President Hollande, in Bucharest: The Strategic Partnership between the two countries must be strengthened

 France's President Francois Hollande has begun his state visit to Romania on Tuesday, having been welcomed at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace with military honours.The French President was expected on the official esplanade at the Cotroceni Palace by Romanian head of state Klaus Iohannis, and a delegation made up of Foreign Affairs Minister Lazar Comanescu, Romania's Ambassador in Paris Luca Niculescu and presidential advisers.

After the two states' national anthems were performed, France's President saluted the Guard and Protocol Regiment.

Previously, Francois Hollande laid a wreath of flowers at the Unknown Soldier's Monument in Carol Park of Bucharest.

The relation with France represents a priority to Romania, President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday, and the French head of state, Francois Hollande, underlined that the Strategic Partnership between the two countries must be strengthened.

President Iohannis showed that Romania has an outstanding partnership with France.

"We share the same vision about the development and strengthening of the Strategic Partnership. We talked about the need to support and deepen several successful aspects of the sectoral cooperation, where I would mention the economic cooperation. We agreed to intensify dialogue," the Romanian head of state said at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, where he held a joint press statement with his French counterpart.

In his turn, France's President Francois Hollande mentioned the common ties between Romania and his country, highlighting the Romanian-French collaboration on a political, economic and cultural level and in the defence area.

"Here, in Romania, I feel that I am at home," Hollande said.

Francois Hollande showed that under the Strategic Partnership the two countries want to have common policies and in the economic area France wants to contribute with solutions in the new technologies, environment and transport areas. În this context, French President Francois Hollande said that he wants his country to contribute solutions to Romania's economy overall.

"For more than 20 years, France has understood that Romania wants to develop, that Romania wants to open up, that Romania wants to integrate itself with the European Union, and France has accompanied Romania on its journey," Hollande told a joint news conference with his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest on Tuesday.

He mentioned that there are close to 450 French enterprises operating in Romania that have created more than 100,000 jobs for Romanian workers.

"We want France to be able to contribute solutions to the Romanian economy overall in the areas of new technologies, start-ups, in energy transition, the environment and road as well as railway transportation. We have to act so as to also cooperate in airport matters and all that relates to city planning, because our Romanian partners are waiting for answers," Hollande explained.

The Schengen issue

According to President Klaus Iohannis, Romania has been acting since long as a 'de facto' Schengen member.

"As far as the Schengen issue is concerned, Romania stands close to France. I have tackled this matter today with President Hollande and I believe this approach is part of a very solid, sustainable action within the European Union. (...) External and internal security is obviously not just the European citizens' concern, but is at the same time the concern of politicians as well. Romania is not yet a Schengen Area member and therefore we have to manage our borders on our own," Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace where he delivered a joint statement with his French counterpart Francois Hollande, who is on a one-day state visit to Romania. 

President Iohannis added that Romania "has very well handled" the migrant crisis. 

"This shows that Romania knows perfectly well how to defend the EU's external border and that Romania has been acting since long as a 'de facto' member of the Schengen Area, as it is involved in all formats dealing with the Schengen Area and border security. In this respect (...) it is in the Union's benefit that Romania brings its expertise to this space. For practical reasons, this cannot be achieved at once. (...) We must take as soon as possible the due steps in Brussels for everybody to benefit from the Romanian airports' security. (...) It would be in everybody's interest that this first step is taken as soon as possible. (...) In a nutshell, yes, we feel France's support," said Iohannis. 

On his part, French President Francois Hollande emphasized the importance of external border control, pointing out that Romania's equipping with the Passenger Name Record (PNR) program is "crucial" in the fight against terrorism.

