President Iohannis: Romanian authorities will remain open to Jewish community

President Klaus Iohannis on Friday received at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace a delegation of the American Jewish Committee - AJC, headed by its Chief Executive Officer David Harris, in which context he reiterated that the Romanian authorities will continue to show complete openness towards the Jewish community, reads a release of the Presidential Administration. 

President Iohannis thanked again AJC for inviting him as a guest of honour to the Global Forum of the organization held in June 2017, and for awarding him the prestigious distinction "Light Unto the Nations." 

The head of the state also voiced his appreciation for the entire activity of the AJC, including for its good cooperation with the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, and gave assurance that the Romanian authorities will continue to show complete openness towards the Jewish community, in the spirit of tolerance and diversity and based on a firm commitment to combating extremism, racism, antisemitism and xenophobia, while also taking responsibility of the past and commemorating the victims of the Holocaust. 

In his turn, the AJC CEO congratulated Romania for its performance in this area and encouraged the Romanian authorities to continue to develop the topic of Holocaust in education. David Harris especially appreciated the manner in which Romania exercised the presidency of the International Alliance for the Memory of the Holocaust (IHRA) over March 2016 - March 2017, while also remarking the results obtained in the field of education and research on the topic of the Holocaust, especially by adopting the working definition of antisemitism, which is an important instrument in combating it. 

They also exchanged opinions on the Strategic Partnership existing between Romania and the USA and the privileged relations between Romania and Israel, to which strengthening the AJC wants to continue to contribute. 

The Presidential Administration showed that the Chief Executive Officer of the AJC thanked President Iohannis for all that our country did under the Strategic Partnership with the USA, proving that it is a strong and committed partner, on which the USA can rely. In this respect, David Harris mentioned including the visit that President Klaus Iohannis paid to Washington in June 2017, by voicing his special appreciation for the results of the latter's meeting with President Donald Trump. 

"The AJC official stressed how important is for the American Jewish Committee such a strong voice that Romania has at European and regional level, as well as in what concerns the Transatlantic relation and other topical issues, while also underscoring his appreciation for the constant support that Romania granted to the strengthening of the relation between EU and Israel," specified the Presidential Administration. 

During the meeting, they also exchanged opinions related to the developments in the Eastern Vicinity, including in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the relations with Russia, the developments in the Peace Process in the Middle East, the situation in Iran, the preparations for the Summit of "The Three Seas Initiative" to take place in Bucharest this year, the risks of extremist trends in Romania growing and modalities to fight them. 

The AJC Executive Committee thanked the head of the state for Romania's balanced standpoint in relation to the Peace Process in the Middle East and for Romania's "abstention" vote on the occasion of the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution of December regarding the status of Jerusalem. In this context, President Klaus Iohannis reiterated the already known, consistent position of Romania in relation to this issue and showed that he is watching very carefully developments in the area, regarding which he believes there is need of renewed international to rebuild the level of trust between the parties and relaunch direct dialogue. 

Discussions also focused aspects of interest for the Jewish community in Romania, such as restitution of properties and the project of the National Museum of Jewish and Holocaust History in Romania. 

Participating in the meeting was also Aurel Vainer, who is the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FCER). 

Funded in 1906, AJC is one of the oldest Jewish organizations in the United States of America, militating for combating antisemitism at global level, promoting human rights, religious pluralism and consolidation of Jewish communities in the United States and everywhere.

AGERPRES.