Teodor Baconschi: Romania must reinvent its relation with Russia

Romania should reinvent its relation with the Russian Federation as it would be a mistake to treat it in the terms of the election campaign, when spirits flare up and, usually, a short-term rhetoric is used, after which they come back to realism and pragmatism, Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Baconschi told the public TV station.

'It is a legitimate ambition necessary for our equilibrium in the neighbourhood and it is also a complicated task as it is no good our hiding the fact that this relation worked in connection with subjects related to blockage, which actually emptied the agenda for two decades. Therefore, we must be sufficiently inventive and convincing in the political dialogue with Moscow for us not to throw overboard all litigious subjects, but for us to leave behind the stage during which, under the pretext of the existence of some litigious subjects, the political dialogue and the economic construction behind it are not to be found there,' said Baconschi.

He said that Russia was a major regional player, who comes back in force and takes part in the drawing of this global equilibrium, and emphasized the fact that Moscow would go on talking directly with the Americans, then with the great European players.

'Referring to the new START treaty, it goes without saying that Moscow envisages a direct dialogue with Washington, the more so as the new American administration is a little less unilateral, more open to the dialogue. There are subjects that are interesting to both the Russians and the Americans, no matter whether we are speaking of the Iranian nuclear file or of Iran or Afghanistan and, therefore, Russia will go on talking directly with the Americans, then with the great European players. I think that the competition among various states for the access to alternative energy resources led to the division of the Europeans in point of their relation to Russia and that the new institutions will help them position in a unitary and homogeneous way,' opined Teodor Baconschi.

According to the Romanian chief diplomat, in this context Romania must reinvent its relation with the Russian Federation.

'[Russia] has an enormous potential. We must no longer draw up the list of the trump cards Russia has, starting from its great culture and going up to its legitimate ambition of having a specific geopolitical importance,' added Baconschi.

When being heard in Parliament for the position of Foreign Minister, actually Teodor Baconschi said he would do 'everything sensible and reasonable' for the relaunch of the relation with Russia and added that, in his opinion, Romania would have to examine the stage of the dialogue with Moscow 'sincerely, without any preconceived hostile attitude.'He opined that Romania would have to examine the stage of the bilateral relation, the pending litigious questions, the prospects and the capability of every government to strike new open attitudes.
Traian Basescu, ridiculed by the Russian journalists
The radio station « The Moscow Echo » on 5th January the topic under discussion was president Basescu and the musical theme Bond opened the show. The presenter underlined from the very beginning that Basescu “ hardly” won the elections, exactly when Romania celebrated 20 years since the Revolution, Realitatea TV stated on Friday. Invited in the studio was the deputy director of the press agency ITAR TASS, Mikhail Gussman. He mentioned the fact that Traian Basescu was referred in the Russian press as the “ secret enemy of Moscow” and the presenters said that this was due to the fact that he said about Romania and the Republic of Moldova “ they are two states, one people”.

The deputy director of the press agency ITAR TASS Mikhail Gussman, and the presenters of the show discussed the campaign against the stray dogs started by Traian Basescu as mayor of the capital.
« Traian Basescu as mayor cleaned the city of stray dogs, only 300,000 in the city, worse than wolves and over one thousand and a half of people having been beaten by the respective dogs every month. And Brigitte Bardot comes to save them, and surprise, the mayor promises to put them all on the train and send them all to France” the Russian journalists said.

Mikhail Gusman, former sailor himself, met twice Traian Basescu when he was mayor for interviews.
« To him Bucharest was like a ship. He ordered to have a clean city from stray dogs and from stalls. I think if he had the power he would have ordered to have all door handles at public institutions cleaned. Everything was supposed to be like on the ship”, Gussman said.

He added that Basescu is a character loved by the masses, with accessible language, direct and straight forward. The participants to the show discussed about the episode of “ child in the electoral campaign”, the “ mobile phone taken from a journalist” or the “ stinky gipsy”. The show closes with the conclusion that Traian Basescu is a complex politician of our times, who understands the changes in the electorate mentality, but too prejudiced in his anti-Russian attitude.

US suggestion that Romania should host elemenst of anti-missile shield might come soon enough
Romania has all reasons to earnestly examine a possible suggestion made by the Washington Administration for it to host elements of the anti-missile shield, which might come soon enough, Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Baconschi told the public TV station.

'Out of a kind of Euro-Atlantic solidarity we have all the reasons to earnestly examine such an option,' said Baconschi when he was asked how Romania would work if it were suggested to host elements of the anti-missile shield.

He admitted that currently people lived under the impression that the Obama Administration was less interested in the area of Central Europe than the previous Bush Administration was.

During the visit he paid to Bucharest in October US Vice-President Joe Biden said that the reconfiguration of the anti-missile defence system suggested by President Barack Obama was related to the need to face new threats and the US would not conclude agreements 'running counter to the will' of its allies in Central Europe.

According to Agerpres, Biden emphasized the fact that the new anti-missile shield created by the Obama Administration, unlike the initial one, intelligently ensured security in the context of the progress made by this threat and the technological development.

In his speech he also combated the opinion that has lately been stated, according to which the change suggested by the Obama Administration referring to the anti-missile defence system prepared during George W Bush's term in office was a concession to Russia, detrimental to Europe.
Optimism about Romania joining Schengen Area
Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Baconschi said he was optimistic about Romania joining the Schengen Area, which is scheduled for 2011, but he also said that making the eastern border more secure, a condition imposed on Romania by the European Union, was delayed by the political crisis and by the 'electoral time' the political class and the society as a whole were through.

'We shall really belong to the European Union once we have the euro, a little later [the adoption of the single currency is scheduled for 2014], and the participation, the freedom within the Schengen Area,' Teodor Baconschi told a broadcast on the public TV station on Saturday.

In his opinion, it would deplorable to postpone the term, but he also thinks that the constant dialogue with Interior Minister Vasile Blaga will ensure the success of this step. 'Practically it is with him that the technical side connected to meeting the criteria lies and, as he is a resolute minister everybody obeys, I think he will manage to stick to the schedule,' added Teodor Baconschi.

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