NEWS OF THE DAY - JUNE 13

Minister Delegate for higher education, scientific research and technological development Mihnea Costoiu met members of the US Congress during his visit to the United States; the agenda included topics of cooperation in education and research, based on the agreements between the Romanian Ministry of Education and the US Department of State; also, the Fulbright scholarship programme, and the agreement with the US National Science Foundation. A release of the Ministry of Education received by AGERPRES on Friday mentions that Costoiu also pleaded for Romania's accession into the US Visa Waiver programme.

* Energy security, the importance of the nuclear sector, the development of indigenous energy sources, and the energy situation of the Republic of Moldova were some of the topics approached by Romanian Minister for Energy Razvan Nicolescu in his speech at the meeting of the Council of EU Energy Ministers in Luxembourg on Friday. "We had a very good discussion on the Commission's Communication on safety energy ahead of the European Council [June 27-28], where the heads of state and government will re-approach the topic. We considered the Commission's Communication a very good basis for talks. We believe there are some things that need to be considered. First of all, we have to re-think the whole matter and attach greater importance to the nuclear field both as far as the approach on energy security is concerned and in terms of a higher efficiency concerning the European actions as regards the policies in the field, climate change," Minister Nicolescu told AGERPRES.

* Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Friday organized a diploma awarding ceremony for the 15 young Afghan diplomats who took part in a programme of diplomatic...