ForMin Aurescu met Chairman of the American-Romanian Business Council (AMRO) Eric Stewart
Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday met Chairman of the American-Romanian Business Council (AMRO) Eric Stewart, to whom he underscored the commitment of the Romanian authorities to deepen and increase the dynamics of the economic dimension of the strategic partnership between Romania and the US, pleading in favour of increased US economic presence in Romania and the region.
In a press release issued on Thursday, Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) quotes Aurescu as having underscored the importance of a consolidated commitment on the part of the US to support the countries in the European Union's Eastern Neighbourhood, especially Moldova, including by investments in energy security.
The two officials exchanged opinions on how to improve the investment climate in Romania, with emphasis on the implementation of an action plan for good economic governance.
"Bogdan Aurescu hailed the important activity and part played by AMRO in promoting Romania as a destination of interest to American companies, as well as in boosting bilateral investment and commercial exchanges that contribute to Romania's economic growth. Also appreciated were the AMRO steps to increase Romania's profile in the US political quarters. In the context of the Romanian-US political dialogue, Aurescu voiced appreciation for AMRO's initiatives and projects in 2015, both in the US and in Romania, discussing with the AMRO chairman the prospects for new investment by American companies in Romania," according to the MAE release.
The officials also discussed Romania's access to the Visa Waiver programme, with Aurescu asking AMRO to continue its demarches, especially with the US Congress, to achieve this objective.
"In the context of the 135th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Romania and the US, Aurescu hailed the interest of AMRO in getting involved in the organisation of public events devoted to this anniversary, jointly with other important institutional partners of MAE, with emphasis on a conference on the strategic partnership, to be hosted by Washington DC this spring, to be organised by MAE jointly with the CAESAR Foundation and the League of Romanian Students Abroad (LSRS)," reads the MAE release.
The AMRO chairman is quoted as thanking the Romanian chief diplomat for MAE's support to the AMRO initiatives, which included the conduct of dialogue with relevant Romanian institutions, while voicing the interest of the US companies represented by AMRO in continuing their long-term investments in Romania.
Stewart highlighted the success enjoyed by the projects already carried out and the potential Romania possesses in various areas, as well as the intention of some companies not yet AMRO members to invest in Romania.
He also showed that AMRO will continue its support for the inclusion of Romania into the Visa Waiver program.
The release specifies that the American-Romanian Business Council (AMRO) is a Washington, DC based non-profit organisation that promotes commercial relations between the United States and Romania. The mission of the Council is to enhance American-Romanian trade and investment, advance the American-Romanian bilateral relationship, and educate the public about its importance. It was launched on January 25, 2012 in Washington with an initial membership of 10. There are currently 16 AMRO member companies — Chevron, ExxonMobil, ADM, Smithfield, Raytheon, MetLife, Cargill, Amgen, Timken, Mega, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Honeywell, Baxter, CNH, and Warburg Pincus — covering various business fields — energy, agriculture, defence, pharmaceuticals, processing industries, storage infrastructure and insurance.