Towards a Romanian-Spanish strategic partnership

Sources with the Romanian Foreign Ministry say Teodor Baconschi had a working meeting with his Spanish counterpart, Miguel Angel Moratinos. The prospects of the bilateral relations and European co-operation were the focal points on the agenda of the talks.

The two foreign ministers signed an agreement on the activity of the cultural institutes in the two countries which enables the Romanian Cultural Institute to have a more visible presence in Spain and the Cervantes Institute to boost its activity in Romania.

Baconschi underlined how important it was for the two countries to capitalize on their excellent political relations and strike a strategic partnership, similar to that between Romania and France, which allows for the development of joint projects at the level of the public administration, the business environment and civil society.

The Spanish side received the proposal enthusiastically, suggesting the declaration accompanying this partnership could be signed during the forthcoming visit to Bucharest by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The Spanish foreign minister also hailed the progress made by Romania in its efforts to meet Schengen standards, and reiterated Spain’s support for Romania’s accession to this area of free movement within the EU.

Zapatero recalled that Spain was among the first European countries to reduce the transit period in the case of Romanians allowing them to move freely on Spanish territory and enjoy the same rights as the citizens of the Iberian Peninsula. Both sides noted the high level of social inclusion of the Romanian communities in Spain, which are a catalyst of the bilateral relations.

At the end of his visit to Spain, the Romanian foreign minister met the representatives of the Romanian community in Spain. Baconschi used the opportunity to discuss openly with the Romanians living in Spain about the problems they are facing.

The 700,000 Romanians living in Spain make up the largest ethnic community in that country. Baconschi also called on the leaders of this community to show solidarity and get more actively involved in the process of consolidating European values in the Romanian public space.

We recall that Teodor Baconschi was appointed foreign minister a year ago. Earlier, he had been Romania’s ambassador to the Vatican, Paris and Lisbon. In 1999, he was one of the officials who made possible the historic visit to Romania by Pope John Paul II.

(Radio România Internaţional, Serviciul în limba engleză).