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Romania is an essential ally and strategic partner of the UK and what it is doing in order to help Ukraine regain its full sovereignty and enjoy full territorial independence is at the top of the allies' responses, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Bucharest Andrew Noble stated on Wednesday, in the opening of a security and defence exhibition, at the Marriott Hotel in Bucharest.
At this exhibition, organised by the British Embassy in Bucharest together with the UK Defence and Security Exports (UK DSE) and the British Trade Association (ADS), approximately 35 UK defence and security companies are presenting their products and activities.
"There is a phrase which you all know, 'In times of difficulty, you find out who your friends are.' And in the UK we know who our friends are and we know that at the top of our list of friends is Romania. (...) But it is also a country of clear determination to protect our way of life, to protect freedom and to protect the freedom of our cousins in other countries that are facing intolerable pressures from the illegal invasion by Russia. And we know that what Romania is doing to help Ukraine regain its full sovereignty and to enjoy its full territorial independence is at the very top of allied responses. I wish I could say more than that, but I follow your Government's policies. Romania's achievements in all fields are remarkable and I can't not take this opportunity with so many members of Romanian armed forces in the room to thank you, ladies and gentlemen, in particular, for what you are helping to happen in terms of assisting Ukraine to throw out the Russian invaders. This is a real opportunity for British businesses and Romania to forge long-term relationships," ambassador Noble stated.
According to the UK diplomat, the Romanian-British strategic partnership in the defence area means, beside the military exercises and joint training, "ensuring that in the future, we have available the equipment we need to defend our alliance and our states".
"And Romania is a key ally and a key strategic partner, it's one of the countries that we expect through defence equipment collaboration to be helping define the next generation of military equipment, because Romanian soldiers, Romanian security personnel, whether they are acting internally or externally, understand this part of the world extremely well, this place with kinetic dangers regrettably that we have to plan to counter and to deter into the future," he stated.
Andrew Noble pointed out that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence and military cooperation signed by London and Bucharest in 2009 is not just a piece of paper, but the document which defines a cooperation that is growing every year, covering important areas.
According to the British diplomat, by the end of this year more than 2,000 British personnel will come to Romania for specific military tasks, in order to work with the Romanian side on how to deter and win in the face of today's challenges and the future ones.
The UK exhibiting companies include AVoptics Limited, Babcock International Group, BAE Systems, Camcode Global, Chelton, Commtech, FCDO Services, General Dynamics, JFD, Systems, Marshall Land Operational Solutions Ltd, Oxley Group, Plexus Corp., Revector, Scanna, Sonic Videosoft Global Ltd.
Also invited to the exhibition were representatives of the Defence Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE), Special Telecommunications Service (STS), the Protection and Guard Service (SPP), Parliament, the Economy Ministry, etc., as well as the Romanian defence industry.
The UK is the world's second largest defence exporter after the US, with a turnover of 22.8 billion GBP in 2022, delivering equipment to support armed forces and security services around the world. On the security and resilience side, the UK provides advanced digital and physical capabilities to secure the country's advantage. The sector is growing exponentially and currently employs 145,000 people directly, including 5,800 apprentices, a highly skilled workforce that is a major contributor to economic growth. AGERPRES
