Russia's aggressive posture. It is, therefore, a legitimate aspiration for a more significant representation in NATO's leadership structures of an entire region which, throughout history, has constantly faced the Russian threat. Romania has received recognition from all allies for the performance and professionalism of our military and has consolidated its status as a reliable partner within NATO. These were, in fact, the arguments for entering the competition for the position of NATO Secretary General, being convinced that the experience and the deep understanding of the specifics of this complicated region represent significant assets for the future decisions that the Alliance will have to make in order to ensure Euro-Atlantic security," said the president, at the event "ROMANIA - NATO, 20 years", held at the Palace of the National Military Circle.
President Iohannis mentioned that NATO is "the strongest" political-military alliance in history and that Romania has "fully and irreversibly" integrated into this structure.
"Our country's accession to NATO and our European course were the main national strategic objectives after the 1989 Revolution. Once achieved, NATO membership became one of the solid foundations on which we have developed Romania today. Romania - a strong, responsible and respected ally in Europe and in the world, deeply committed to the European and Euro-Atlantic security architecture," said the president.
Klaus Iohannis added that the current period is marked by "multiple challenges at European and global level", and that Romania's foreign and security policy "undeniable pillars" are anchored in NATO, the EU and the Strategic Partnership with the United States.
"Today we benefit from the most solid security guarantees in Romania's history, provided to us by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. In our turn, we respect the commitments made at the allied level and contribute to strengthening common security and collective defence. We were present in Afghanistan, we were part of the Multinational Force in Iraq and we fought together against global terrorism. Today, we maintain a significant presence in the NATO Mission in Kosovo and we are making a substantial contribution to strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern flank," said the Romanian president.
He added that our country hosts "operational and robust" NATO structures, and Romanian military collaborate and train in the country, together with more than 5,000 fellow soldiers from the United States, France, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, North Macedonia and Luxembourg.
"The current context generated by the war on our borders increases Romania's relevance as a pillar of regional security and stability. The strategic importance of the Black Sea region for the security of the Euro-Atlantic area, as recognised at the NATO Summit in Madrid in 2022, following Romania's sustained efforts, is today undeniable. We have strengthened and will continue to strengthen Romania's security and we will make further efforts to strengthen the allied structures on Romanian territory," said the head of state
