January 13, 2005

Top U.S. general discusses military sites for possible U.S. bases in Romania

By ALEXANDRU ALEXE
Associated Press Writer

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) _ Gen. James Jones, the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, was briefed Thursday about Black Sea military facilities Romania hopes will be used as locations for U.S. bases after heavy fog prevented him flying to the area to see for himself.

Jones who is accompanied by U.S. military experts had planned to inspect two facilities that could host American troops, but the tour was canceled due to dense fog along the Black Sea coastline and inland that made landing impossible.

Instead, he met with Romania 's Foreign Minister Mihai Ungureanu and Defense Minister Teodor Atanasiu, who reconfirmed Romania 's wish to host U.S. bases, saying they would consolidate ties between the two countries and develop NATO's capabilities.

"The United States is trying to readjust its global footprint in such a way as to make our forces more strategically feasible, flexible," Jones said after meeting the Romanian Chief of Staff Eugen Badalan.

" Romania has been very generous in offering us the opportunity to look at several bases that might be strategically positioned in such a way that by working together on Romanian bases we can enhance the capability of the alliance." He did not elaborate.

Jones had planned to inspect the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base near the Black Sea port of Constanta , which already was used by U.S. troops during the war against Iraq , when Turkey denied the United States access to bases on its territory.

As many as 3,500 U.S. troops were stationed there in February and March 2003 to prepare for the start of the war in Iraq .

U.S. Army paratroopers based in Italy used Constanta as a staging base for their airlift into northern Iraq in the opening days of the war. It also was used as an air transport hub by the Air Force during the Afghanistan war. No U.S. troops are based here now.

Jones had also planned to visit one of Romania 's most important training ranges in the eastern town of Babadag .

Instead, he had a detailed briefing at the Defense Ministry in the capital, defense officials said.

On Wednesday Jones also toured several facilities in neighboring Bulgaria and said he would propose to the U.S. Congress four or five Bulgarian military facilities for use by U.S. forces.

After arriving in Romania , Jones met with President Traian Basescu to discuss Romania 's offer to host U.S. bases.

Last year, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited the facilities and heard the Romanians' pitch, but no deal has been struck yet. Jones said Congress will have the final say in the matter.

New NATO members Romania and Bulgaria , which are close U.S. allies, are keen to have a U.S. presence in their countries for economic and security reasons.

The Pentagon is considering the facilities in Romania and Bulgaria for occasional training and easy air access to hot spots in the Middle East and Afghanistan, though not permanent troop basing.

Romania has 730 troops in Iraq and about 500 in Afghanistan .

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