Romania’s President Basescu: Russian-Romanian ties likely to follow positive trend

President Train Basescu today attended the launching ceremony of a Russian-Romanian philatelic issue that marks 130 since diplomatic relationship between the two countries emerged. The event took place at the international ‘EFIRO 2008’ philatelic exhibition in Bucharest.

The Russian-Romanian philatelic issue illustrates Christian-Orthodox churches included in the UNESCO world heritage list – i.e. the St George church in Voronet (Romania) and the Collegiate Church of St Demetrios (the Vladimir region).

During his speech at the above ceremony, President Traian Basescu said that the vent would become a landmark for starting a new relationship between the two states, further underlining that for some 130 yers the Russian-Romanian bilateral ties were ‘often complicated’.

“The recent history shows that both countries wish to focus on future rather than the on issues from the past. Talks I had with President Putin, back in 2005 and this year as well, showed the will of both parties to upgrade the Russian-Romanian co-operation into a solid, pragmatic relationship – based on mutual interest and on viable solutions as about our region (i.e. the Black Sea region),” Mr. Basescu added.

“The postage stamps, like bank notes, have a strong national spirit. The fact that authorities in boh states decide to launch a joint philatelic issue shows a co-operation popential, on one hand, and the needed openness towards co-operation, on the other hand,” Basescu further said.

“I asure you that there will be a positive trend as for Romanian-Russian ties,” President Basescu also said.

Soon, this summer, President Traian Basescu will pay an official visit to Moscow as invited by former-President Vladimir Putin (during the NATO Summit in Bucharest, April 3, 2008).

Romania Report