February 24, 2005

Romanian chief diplomat highlights in Berlin Romania and Black Sea area's strategic importance

Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu on Wednesday night, in Berlin, highlighted Romania and the Black Sea area's strategic importance both for the EU and NATO.
The Romanian chief diplomat, currently paying a visit to Germany, delivered a speech at the German Society for International Relations. In his speech on ''Romania's EU accession: regional implications,'' Ungureanu highlighted the fact that Romania is at the eastern border of NATO and would shortly become also the EU's eastern border. From that perspective, Romania has the duty to secure the NATO and EU's border, so that it may be crossed only for legal activities.
The foreign minister said that by the success of its European integration, Romania may become a ''window" also for other countries in the region, through which they can have a clearer perspective on their coming closer to the EU. Ungureanu exemplified in that sense countries such as the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey.
The Black Sea represents a key-point for Europe's security, as it is one of the routes of asymmetric risks that are mainly felt in various frozen conflicts in the area. Romania is ready to offer its own expertise on the area and once all the Black Sea riparian countries become responsible in that sense, to contribute to spreading the democratic values in the area, Minister Ungureanu pointed out.
The foreign minister said that Romania is interested in its neighbours' having a clear European destiny, and countries such as the Republic of Moldova or Ukraine have to benefit from a stronger commitment of the EU. Moreover, the Romanian chief diplomat highlighted the importance of the European integration of the Western Balkans, an essential conditions in that sense being solving the Kosovo issue. The Balkans is an area in convalescence, needing a strong European commitment, Ungureanu said.
In the context of highlighting the Black Sea basin's strategic importance, the foreign minister underscored that Romania's expertise in the region may contribute to a decisive commitment of the European structures for solving some frozen conflicts, such as the Trans-Dniestr one.
Minister Ungureanu said that Romania is sensitive to that topic, as it is about its security interests, and added that Trans-Dniestr represents a hotbed of instability. ''Nothing that comes from Trans-Dniestr can be good for the region,'' Ungureanu said.
The foreign minister also presented Romania's efforts to meet the EU integration-related pledges and reaffirmed the Romanian authorities' decision to take the necessary measures in the fields of competition, environment, justice and home affairs. Minister Ungureanu reminded the importance of Romanian business climate's recovery, including by firm measures of combating corruption.
The Romanian chief diplomat concluded that the future of the entire Southeastern Europe is one fully European, and pleaded for an increased effort of the EU regarding that region.