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UK new ambassador Giles Portman presents credentials in meeting with President Iohannis
The new ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Bucharest, Giles Portman, presented his credentials on Monday in a meeting with President Klaus Iohannis at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, thus becoming fully-fledged ambassador to Romania.
The British diplomat foreshadowed the main objectives of his mandate in a post on the embassy's Facebook page on Monday.
"Hello! I'm Giles, the new British ambassador to Romania. I am happy to be here, in the land of Queen Maria, artist Brancusi and footballer Dragusin. Our relations are already so close because of the many Romanians living in the UK and King Charles' love for Romania," said Giles Portman.
The new British ambassador also mentioned the important matters on which he wants to work well with the authorities in Bucharest.
"Let's work together on security issues as NATO allies. Let's work together to help the businesses invest and develop strongly. Let's work together to protect our citizens against crime," Portman said.
At the receiving ceremony of the UK ambassador, Giles Portman, presenting his letters of credence, president Iohannis welcomed Romania's hosting, in 2024, of the second edition of the Romania - United Kingdom Bilateral Forum, following the inaugural event held in London on March 23, 2023.
The president appreciated the excellent bilateral Strategic Partnership relationship and the close Romanian-British cooperation, based on in-depth ties at the political, economic, civil society and community levels, as well as the cooperation within the Strategic Partnership between the two states, renewed last year. The two officials evoked the important role of His Majesty King Charles III in the development of bilateral relations.
Klaus Iohannis emphasized the importance of developing cooperation with the United Kingdom in all fields, including the economy, security and defense, the interaction of the two states within NATO being exemplary.
"In the current difficult context, marked by Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East, the cooperation and coordination of the two states are all the more important in terms of efforts to create a safer international environment," the Presidential Administration points out, indicating that ambassador Portman addressed, on this occasion, special thanks for the support provided by Romania to Ukraine.
During the discussion, interest was also expressed in the development of Romanian-British relations through better use of the existing significant economic and sectoral potential, both from the perspective of increasing trade and mutual investments, as well as the development of interpersonal relations. Thus, the important role played in the development of bilateral ties by the Romanian community in the United Kingdom, which amounts to approximately 1.2 million people, was highlighted.
Ambassador Giles Portman emphasized the importance of cooperation in the security field considering the current security context on NATO's Eastern Flank and recalled the fact that British aircraft will resume Air Police missions in Romania from the spring of this year. He also emphasized the very good cooperation that Romania and the United Kingdom have in the field of law enforcement. The British ambassador said that a priority of his mandate will be the promotion of British investments in Romania.
President Klaus Iohannis received, on Monday evening, at the Cotroceni presidential Palace, for the presentation of the letters of credence, the ambassadors of Brazil - Ricardo Guerra Araujo, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Giles Portman, of Albania, Enkeleda Merkuri - of Greece, Evangelia Grammatika, Armenia - Tigran Galstyan, Azerbaijan - Gudsi Dursun oglu Osmanov, Tunisia - Sami Nagga and Japan - Takashi Katae.