Romanian ForMin Aurescu, Israeli President Rivlin address Peace Process in Middle East, Iranian File

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday met with the President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, on the second day of the Romanian official's visit to Israel, the two addressing the Peace Process in the Middle East and the Iranian File, a release from the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) sent to AGERPRES reads.

In their talks, "the contribution of the Romanian-born community in Israel to the progress of Israeli society was particularly appreciated, with Minister Aurescu pointing to his vocation as a bridge between the two countries and the need to support the preservation of his Romanian cultural identity, especially among young people," the MAE release says.

At the same time, the perspectives of the Middle East Peace Process were discussed, Aurescu reiterating Romania's position and our country's willingness to support positive developments in this dossier.

Minister Bogdan Aurescu also held a meeting on Thursday with Ofir Akunis, Minister of Regional Cooperation, their talk reconfirming the common interest of the two countries for increasing cooperation in the economic sectors, with a focus on the need to identify concrete projects that stimulate the two economies, including in the field of science, research and innovation.

During his official visit, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs also met Wednesday with the deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence of Israel, Benjamin Gantz. The two officials appreciated the excellent level of cooperation in the field of defence, reflected by the political-military dialogue, and highlighted the potential for cooperation in the field of the defence industry. Interest has also been expressed in strengthening the Strategic Dialogue in the military field and in identifying new investment opportunities in the sector.

The two high officials also had discussions on regional security developments, with a focus on the Middle East Peace Process and its prospects and the Iranian nuclear file.

Minister Aurescu also had a meeting on Wednesday with Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid-Telem band in the Knesset. Discussions included the state of Romanian-Israeli relations and the prospects for their development, as well as the Peace Process and the security situation in the region.

In this context, Minister Bogdan Aurescu highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy. The two dignitaries also reconfirmed their interest in the peace-based resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Romania supports the two states' resolution and the resumption of direct negotiations between the parties.