US praises Romanian role in Iraq

(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ - May 6, 2005)

WASHINGTON - Romania's Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu met US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington DC on Thursday.

Their talks focused on bilateral relations, Romania's role in Iraq and the restructuring of US forces in Europe. At a joint press conference, Rice thanked Romania for its support over Iraq.

"Nothing of value is ever won without sacrifice and that friends like Romania who themselves recently experience tyranny are the strongest fighters for those who are still seeking democracy, " she said.

Bucharest is seeking an opportunity to host US forces in any potential redeployments of American forces. "It's a very important process that we're going through of the repositioning of our forces, but it is something that really can't be rushed," Rice said after the meeting.

"We have to work this -- because we're talking about a fundamental restructuring of American forces from a period of about 50 years," she said.

Rice said that Romania, which has military contingents in Iraq and Afghanistan, was one of the countries Washington was in talks with linked to the move. "It's good to have a friend and ally like Romania as a member of NATO and we look forward to working with the Romanian Government on this issue," she said.

Washington is looking to reduce the number of troops it has based in western Europe, at the same time redeploying them further east in Europe toward missions in support of logistics or the fight against terrorism. A member of NATO since March 2004, Romania has more than 800 troops in Iraq as part of the US-led multinational force there. It also has 500 troops in Afghanistan supporting the US Operation Enduring Freedom.

Romanian ForMin Ungureanu also told reporters Bucharest's common interest with the United States was "saving freedom and promoting democracy and liberty around the world."

Following is a transcript of the Rice-Ungureanu press conference:

U.S. Department of State

Office of the Spokesman May 5, 2005

REMARKS SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MIHAI-RAZVAN UNGUREANU AFTER THEIR MEETING (5:05 p.m. EDT)

SECRETARY RICE: Good afternoon. I'm pleased to welcome the Romanian Foreign Minister. Minister Ungureanu, thank you for being here. Mihai, very nice to have you here. FOREIGN

MINISTER UNGUREANU: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY RICE: We've got a lot in recent months. We are both relatively new to our jobs, but we've been together at NATO, most recently in Vilnius. And at all of these locations, I've had an opportunity to thank the Foreign Minister for the stalwart friendship and foreign policy of Romania. Romania acts, as one would hope that a friend and ally would -- that is that we are together in many endeavors in the world, fighting for freedom and for democracy. I want especially to thank Romania for the role that it is playing in Iraq with its forces there and in Afghanistan, and to say to the Romania people and to the families of those who have sacrificed, that we appreciate the sacrifice. We know the loss and the heartbreak that it brings when soldiers are lost. But we also know that nothing of value is ever won without sacrifice and that friends like Romania who have themselves recently experienced tyranny are the strongest fighters for those who are still seeking democracy. We've had broad discussions about the region, about the Black Sea region, about conflicts in places like Moldova and our joint desire to see a peaceful and democratic resolution of those issues. And of course, we've continued our discussions that were begun recently when the President was here with President Bush about our continuing global repositioning [of U.S. forces] and the role that Romania might play in that. And so thank you very much for being here. We've had good discussions and I look forward to further discussions with you.

FOREIGN MINISTER UNGUREAU: Thank you very much, Dr. Rice. What I could add is that the range of subjects we've covered was evident and a good example for the contents of our partnership, which is at the same time strategic and based on a lasting friendship we both value. We have touched upon issues related to Romania's foreign policy as well. We keep steady and firm on our foreign policy. Since we are country which believes in the values of democracy and into what can be done and this is what unites us in saving freedom and promoting democracy and liberty around the world.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you.

MODERATOR: We only have time for about two questions, so we'll start with Mr. Schweid.

QUESTION: Apologies for veering far off the subject, but it's very timely, if I may. Do you suppose the Democrats can have the documents they want about John Bolton in time. Mr. Biden has now sent you a second letter. And do you know if there's a hint that he might try to delay the vote, if he doesn't --

SECRETARY RICE: Barry, we have been, as a Department, responsive to the requests from the Committee. We have every desire to have a committee have the information that it needs to make an assessment in its role of advice and consent on the nomination of John Bolton [as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.] I believe that we are responding to the Committee Chair, when asked to do so, and we will do so as rapidly as possible. Let me just say again that the President and I continue to believe that John Bolton is the right person for this job, that there's a lot going on at the UN, in terms of UN reform. And I had discussions just this morning with people who were involved in the UN reform process. And so I would hope that this is something that can be done soon, so that we can get a voice that we believe will properly represent American interests at the UN.

QUESTION: What is the prospect of redeployment at global level of your troops and facilities considering the partnership that exists between Romania and the U.S. and the future status of Romania as a full member of EU. Thank you.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you. Well, on the latter point, we, of course, are not members of EU, but we've been very clear that we believe the EU and NATO to be the two pillars of transatlantic partnership and of Europe, whole, free and at peace, and that we would hope that when those criteria are met that the EU will expand to include all European democracies, much as NATO has expanded to include European democracies. As I said, we continue conversations with Romania and with others about the impact of U.S. global repositioning of its forces. Romania is a member of NATO, and we've had discussions and I think we will continue to have them concerning what kind of presence we will have; where in Europe. It's a very important process that we're going through of the repositioning of our forces, but it is something that really can't be rushed. We have to have to work this -- because we're talking about a fundamental restructuring of American forces from a period of about 50 years. But it's good to have a friend and ally like Romania as a member of NATO and we look forward to working with the Romanian Government on this issue.

FOREIGN MINISTER UNGUREAU: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you.

Romania Report & sources