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Secretary General in Bucharest: NATO is committed to Romania’s security
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised Romania’s contributions to Allied security in Bucharest on Thursday (12 May 2016). According to a NATO's press release, meeting with President Klaus Werner Iohannis, Mr. Stoltenberg commended Romania for its contributions to Black Sea security, its commitment to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP and its continued participation in NATO-led missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Calling Romania “a steadfast Ally,” Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that NATO is committed to Romania’s security.
The Secretary General thanked Romania for hosting important NATO assets, including the Multinational Division South-East Headquarters and a NATO Force Integration Unit in Bucharest. “Both Headquarters will boost our ability to plan and exercise, and to reinforce if needed,” he said. Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that Romania also makes an important contribution to NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence system, hosting an Aegis Ashore site in Deveselu. “This helps protect European Allies against missile threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic area,” he said. The Secretary General added that Romania is playing a key part in projecting stability beyond its borders, in Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. He also paid tribute to the two Romanian officers who were recently killed in Kandahar in the service of their duties.
In their talks, President Iohannis and the Secretary General discussed key objectives for the Warsaw Summit in July, as well as the security situation in the Black Sea. Separately, Mr. Stoltenberg met with Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolo?, Foreign Minister Laz?r Com?nescu and Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc. He visited the Multinational Division South-East Headquarters and participated in the inaugural ceremony of the Aegis Ashore site in Deveselu, which represents an important US and Romanian contribution to NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence.