Romania: Defence update (Jul 9, 2007)

Jul 9, 2007 (Romania Report & sources)

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General John Craddock visited Bucharest. Romanian navy participates at the “Sea Breeze” exercise at the Black Sea, near Odessa. NATO Secretary General attended the ‘Europe's New South’ summit in Croatia.


General John Craddock in Bucharest

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General John Craddock paid an official visit in Romania between July 5 and 6, as invited by the Chief of the General Staff, Admiral Gheorghe Marin.

In the first day of the visit there was a meeting with the Chief of the General Staff at the MoD HQ and after that the guest was received by the Defence Minister, Teodor Melescanu. During the official talks with the Chief of the General Staff, they approached the NATO led operations and missions that are developed within the coalition of forces.

Admiral Gheorghe Marin presented to General John Craddock the main topics regarding the Romanian Armed Forces reforms and the issues on the regional security, especially the Black Sea Enlarged Region.

During the meeting with Minister Teodor Melescanu, General John Craddock praised the relationship between Romania and the United States within the Strategic Partnership and he expressed his appreciation for the Romanian military professionalism showed in action in Kosovo and the Afghani theatre of operations.

Friday, July 6, starting 9 a.m. the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General John Craddock gave a press conference at the National University of Defence.


Ukraine Opens International Black Sea Exercise

The Ukrainian and U.S. navies today started the NATO’s Sea Breeze-2007 large-scale military exercise in the Black Sea near Odessa.

Naval and land forces from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, and Turkey will join Ukrainian and U.S. forces in the two-week-long exercise.

Taking part in the exercise are naval and ground units from thirteen countries – both member-states of the alliance as well as countries cooperating with NATO within the framework of the ‘Partnership for Peace’ program.

Russia does not take part.

The goal of the four-stage exercise is peacekeeping operations.

The exercise involves 22 ships and trains divers, naval infantry and amphibious forces. In 2006, mass protests in the Crimea disrupted the NATO exercise and the authorities took a decision to hold it in the neighbouring southern regions.

Back on May 29, 2007, the Ukrainian parliament approved the exercise.

In 2006, Sea Breeze exercises were cancelled because of protests by pro-Russian groups.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko told RFE/RL yesterday that Ukrainian law-enforcement agencies will not permit the protesters to block the exercise this year, and that the law must be upheld.

Since July 5 the Odessa region has been witnessing on-going protests of left-wing parties and public organizations that oppose the NATO exercise in Ukraine.


NATO Secretary General at Croatia Summit – ‘Europe's New South’

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer participated this Friday, July 6, at the opening of the international conference "Croatia Summit - Europe's New South" on the coastal city of Dubrovnik.

In his keynote address, the Secretary General said NATO strongly believes that Euro-Atlantic integration is the only viable path for the countries of Southeast Europe to take. He said NATO's door remains open to those countries that meet NATO's performance based standards and are able to contribute to Euro-Atlantic security and stability.

The “Euro-Atlantic integration is now well underway. Four countries – Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia – have already turned from active partners into valued member countries of the Alliance. They are now an integral part of the vital security link across the Atlantic. And they each make valuable contributions to some very challenging NATO missions and operations to uphold our security, and to defend our common values,” Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said during his speech in Dubrovnik.

The Secretary General encouraged the aspirant countries to continue the important reforms they have started and to continue informing their publics of the benefits and responsibilities of NATO membership. The opening session was hosted by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader of Croatia and attended by Heads of State and Government, Ministers and government officials of NATO and Partner countries.



Romania Report & sources