"In three days, President Iohannis and I will be in Bratislava [at the Summit of EU leaders]. We share the same priorities. The first is to protect the Europeans, ensure their security, control external borders. Each country must make an effort - Schengen Area member countries, but the others, aspiring to membership too. Under the PNR program Romania got equipped for the control of airport passenger transit and thus acquired an important structure at hand for our security. For us it is a crucial point in the fight against terrorism, this is why we need to hold talks in Brussels, to see how Romanian airports can contribute their efficiency to the Schengen Area," said Hollande. 
At the same time, the President of France said that solutions need to be found in Bratislava to ensure safety and protection, especially for borders. 
European defence capabilities
"Germany and Italy have joined us. We must make sure (...) that European defence is not just a principle we cite, but it must be implemented in stages. The Defence ministers of France and Germany have already presented a joint plan. Together with Romania, we set the groundworks for a defence industry. So the top priority in Bratislava is 'Why are we together all 27?', because the UK has chosen to exit. Well, it is for pursuing together certain principles, certain projects, to ensure the Europeans' security and making sure that Europe has ambitions of prosperity, of growth. These are the stakes of the Juncker plan. And I want it to get backing so that in the years to come we have the investment wave in digital technology, energy transition, that will prepare us for tomorrow's economy," added Hollande. 

 Europe should possess defence capabilities and the required industry and means that will allow it to act, French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday in Bucharest. 

''Most of the European countries are NATO members, and we have to stay in and join the NATO actions, each of them playing their roles. But Europe should reorganise itself inside the Alliance. It cannot count on the capabilities of some external power. Europe should have its own defence capabilities and the required industry and means that will allow it to act. We are not doing anything outside it. Inside the Alliance, we have to make sure Europe is defended. We have to make sure that we can respond. If one day we are threatened, we have to be autonomous regarding our choices, and France is attached to this respect for the Alliance as well as to the spirit of autonomy. And I believe all the European countries should share the same position inside the Alliance that they have a role to play. I have attended the NATO Summit, where Mr Iohannis also took part, and this strategic position is what was premised from discussions,'' Hollande told a joint news conference with Iohannis at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace in reply to whether there is a of a European army weakening the interests of NATO. 

In his turn, President Iohannis said European defence is an important issue, and external security should be guaranteed. 

'(...) European defence is an important, very important issue. External security needs to be guaranteed. On the other hand, we have very many NATO programmes and projects, and what we want is not to be competitors or replace it, but a synergy between Europe and NATO's initiatives to benefit both,' said Iohannis. 

The two heads of state were also asked about how quickly Europe can have its army and if such army could also be tasked with securing the EU's external borders. Hollande said ''security and defence start with border protection,'' also emphasising the importance of investment. 

''We have already increased coast and border patrolling, and in the next months we will have to increase the staff once again. Border protection and defence also mean boats that can save lives in the Mediterranean Sea. (...) We have to invest more. The efforts of the main European countries do not suffice. (...) France has the largest defence spending in Europe, but it has to act so as all the countries may get more involved in the defence of Europe in a larger sense. We have to invest, to make sure that there are capabilities, that we have technologies, and there is also a second effort we should make in an area where France has taken some responsibility. (...) Defence against terrorism requires Europeans to be organised differently than in the past. We have reached a strategic point, a strategic moment, and Europe should be able to overcome and move on to the next level in its defence organisation and funding,'' said Hollande. 

Iohannis said Romania agrees with and supports the French-German common defence initiative, adding that better coordination, better equipping and more reinvigoration in Europe's defence industry are required. 

''Romania is aware of that and ready to participate. Equally, I think it would be better for us to say that we do not want some initiative that would replace the NATO format, but that we want an initiative that completes and works together with the NATO format, something that will surely lead to actual improvements in the very long run in the European Union's capabilities to defend itself and intervene in crisis areas,'' added Iohannis.

Ukraine, Syria issues

In Bucharest on Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande talked about Romania and France's foreign policy priorities, emphasizing the importance of the Minsk agreements. 

"President Iohannis and I also approached international affairs, such as Ukraine. We need to make sure that the Minsk agreements, which are the only solution, are the only way to stability, security and peace," Hollande said. 

He also said that efforts need to be made in order to stop violence in the Middle East. 

"Regarding the Middle East, we need to support efforts to stop the violence, because what is happening right now is a violation of human rights, and we need to find a stable political solution for Syria," the French President added. 

Hollande thanked Romania for the support during terror attacks in France. 

"I want to thank Romania for its solidarity with France in the aftermath of the attacks, and also for its support in Mali and other situations. There are risks to Europe, to Europe's security, and we have to talk about it in Bratislava [at a summit of EU leaders]," Hollande pointed out. 

The French President on Tuesday paid his first state visit to Romania.

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