Romania – an asset to the EU and NATO

Foreign Minister Baconschi’s visit to London yesterday marks a new step in Romania’s relations with the United Kingdom. As he said in his press conference with his counterpart William Hague, we are building on the strategic partnership created between both countries in 2003. But the context today is quite different from eight years ago. The aim of the partnership then was to get Romania into NATO and the EU, because that was in Romania’s interests and the UK’s too. Today we are partners in NATO and the EU and confronting together the challenges that face both our countries and the whole of Europe – how to stimulate growth and create jobs in Europe’s economy; how to promote stability and democracy in Europe’s neighbourhood – Moldova, the Western Balkans and the Middle East; how to protect our societies against threats such as terrorism and new threats like cyber crime.

Romania and the UK think alike on many of these issues. Now we plan to act together in promoting our common objectives. We want to see Europe respond to the challenge of growth by deepening and extending the Single Market. The EU needs to make better use of scarce public resources. We will join our efforts to improve on Brussels procedures for accessing and using structural funds – which the UK believes should go to the new member states, like Romania, who need them most. And we will combine our diplomatic, military and other resources in supporting NATO missions in Afghanistan and Libya.

Romania is a real asset to both NATO and the EU. It is already doing more than most to support Europe’s security in Afghanistan, in the Mediterranean and in the Western Balkans. And its inclusion in the Single Market is bringing great benefits to both our economies. Bilateral trade between Romania and the UK grew by 32% this year, and is now at the highest level since Romania’s accession to the EU. It is very welcome that Romania is in the club.

British Foreign Minister Hague (left) and Romanian Foreign Minister Baconschi (right) during the latter’s visit to London, May 2011