President Klaus Iohannis has sent a message on Tuesday on the occasion of the Annual Reunion of the Romanian Diplomacy in which he emphasizes the need to actively continue the steps to achieve Romania’s major goals at European level, with emphasis on joining Schengen and finalizing the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, according to Agerpres.

The president points out that Russia’s illegal and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine has created turbulence throughout the international system, which is forced to respond to a complicated overlapping of crises, and Romania, as a member of the community of European and Euro-Atlantic values, participates and contributes directly and substantially to the strategic adaptation imposed by this new hostile reality.

„Through solid, credible and visible contributions at regional, European and international level, we have been involved and continue to proactively and consistently engage in the multidimensional actions of reaction to Russia’s aggression against the rules-based global order, on all levels: political, diplomatic, security and humanitarian, through exemplary mobilization at the level of the Romanian society. In all this context, the Romanian diplomacy has today, more than ever, a special role in the permanent and rapid evaluation of the new geostrategic reality and in the advancement of adequate ways of action at international level,” President Iohannis says.

He specifies that there are multiple risks that need to be managed, and Romania has shown that it has the capacity to defend its interests.

„In the next period we must continue to do this as professionally, and I refer first of all to the security plan, in the broad sense, whether we are talking about the security framework of NATO and at the level of the European Union, or about the one related to ensuring energy security, through access to resources, investments and affordable prices for citizens, or about the food security plan. We must not neglect the emphatic importance of securing technological resources or securing new supply chains,” the president stresses.

President Iohannis mentions that, in this context, Romania’s foreign policy has a series of constants that guide the action of diplomats, one of the benchmarks being represented by Romania’s action and role within the European Union.

„We must remain consistent in promoting the acceleration of reforms aimed at increasing convergence and cohesion, upholding the fundamental values of the Union, implementing climate change priorities – which are becoming increasingly acute and with a direct impact on our daily lives – digitisation, including cybersecurity, and resilience. In the next period, it is necessary to actively continue the steps to achieve our major goals at European level – with a focus on Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area and the completion of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism,” Klaus Iohannis says.

The president also refers to the importance of the EU’s historic decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and to recognize Georgia’s European perspective at the European Council meeting in June.

He also recalls that Romania consistently and strongly supports the Republic of Moldova’s efforts for European integration and the reform programme of the current government in Chisinau. He emphasizes that support efforts for Chisinau must continue on all dimensions.

„We must continue to support the European path of these states, on all levels. Equally, our support for the enlargement process with the Western Balkan states remains high on the agenda,” Iohannis adds.

He reiterates that Romania will continue to be next to Ukraine and its citizens, in close coordination with the Euro-Atlantic partners, and that efforts will be focused not only on support on multiple levels, but also on involvement in the reconstruction process.

President Iohannis also says that, in the context of Russia’s aggression, the transatlantic unity was impeccable. He also welcomes this year’s marking of the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Strategic Partnership with the United States.

On the NATO level, according to the president, significant progress was made, and the Madrid Summit represented a peak moment in the fundamental transformation of Alliance, in full agreement with Romania’s security interests.

„At the end of November, we will host, in Bucharest, the meeting of the foreign ministers from NATO states, a very important moment for the implementation of the decisions of the Madrid Summit and which you must prepare very well,” he tells the Romanian diplomats.

President Iohannis also refers to the regional cooperation, where Romania will assume in 2023, for the second time, the organization of the Three Seas Initiative Summit.

He urges diplomats to continue supporting all steps towards OECD membership.

„Equally, I want to remind you that the deepening of relations and strategic partnerships with European states and outside the European space with which we have such relations must remain a constant concern and an essential element of our foreign policy. It is also necessary to invest new energies in order to reconnect or keep close to us, as the case may be, our friends and partners in the Middle East, Gulf, Africa, Indo-Pacific and Latin America. At the current time of crisis at the global level, it is not geographical distances that matter, but the proximity of values and the action in mutual support, when needed,” the president says.

President Iohannis congratulates the staff working within the MAE on the 160th anniversary of the ministry’s establishment.

„Romanian diplomacy represents an essential pillar through which our country achieves and protects its national interests, on which it supports its development and the growth of strategic resilience. I urge you to continue to take on this crucial role! Also, the further support of the Romanian citizens who are abroad remains a priority for you,” Iohannis says.

Agerpres