NEWS OF THE DAY - AUGUST 29

President Traian Basescu said on Friday that the strategic partnership with the United States of America is Romania's most comprehensive foreign agreement, stressing that in order to fully capitalise on it, Bucharest must observe three requirements - stay corruption-free, abide by the rule of law and have an investment-favorable environment. Attending the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats, Basescu stressed that the partnership with the U.S. does not envisage only national security and cooperation among military institutions, but is a strategic partnership "for the 21st century", covering a broad area of common interests. The head of the state also included investments here, adding, however, that far from moves to introduce taxes overnight, these require "an appropriate and attractive investment environment."

* President Traian Basescu on Friday stated at the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy hosted by the Cotroceni Presidential Palace that, throughout his ten-year tenure, Romania's foreign policy kept its 'focus' on the Republic of Moldova. 'Romania invested great effort, both through diplomatic and financial channels, so that it could finally get closer to the Republic of Moldova,' said Basescu. He showed that, according to sociological surveys, early in his presidency, only 8 per cent of the Moldovan citizens shown approval for their country maintaining a close relation or seeking union with Romania, while today almost 50 per cent of this country's citizens want to see the relation between the two states strengthened, while also regarding the idea of a union between the Republic of Moldova and Romania with positive eyes.

* Romania's President Traian Basescu on Friday said that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)...