Regional and international security and the contribution to meeting NATO's goals were the topics Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu and his counterparts approached within the round of trilateral consultations of the foreign affairs ministers of Romania, Poland and Turkey, carried out over 18 -19 April in Ankara.

According to a Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) release, the three foreign minister referred to the results of the recent NATO ministerial meeting, which took place in Washington in the period 3 - 4 April 2019, and which reconfirmed the allied solidarity and the sustainability of the transatlantic relation.

"Analysing the complex security challenges that Romania, Poland and Turkey are confronted with, the three ministers reconfirmed the need for some constant efforts to efficiently respond to all challenges, regardless of their origin area, and for putting into practice the measure package regarding the Black Sea," the release reads.

Minister Melescanu informed about the demarches of the Romanian authorities aimed at the efficient management of the security developments in the eastern neighbourhood and the Black Sea region, mainly focused on the national contribution to consolidating NATO's deterrence and defence posture, as well as strengthening the alliance's role in projecting stability and the development of cooperation in the security area with the partner states. In this context, together with the counterparts of Poland and Turkey, he approached aspects regarding their participation in the projects hosted by Romania, including in the Multinational Brigade of Craiova, the release also mentions.

At the same time, Melescanu evoked the support Romania grants to the eastern partners (Georgia, R. Moldova and Ukraine), as well as to those in the Western Balkans, and showed that Romania has the goal to support these states advance in their relation with NATO and the EU, according to their own objectives and interests, as well as in continuing their internal reform processes.

MAE points out that the three ministers discussed NATO's enlargement, in which context the Romanian official reiterated the need to continue the allied policy of open doors, which contributes to the consolidation of stability and prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic space, as well as to the increase in NATO's contribution to keeping international peace and stability.

In respect to the exercise of the EU Council Presidency, Melescanu highlighted Romania's goals and the results achieved so far, with a focus on the European initiatives in the security and defence area. He mentioned that these initiatives must be complementary with NATO's activities and lead to deepening the cooperation between NATO and the EU in as many common interest areas as possible.

The Romanian Foreign Minister also referred to improving military mobility, consolidating the resilience of the partner states and combating the hybrid threats, as priorities in this respect and he underscored the importance of the transatlantic tie to the European and international security.

The ministers also discussed the security challenges in the southern vicinity of the Alliance, including aspects referring to the new forms of terrorist manifestation. The Romanian official reconfirmed Romania's contribution to NATO's missions and operations, as well as to the Anti-ISIS/Daesh Global Coalition.

"The meeting in Ankara strengthened, through the consistency of the discussions, the added value of this format for the support of the allied unity, as well as for continuing the process of NATO adaptation, including on the eastern flank," the release also reads.

In the context of the presence in Ankara, Minister Melescanu presented Romania's vision regarding the implementation of the EU's Global Strategy and the development of the EU-Turkey relations, within the debate on the topic "Advancing European Union Global Strategy Implementation: what role for EU-Turkey cooperation."

The event was organised by Romania's Embassy in Ankara, in partnership with the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the Delegation of the European Union in Turkey.

The activity facilitated a better awareness of Romania's mandate at the EU Council Presidency, in the area of foreign action and European and regional cooperation in the security and defence area, MAE points out. AGERPRES (RO - author: Livia Popescu, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)