ForMin Corlatean points out Romania's role in NATO to US Senators

Foreign Affairs Minister Titus Corlatean met a US Congress delegation on Sunday; he pointed out to Senators John McCain, Ron Johnson and Christopher Murphy the political relevance of the Romania-US Strategic Partnership on the regional level, and the importance of Romania's position on NATO's eastern flank, within the current security context.

According to a press release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) received by AGERPRES on Sunday, the Romanian official asked for the US senators' support to an increased presence of the United States and of NATO in Romania, on long term, and for the consolidation of the Black Sea region profile on the foreign relations agenda of the United States, 'including through the visible and firm support for the democratic, European, or Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia.'

Corlatean thus underlined the importance of the next NATO Summit for the consolidation of the collective defence and of the transatlantic relation, focusing on US commitment to a substantial contribution to European security, as European allies also assume their obligations, especially in terms increases of their defence budgets.

'The top Romanian diplomat appreciated the mix of political, military and security steps taken by the United States and NATO to ensure the collective defence and security of Romania; within this context, he saluted the initiative announced by US President Barack Obama in Warsaw, on the extended support to the European allies. He also highlighted Romania's support for concrete decisions at the NATO Summit in the United Kingdom, as regards the open doors policy,' the document mentions.

The dialogue between Corlatean and the US senators also stressed the...