ForMin Corlatean: I've taken steps for Belgium to keep backing Romania's Schengen entry bid

Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Titus Corlatean said on Monday he took steps during a meeting with visiting Belgian Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders for Belgium to keep backing Romania's Schengen Area entry bid.

He added at a joint news conference with Didier that he had 'thanked for the constant stand taken by the Belgian government on this matter'.

'I voiced Romania's interest for an increasingly substantial presence of the Belgian companies in the Romanian market, also aimed to capitalise on a favourable economic context existing in Romania, amid consolidated growth in the last years, which is also confirmed this year', the minister said.

The Romanian top diplomat added he and his Belgian counterpart discussed several important European files.

'I actively and positively lobbied for Belgium to continue the procedure for the ratification of these agreements in our region, that has been started by Romania and we count on the Belgian government's support for Brussels to ratify these association agreements', Corlatean said in referring to the EU Association Agreements of the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

The Belgian minister stressed the relations between his country and Romania are very strong and span over nearly two centuries and he spoke of the economic cooperation of the two states.

'Our presence is visible on a commercial level in particular, but we are present here in other sectors as well and we plan to step up such presence', he said.

Reynders underscored that amid the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, it should be pondered over the EU capability to act when certain developments emerge in its immediate neighbourhood, but also over the wish...