The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, had a telephone conversation with his Swedish counterpart, Tobias Billstrom, with the two officials agreeing to „maintain close coordination on the discussed issues, primarily on the topic Romania’s accession to the Schengen area”, according to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) sent to Agerpres.

On January 1, Sweden took over the six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Bogdan Aurescu thanked Tobias Billstrom for his country’s support regarding Romania’s accession to Schengen, expressed also within the JHA Council on December 8 last year.

Also, the Romanian minister expressed confidence in an „active and substantial cooperation with the Swedish Presidency in order to record some positive developments, which will allow obtaining a decision on accession”, the MAE informs. Aurescu emphasized „the importance of the coordination by the Swedish Presidency of the dialogue with all the European partners involved in this file”.

According to the MAE, Tobias Billstrom reconfirmed Sweden’s support for Romania’s accession to the Schengen area. He emphasized that the Swedish Presidency „is determined to be actively involved and make every effort to achieve this objective by identifying concrete solutions, based on a constructive dialogue with all parties involved, as well as to support Romania’s efforts towards the completion of the accession,” the release mentioned.

At the same time, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his hope in recording progress in this case and in identifying a positive solution, emphasizing the legitimacy of Romania’s efforts and expectations.

Minister Aurescu welcomed the attention that the Swedish Presidency intends to give to the multidimensional support for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the issues of migration, aspects related to the rule of law and fundamental rights, priorities in the field of environment and climate change, strengthening the resilience of the EU, the relationship with third parties.

The two dignitaries also had an exchange of views regarding the developments in the process of Sweden’s accession to NATO. Tobias Billstrom thanked Aurescu for the steps taken to support this objective in the dialogue with NATO partners in order to complete the ratification process of the Accession Protocol.

Agerpres