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PM Ponta in Washington DC: VP Biden told me Romania remains US important ally in the region
Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Tuesday said that US Vice-President Joe Biden, whom he met in Washington DC, told him Romania remains an important US ally in its region.
'It was a full hour of talks with the second most important US man and the main architect of the US policy in Romania's region, a man who knows very many things about Romania and who was well informed. In short, the idea I have brought from the meeting is that Romania to the US remains an important country and ally in the region. I think the Vice-President used the words our ally in the region ten times and we are talking politically and militarily, but also economically,' Ponta told private broadcaster RTV.
The conversation with Biden also highlighted 'how important it is to Romania first of all, not he US, to be a strong energy player,' Ponta added.
He also said the US vice-president conveyed to him a very clear message that Romania can count on the US but it should be strong on its own and first of all economically strong.
'His message was that which I believe I first heard in 2003 in Romania: be a regional player, a bridge to other countries in the region, be it Russia or Ukraine. I mentioned my recent visit to Turkey and meeting with Turkey's prime minister and the message was very clear that Turkey and Romania are the US allies and they should be partners in their respective region,' said Ponta.
He pointed out that political ties between Romania and the US are relevant to the US companies, which want them to be as good as possible.
'There was a message of political support and you can realise that any big US company first of all checks to see whether the relationship between the two governments is excellent, if the country has political stability, a functioning judiciary and a good investment framework. I am convinced that following my discussions here in Washington today and yesterday, all the big companies already doing business in Romania will stay in Romania and even increase their investments,' said Ponta.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta also said that he assured the American Vice President Joe Biden, whom he met in Washington, that justice will be removed from the internal political struggle.
'He said that for the U.S. companies the idea of having an independent and efficient justice is very important, a thing that I totally agree with and I assured him that justice will become more and more removed from the internal political battles because it was a battlefield for domestic policy. And I assured him that the main objective is to no longer involve justice in political battles. I'm convinced that this will happen since 2014 ', Victor Ponta said.
He also added that Biden assured him that the US does not believe the development of excellent economic relations with Russia or China would go against the US, showing that the US are themselves building economic relations with the world's big players.
PM Ponta: Romania might change its position on Kosovo
Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta has informed US Vice President Joe Biden, whom he met on Tuesday in Washington DC, that Romania might change its position on Kosovo in 2015 and recognise the independence of Kosovo.
'In relation to Romania's position on Kosovo, I told him that nothing will change in 2014, but that I believe in 2015 Romania will join all the European states so that it may coordinate its position with that of its partners,' Ponta told RTV private broadcaster.
He said the Vice President knows the situation in Romania so well that he did not have to offer any details on Romania's position on Kosovo.
Ponta said early this June that he is in favour of a more rapid process of Romania recognising the independence of Kosovo, whereas Romania's President Traian Basescu was more prudent.
The plenum of the European Parliament on April 18 passed a resolution calling on the five EU member states that have not recognised the independence of Kosovo yet, Romania included, to do so. Later on, Ponta stated Romania should join the European family on this matter.