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Iohannis: Romania, strongly committed to supporting strong, supportive transatlantic relationship
At the reception of the US Embassy on the occasion of Independence Day, President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday that Romania remains strongly committed "to supporting a strong and supportive transatlantic relationship" and pointed out that the United States will always have "a strategic ally and a firm friend" in Romania.
"Romania remains strongly committed to supporting a strong and supportive transatlantic relationship, based on strong bilateral relations between the US and its European partners, a North Atlantic alliance dedicated to the indivisible security of its members and cooperation with the EU. (...) I assure you that the United States will always have a strategic ally and a firm friend in Romania, dedicated to close transatlantic cooperation, according to our common values and interests!", said the head of state.
He stressed that the complex global context is currently marked by major challenges, indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic, intensified global competition and "attempts by international actors to erode transatlantic unity and the resilience of democratic states overlap and their effects have an impact on all transatlantic partners".
"For Romania, the answer to these challenges is one: Solidarity! Solidarity in the bilateral relationship of Strategic Partnership with the United States of America. Solidarity within the European Union. Solidarity in the transatlantic relationship. Solidarity between and with states whose values derive from the principles that fundament an open and prosperous global order: democracy, the rule of law, free and fair trade relations, the protection of vulnerable groups, respect for human rights and international law," Iohannis said.
He recalled that this year marks 140 years of diplomatic relations with the United States, noting that during this time Romania has shown that it "understands to actively contribute to strengthening this solidarity."
The head of state specified that last year, at the White House, together with the president of the United States, two new areas of the Strategic Partnership were added - the security of 5G networks and the nuclear-civil field. The strategic importance of the Black Sea for transatlantic security was also emphasized on this occasion.
"It is a joint contribution that Romania and the United States make to strengthening the collective allied perception of the importance of the Black Sea and the region," Iohannis said.
President Iohannis stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic has put countries to the test, but the importance of strong partnerships and alliances, based on common values, responsibility and empathy, has been demonstrated.
"Romania and the United States of America have been able to measure solidarity in our bilateral relationship, supporting each other and thus contributing, concretely and consistently, to the efforts to protect the health of Romanian and American citizens. This solidarity exemplifies, symbolically, including the way in which which Romania perceives and will act in order to strengthen the Strategic Partnership with the United States of America, the unity of action of the European Union and the resilience of the transatlantic relationship", said Iohannis.
He highlighted the role that universal values expressed in the Declaration of Independence still play today.
"In a constant process of expanding and deepening the way they are understood, they continue to form the basis of our common perception of contemporary challenges. Our community of values and security gives a special dimension to the relationship between the United States and Romania, transatlantic partnership, as well as cooperation within the global family of democracies. It provides us with a unique and common point of reference to guide our common actions," Iohannis said.
Zuckerman: US remains committed to improving the rule of law in Romania
The United States remains committed to improving the rule of law in Romania, ensuring Romania's sovereignty and security, and creating the opportunity for all Romanians to prosper, the US Ambassador to Romania, Adrian Zuckerman, said on Thursday at the Independence Day reception.
"We have a Strategic Partnership committed to security, democracy, and mutual economic prosperity. Today our relationship is stronger than ever. The United States remains committed to improving the rule of law in Romania, ensuring Romania's sovereignty and security, and creating the opportunity for all Romanians to prosper. This is the time for Romanians who emigrated to come home and build a better future for all," the diplomat told the event attended by President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Ludovic Orban.
He mentioned the Romania-US collaboration in the military, energy, and also recently, in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We are committed to supporting Romania's economic recovery and ensuring economic security. We have joined forces to combat corruption and finish the work started by Romanian patriots who overthrew communism 30 years ago. The United States is committed to using all of its law enforcement resources to support the rule of law and end the scourge of corruption and trafficking in persons," Zuckerman pointed out.
At the same time, the American diplomat called for "vigilance". ''We must also remain vigilant as our adversaries seek to take advantage of the current situation to undermine our freedoms while they obfuscate their own pernicious and malignant conduct. Efforts to pervert free markets, democratic societies, and peddle untrustworthy technology must not be tolerated. Malign influence intended to destabilize and keep Romania from reaching its true economic potential must be rejected,'' he pointed out.
In his speech, Zuckerman recalled that he was born in Romania and that his parents emigrated during communism.
"I stand humbled before you an example of the greatness of America - a country where the son of two immigrants, who had the courage to sacrifice everything for freedom, had the opportunity to return as the Ambassador of the United States," he said.
In the end, the ambassador called for courage and defending democracy. "I ask all of you listening tonight to be courageous; to protect freedom and democracy; to ensure the flame of liberty shines in Romania and around the world, and I ask you all to believe in yourselves and a better Romania. I ask you all to perform great deeds! I have said it many times before: the people of Romania have no better friend than the United States. And the United States has no better friend than Romania," said the US ambassador in Bucharest.