Romania - active role in facilitating transit of Ukrainian grain

Romania remains actively engaged and has an important role in facilitating transit of Ukrainian grain through Romanian ports on the Danube and the Black Sea, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminita Odobescu, said on Friday, after meeting with her Tunisian counterpart, Nabil Ammar, who was in official visit to Bucharest, who, in turn, thanked our country for sending grain and for support in the transfer of Tunisian citizens from Ukraine.Odobescu mentioned, in a joint press statement with the Tunisian minister, that the discussions focused on topics of regional interest, with an emphasis on Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the crisis in Gaza and Israel, the situation in Libya, as well as the security situation in the Sahel region."The regions of which our countries are a part are facing major security challenges. It is important to reaffirm support for international order, for the prevalence of international law and international humanitarian law, respect for the United Nations Charter and the role of the UN Security Council in identifying peaceful, political solutions to the current conflicts," Luminita Odobescu said.She mentioned that Romania has provided comprehensive and multidimensional support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people since the first day of the outbreak of the war and will continue to do so as long as it is needed. "Romania remains actively engaged and has an important role in facilitating the transit of Ukrainian grain through the Romanian ports, on the Danube and the Black Sea," stated Odobescu.The Romanian minister mentioned that she also presented the implications of the war in Ukraine on the Republic of Moldova, as well as Romania's efforts to strengthen security, stability and resilience of Chisinau."We are one week before the European Council from December 14-15, where we hope to adopt a political decision for the opening of accession negotiations of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine to the European Union. It is an objective of major importance for Romania, for which intense political-diplomatic steps were taken at the highest level," added Luminita Odobescu.Regarding the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Odobescu highlighted the support provided by our country for the affected population."Romania mobilized a donation of approximately 230 tons of materials and food. We reiterated our deep concern and sadness for the civilian victims of this conflict. We emphasized the importance of joint efforts that lead to identifying a political horizon and consolidating a stable climate of regional security that will allow all states in the region to live safely and peacefully. Romania, as it is known, continues to support the solution of the two states on the political path of negotiations," the Romanian official recalled.In his turn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia, Nabil Ammar, said, regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, that the war must be stopped."I evoked the catastrophic, dramatic situation, which I qualified on several occasions as a total failure at all levels in the Gaza Strip and the absolute necessity today, more than tomorrow, to stop this asymmetric war and do everything we can to implement some repairs that will need considerable time and, above all, we insisted in our discussion to offer the legitimate and inalienable right to the Palestinian people," the Tunisian official mentioned.He thanked Romania for sending grain and for the support in the transfer of Tunisian citizens from Ukraine, after the outbreak of the conflict."I thanked Romania for its support in the fight against COVID. I think our relationship is an excellent example of solidarity between peoples, of countries working to strengthen peace through fruitful cooperation. We must return to these basic relations between states," highlighted the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs.Three bilateral cooperation documents between Romania and Tunisia were signed, on Friday, in the fields of diplomacy, higher education and research and professional training, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminita Odobescu, and the Minister of Labor and Social Solidarity, Simona Bucura-Oprescu, with the head of Tunisian diplomacy, Nabil Ammar.