Full accession to the Schengen area and the OECD are the top foreign policy objectives for Romania.
Close to the end of his 10-year presidential mandate, Klaus Iohannis attended his last meeting with the heads of diplomatic and consular missions and directors of Romanian Cultural Institute on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. According to the head of state, Romania in the last decade has become a reliable, committed and respected actor at regional, European and international levels, a genuine provider of stability and security. The president told Romanian diplomats that the major foreign policy objectives remain the consolidation of Romania’s role and influence in the European Union and NATO, the deepening of the strategic partnership with the United States and the diversification of bilateral dialogue with partners from all continents. The president said he remains a strong supporter of the European Union enlargement process and emphasized that Romania remains committed to supporting the European path of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Klaus Iohannis recalled that Bucharest strongly supported the historic decision regarding the opening of negotiations for accession to the European Union with the two neighboring states, adopted at the meeting of the European Council on December 14-15 last year. Regarding Ukraine, from the first day of the war, Romania has shown its full solidarity and took extensive multidimensional measures to support this country, president Iohannis emphasized. In terms of security and defense, as a member state of NATO, Romania plays a constructive role and serves as a balancing factor, being a provider of security and stability, the president further argued. Romania currently benefits from the highest degree of defense and protection in its entire history, Klaus Iohannis also believes.
Regarding the Strategic Partnership with the United States, as an essential pillar of Romania’s foreign policy, it has become more robust during this period and acquired more substance, Klaus Iohannis says. On the other hand, the head of state mentioned that, during the ten years of his mandate, special attention was paid to strengthening partnerships and bilateral strategic relations with states with which Romania shares common values and interests, such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy or Poland.
A recurring topic and an objective yet to fulfill, Schengen accession was also discussed this year at the meeting of Romanian diplomats. Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with air and maritime borders was an important, although temporary success, while lifting controls at land borders also remains a key objective, the president said. “I am confident that we will succeed in achieving this collective effort to the benefit not only of Romanian citizens, but of a more prosperous Union, free of artificial obstacles”, the head of state pointed out. Another major foreign policy objective is the country’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The president urged diplomats to step up inter-institutional effort for the successful completion of this process in the shortest time possible.
(Ştefan Stoica, Radio Romania International)
