ADDRESS

by

H.E. Ion Iliescu, President of Romania, 

at the Cotroceni official dinner 

in honor of the participants to Bucharest Summit 2002: 

“The Spring of New Allies” - March 25th, 2002

 

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all here, this evening. Our meeting is yet another example of solidarity and cohesion, which outlines our common endeavor and reasserts our identity as new democracies in a united Europe.

The debates that have taken place today, in plenary sessions or bilateral meetings, highlighted the degree of our countries’ preparations for and commitment to meeting the responsibilities of NATO membership. I hope this gathering will provide us further opportunities to discuss means of enhancing our cooperation towards this goal.

We are aware that many challenges lay ahead us. But I strongly believe it is in our power to effectively counter them based upon our community of values and aspirations. As our joint response to the tragedy of September 11 proved, the Vilnius spirit of solidarity and cohesion will further empower us in the fight against the threat of terrorism.

I was pleased to learn about the reinforced support of our Western partners and friends for our Euro-Atlantic integration. I very much welcome the message of U.S. President George W. Bush delivered today, by the US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.  The reconfirmation of US President’s determination to pursue his historic vision of a NATO enlargement “from the Baltic to the Black Sea” is a proof that we are on the right track.

I also recall with great pleasure President Kwasniewski’s generous words of support to uphold the chance of all new Europe’s democracies, including those in South and Central Europe, to become part of the Euro-Atlantic institutions. Mr. President, it is a great honor and pleasure to have you among us.

We are grateful for the generous support, provided by Turkey and Greece, to Romania and Bulgaria’s aspirations to enhance the Southern flank of the Alliance through NATO membership. Adding new members to the Alliance would enhance security, stability and prospects for peace in the Balkans. It would add a strategic depth to the Alliance in this part of Europe.

I welcome, with pleasure, the presence of prime minister of Turkey, Bulent Ecevit, and the prime minister of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman, at the Bucharest Summit, as an expression of their solidarity.

For us, in Romania, it is clear that it rests in our power to bring Romania’s accession to NATO to a successful end. We will spare no effort to be best prepared for assuming this responsibility.

For our common future in a “Europe whole and free”, I wish NATO Summit in Prague meet the expectations of our countries to join the Alliance!