In opening remarks on Wednesday to the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy (RADR), Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu said the international situation remains unstable and that we are still living in „the most complicated times” after WWII.

Overlapping and prolonged crises affecting the international system are creating a state of instability and deep uncertainty at the global level, Odobescu said. She added that when the international environment is marked by „major crises and prolonged instability, diplomatic action must adapt and even reinvent itself.” According to her, „more than ever, the Foreign Ministry (MAE) has become a key national security institution,” that has to prepare and execute the interaction of the Romanian state with foreign partners.

Odobescu also said that „a good foreign policy can be made only in resonance with a good domestic policy.” At the same time, she added that in 2023 the Romanian diplomacy achieved „numerous successes” in the steps in took, mentioning to the point the support provided to Ukraine and Moldova, strengthening the security dimension and the strategic partnership with the U.S., strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, reviving diplomatic dialogue with the Western Balkan and with geographical regions where Romanian diplomacy was absent for a long period of time, progress in terms of coordinating Romania’s accession process Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), successfully organising the European election in a record number of polling stations abroad, expanding and improving consular services, starting a process of modernisation of Romania’s embassies.

She thanked the government for its support in the process of replenishing the resources, saying that that it is imperative to further strengthen the current diplomatic apparatus by ensuring adequate human and financial resources and by improving the status of the Romanian diplomat and making it compatible with that of foreign counterparts. At the same time, she mentioned the importance of securing the necessary resources for the proper operation of MAE and the diplomatic and consular missions, as well as investing in the infrastructure owned by the Romanian government abroad.

She also said that Romania will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes at the same time with participating in international and European efforts to penalise Russia. She went on to say that Romania will continue to stand with Moldova, which she called the most exposed country in the region and the most affected by the conflict in Ukraine. The place of Moldova is in the EU, Odobescu said.

She added that Romania’s approach is designed to strengthen NATO’s overall collective defence capability. To Romania, „a united and effective alliance, supported by a strong transatlantic relationship, is indispensable for maintaining peace and security in Europe,” Odobescu said. She added that the EU and „the development of the European design remain a priority for Romania.”

„Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area late this March with the air and sea borders, was an opportunity to recognise our efforts in terms of border protection. However, the process must be completed as quickly as possible, by lifting controls at land borders. It takes all our diplomatic efforts to highlight Romania’s decisive contribution to the security of the EU and its ability to address any challenges of the Schengen area,” she said.

She also mentioned strengthening the strategic partnership with the U.S.

„We are keeping up the strategic interest in increasing the U.S. presence in our country, both militarily and economically and in terms of resilience. We remain committed to advancing the flagship projects of bilateral cooperation in the field of nuclear energy and to achieving the objective of Romania’s accession to the Visa Waiver Program.”

According to her, developments in Israel and Gaza „have demonstrated once again that just and lasting peace in the region requires political solutions.” She also said that in the Israeli-Palestinian case „the only viable perspective remains the two-state solution, with respect for Israel’s right to security and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.”

AGERPRES