Feb 05, 2005

No turning back for Romania on road towards EU, former rapporteur says

Bucharest, 4 February: There is no way back for Romania from its road towards joining the European Union, MEP Emma Nicholson, a former rapporteur on Romania of the European Parliament, told the opening of the extraordinary convention of the National Liberal Party (PNL) on Friday [4 February] in Bucharest.

She also said that Romania has always prioritized European integration and is now ready to become a full EU member in many respects.

Nicholson highlighted the increasingly more important role of Romania in its capacity as a future EU member, mentioning in the same context the partnership between Romania and the USA. She said Romania is a big country with many talented people and an excellent geographical position, which is becoming increasingly more valuable to the EU. The elections in Ukraine, she added, proved how important Romania is in the Moscow-Brussels-Bucharest-Washington axis, given that Romania has the closest possible relations with the USA.

In terms of geography, the MEP added, Romania is the heart of the European Union, a country expected to become an important mediator in the relations of the European Union with the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. As a future EU member state, Nicholson said, Romania will conduct the extremely important talks with Russia, as the EU needs partnership relations with Russia and Romania will be of help.

Nicholson also voiced support for and full confidence in the action of the Romanian government, assuring Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu of her continuing efforts to secure Romania's successful accession to the EU.

Source: Rompres news agency, Bucharest, in English 1617 gmt 4 Feb 05