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DefMin Motoc, Eurocorps Commander Fernandez discuss security in enlarged Black Sea zone
Romania's Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc and Commander of the European Corps - Eurocorps - Alfredo Ramirez Fernandez have met to discuss security in the enlarged Black Sea region, as part of Motoc's visit to the Eurocorps headquarters in Strasbourg.
"Minister of National Defence Mihnea Motoc on Monday, September 26 paid an official visit to the headquarters in Strasbourg of the European Corps (Eurocorps) , where he met Eurocorps Commander Lieutenant-General Alfredo Ramirez Fernandez. Their conversation focused on the latest security developments in the enlarged Black Sea region; the potential part of Eurocorps in the developments generated by European cooperation deepening in defence and security matters, as well as the ways in which Romania could benefit from the rich experience amassed by Eurocorps as a relevant structure to both the EU and NATO and to the international security forces deployed over the last decades to various theatres of war," the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN) said in a press statement released on Monday.
About the geopolitical and security context in the Black Sea, Motoc underscored the need for real monitoring of the developments in the region, reiterating the attention attached by Romania to the implementation of the NATO Summit in Warsaw, with emphasis on achieving advanced NATO presence on the national soil and in the Black Sea.
Motoc praised the Eurocorps command's support for the integration of the first two Romanian officers with the corps' command after Romania officially joined in December 2015 as an associated nation; the activity of the two officers has been highlighted particularly by Lieutenant-General Fernandez.
Fernandez is expected to Romania on an official visit at the invitation of the chief of Romania's Army Staff.
Later on Monday, Motoc was scheduled to attend an informal meeting of the EU defence ministers in Bratislava.
In December 2015, Romania became the fifth Eurocorps associated nation, along Poland, Italy, Greece and Turkey, besides the member nations of France, Germany, Belgium Spain and Luxembourg.
Eurocorps is a standing multinational command and control organisation that can be deployed on short notice for missions under the aegis of the European Union and NATO.