ForMin Toiu, US Secretary of State Rubio meet in Washington: Strategic Partnership - main discussion topic

The consolidation of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States of America, as well as the identification of opportunities to extend this partnership, were the main topics of the political and diplomatic discussions the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Oana Toiu held in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio."This is the first bilateral meeting between the two officials and took place at the invitation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following the joint discussion formats during the high-level week at the UN, such as the transatlantic format working meeting of foreign ministers," the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) pointed out in a press release sent on Thursday.According to the quoted source, the head of Romanian diplomacy emphasised the strategic importance of the Black Sea region for Euro-Atlantic security and the contribution of the good cooperation between Romania and the US to the security of the Eastern Flank.In this context, she highlighted the crucial role of the US military presence on Romanian soil, exemplified by the strategic significance of the Mihail Kogalniceanu Base, a key pillar for the deterrence and defence posture of the Eastern Flank.The dialogue also focused on strengthening economic cooperation and joint investments in key sectors, as well as the enhanced role of Romanian companies present in the US, the source added.Special attention was granted to projects in the energy sector, which are fundamental initiatives for the energy security of Romania and the region. At the same time, the importance of developing private partnerships in high-tech sectors was underlined. The two officials discussed opportunities for collaboration in areas such as IT, cybersecurity, innovation and Artificial Intelligence, where the US and Romania can develop successful projects.According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the discussions also addressed the Visa Waiver file, with the Romanian official outlining the benefits it would bring to bilateral cooperation in the area of border security as well as tourism."The US Secretary of State thanked Romania for the quality of bilateral relations and both officials acknowledged the role of the partnership in ensuring the security of the Eastern Flank and in strengthening the allied defence and deterrence posture in the Black Sea region. He expressed the United States' interest in developing cooperation with Romania in the economic and energy areas. A distinct point of the discussion was the role of the Romanian community in the United States, a vital bridge between the two societies and an active contributor to the strengthening of bilateral relations. Both officials emphasised the importance of efforts to intensify bilateral contacts in the near future, including at a high level," the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out.  (Photo:https://www.mae.ro/)