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Presidential Administration: Relocation of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem violates international law
The president Klaus Iohannis, who has the final word on foreign policy issues, dismissed claims by a Liviu Dragnea, social-democrat party leader ( at rule), who said his country would be the first European Union member state to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
President Klaus Iohannis on Friday denied in a statement the veracity of assetions made the previous day by Liviu Dragnea, also president of the Chamber of Deputies which is the lower house of the Romanian parliament.
President Klaus Iohannis has not been informed or consulted on a possible relocation to the Embassy of Romania in Israel, the Romanian Presidential Administration announced on Friday, underscoring that the move will only be possible after a thorough analysis that takes into account all its external political consequences and implications.
"The President of Romania has not been informed or consulted in advance about this approach. The Presidential Administration underlines that this decision is not based on solid and comprehensive assessments. Such a move can all be done after a thorough analysis that takes into account all its consequences and external political implications," the Presidential Administration said on information publicly circulated about the Romanian Government's intention to start the relocation of the Romanian Embassy in Israel Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
According to the Presidential Administration, the head of state considers that the Government's initiative may "possibly represent at the very least the beginning of an evaluation process in the field that can only be completed when negotiations over the Middle East Peace Process are concluded, where the status of Jerusalem is a central theme."
"This status can be established only after the conclusion of a direct and final agreement between the parties," reads the statement.
Iohannis, as the maker of Romania's foreign policy decisions of Romania and as the country's representative abroad, in accordance with the constitutional provisions, reiterates that Romania's constant position regarding the Middle East Peace Process remains unchanged.
"President Klaus Iohannis stresses once more the need for a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by implementing Israel's two-state solution, Israel and Palestine co-existing in peace and security, as the only viable option capable of guaranteeing the parties meet their aspirations."
Iohannis also reaffirms that Romania's position on the status of Jerusalem remains in line with that established by the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.
The Presidential Administration mentions that there are a number of resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly calling, inter alia, on UN member states to refrain from establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and to step up international efforts for lasting, comprehensive and fair peace settlement in the Middle East. "Therefore, at this stage, the relocation of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem would be a violation of relevant international law,' reads the presidential statement.
"Taking into account all these aspects, President Klaus Iohannis urges all governmental and political decision makers to accountability and discernment regarding the major foreign policy decisions of Romania with strategic implications, including to Romania's national security and to Romanian citizens. Such a decision must be taken only after talks and with the approval of all the relevant bodies in the area of foreign policy and national security, with the final decision being vested with the president, constitutionally speaking," the Presidential Administration concludes.
Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump broke with tradition and authorized the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, a decision that led to howls of protest from all around the world, particularly within other countries in the Middle East.
Only seven smaller countries aligned themselves with the United States and Israel. The EU has expressed serious concern after Trump recognised Jerusalem as capital of Israel. Romania would be the first EU member to follow in US footsteps.
But Romania’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is identical to that of the European Union of which it is a member, officials have said repeatedly. European Union officials said the bloc will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital only following a mutually-agreed upon peace deal between that country and the Palestinian leadership, which also claims Jerusalem as their capital in a future state.
Romania abstained on a United Nations General Assembly Resolution that condemned the US administration’s December 6 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the Embassy to the city.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry said the resolution — which was adopted with 128 “yes” votes, 9 “no” votes and 35 abstentions — “comes at a time when caution should be exercised.” Theministry also said it was “rather necessary, at this stage, to re-launch the direct dialogue in order to unlock the peace process. Consequently, Romania has voted to “abstain” within the UNGA.”
At the time, Netanyahu called President Iohannis to thank him for the abstention.
Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, who met with Dancila and other top Romanian officials in Bucharest last week to push for the Embassy relocation, seemed optimistic that Bucharest would follow through on the announcement.
“I congratulate the speaker of the Romanian parliament on his announcement today to the media according to which Romania will commence the process of moving the Romanian embassy to Jerusalem,” she wrote on her Twitter account last Thursday. “This was the spirit of our meeting last week in Bucharest, and I hope to see the Romanian Embassy in Jerusalem soon.”
This week, Hotovely is due in the Czech Republic, which reportedly is considering to move the Embassy as well.
In December, the president of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman, said he supported the recognition by the United States of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital earlier that month and said Prague may follow suit, diverging with the position of his country’s Foreign Ministry.
However, his country’s foreign ministry noted in a statement that “the Czech Republic together with other EU member states, following the EU Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions, considers Jerusalem to be the future capital of both states, meaning the State of Israel and the future State of Palestine. The Ministry can start considering moving of the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem only based on results of negotiations with key partners in the region and in the world.”