Joint Press Point with NATO Secretary General and the Romanian PM


Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of Romania Mr Ludovic Orban, January 9, 2019.

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Transcript

[Speaker] Good afternoon, the Secretary General and the Prime Minister will make introductory remarks and then they’ll be happy to take a few questions. Secretary General.

Prime Minister Orban, Ludovic, warm welcome to NATO Headquarters. It’s great to see you here and congratulations on your appointment as Prime Minister. Romania plays a key role in our alliance. You contribute to NATO operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo. You host our ballistic missile defense site in Deveselu and your troops deter aggression as part of our multi-national battle group in Poland. You also make essential contributions to Black Sea security, leading multi-national battle group in Craiova, and participating in joint exercises and maritime patrols. We agree on the strategic importance of the Black Sea region and we have strengthened NATO’s presence on land, at sea, and in the air. To keep our people safe in a more dangerous world, we also need to invest in defense. So I welcome Romania’s plans to spend 2% on defense this year and I welcome the fact that you are already reached 2% of GDP to defense, and also your plans to modernize your armed forces over the next decade. I can’t, I count on Romania, as on all allies, to keep up the momentum. Prime Minister, we have just discussed the current tensions in the Middle East. This situation in this region remains volatile and fragile. It is in nobody’s interest to have a new conflict. Peace and stability in the Middle East is important for all NATO allies, so allies continue to consult closely. Yesterday, I spoke with President Trump. He asked NATO to become more involved in the Middle East. NATO has the potential to contribute more to regional stability and the fight against international terrorism and we’re looking into what more we can do. This week I also spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mahdi. I reiterated NATO’s strong commitment to the fight against terrorism and our training and capacity building mission to prevent the return of our common enemy, ISIS. We agreed on the need for restraint and de-escalation in the region. Let me thank Romania for its contributions to NATO’s mission in Iraq. The safety of our personnel is paramount. For the time being, we have suspended our training, and we are taking all precautions necessary to protect our people. This includes the repositioning of personnel to different locations both inside and outside Iraq. But NATO maintains a presence in Iraq and we remain in close contact with Iraqi authorities. So Prime Minister, let me once again, welcome you to NATO and thank you for Romania’s strong commitment to our alliance and I look forward to continuing working closely with you. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Good afternoon, it is a pleasure for me to be at NATO Headquarters right at the beginning of the new year. NATO is a fundamental, is fundamental for Romania and our commitment with success is ironclad. I am grateful to the Secretary General for a very substantial and fruitful meeting. We had a comprehensive discussion about the security challenges confronting our lands including the security situation in the Black Sea region. We have reviewed the priorities for continuing NATO’s adaptation in the light of the significant decision adopted by the allied leaders in London one month ago. I have used the opportunity to congratulate the Secretary General for his leadership which is so important for the success of NATO while assuring him of Romania’s full support for achieving the goals of our alliances, alliance, as well as of the continuing of our policies and commitments. We will continue to allocate 2% of GDP to defense in accordance with the objective assumed by the allies at the World Summit in 2014. At the same time, Romania will continue to contribute to NATO’s missions and initiatives to the allied forward presence on the eastern flank and to the NATO Readiness Initiative as well as in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Iraq. All this are not only concrete contribution to the activity of the alliance, but also ways in which Romania supports the allied unity and solidarity as well as a strong trans-atlantic link through a substantial participation to a fair barbs and shedding within NATO. We have also discussed about the security situation in the Black Sea which continues to deteriorate while Russia continues to full strengthen it’s military posture. I have underlined importance attached by Romania to the consolidation of NATO’s role in the Black Sea region and we have agreed to continue working together for further strengthening of allied forward presence in the thought of eastern flank in all areas, land and maritime. We have also agreed to continue to support our partners in the region for increasing their resilience against internal and external charges. Another important topic of discussion was a reflection process on the strengthening methods important political dimension that the allied leaders have decided to launch. I have underlined that this process need to contribute further to strengthening NATO unity, solidarity, and ability to adapt starting from the premise that NATO has to continue to have the patient process and to consolidate its deterrence and defense posture and not from the idea that the alliance is in a crisis which is incorrect. Romania will lend its full support to this process under your able leadership, Mr. Secretary General. Last, but not least, I have also expressed to Romania’s support for the efforts aimed at deepening the NATO EU Corporation including the areas such as military mobility, countering hybrid threats, and ensuring stability in our neighborhood. Romania will remain a strong supporter of the strategic partnership between the two organization which have to act in full complementary and synergy. Overall, a very good and substantial meeting that allowed us to review the priorities they had regarding the continuation of NATO’s adaptation, the consolidation of security in our region, and Romania’s role and contribution to this process. Thank you.

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