NATO Romania

NATO AND EU

At the same time, starting from the indivisibility of security in the Euro-Atlantic area, in agreement with the requirements of globalization, and from the need of an equal treatment for all the entities having interests in the area - NATO and the European Union included - Romania considers that the Black Sea region is a geo-political area open to the international democratic community, in which the allied, partner and friendly states can be fully involved. In this respect, Romania has actively advocated the need of a Euro-Atlantic strategy for the Black Sea region and is working hard for building one. This has to take into account the experience of a concerted NATO-EU approach in the process of stabilizing south-eastern Europe and the need of a balance which favors the democratic rights of the states, prevents the worsening of risks and threats and effectively contributes to solving conflicts and tensions. Expanding the European Union’s responsibilities in stabilizing and rebuilding the region, strengthening the presence and contribution of the North-Atlantic Alliance and enhancing the activity of the PfP Program in promoting democracy, peace and security could be considered to be the main tasks of this strategy. At the same time, the presence of some American operational capabilities in the area is, for sure, an important factor that can contribute to substantiating such a strategy.

A priority for Romania is to harmonize and render more efficient the institutional processes of cooperation under development, to prevent competition or hegemonic temptations and establish a new framework of dialogue and cooperation in which all the interested democratic states and organizations should take part. For this purpose, Romania cooperates closely with the states neighboring the Black Sea - Bulgaria, Georgia, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine -, with the other states located in the close proximity, as well as with other member states of the Euro-Atlantic community.

As regards the issue of solving frozen conflicts, Romania wants to use the new window of opportunity in order to keep it on the political agenda of the main security actors, to promote active political and diplomatic strategies and become more effectively involved in making the mechanisms to peacefully solve these conflicts work. The ineffectiveness of some of the mechanisms used to solve the existing frozen conflicts by far requires that they have to be revisited; all the interested states and organizations should increase their contribution and have to become more actively engaged.

As part of such a strategy, it is necessary that a set of unitary principles, regulations and lines of conduct to be established, in compliance with the interests of the people, of the communities and states in the area, with the security interests of the Euro-Atlantic community and the provisions of the international law; they should be able to respond properly to the peculiarities of each and every conflict. The set of prin¬ciples, regulations and lines of conduct may include obligations such as: not recognize separatist regimes and not encourage them in any way; firmly counter terrorism and other terrorist-related activities; withdraw the foreign troops illegally deployed on the territory of various enclaves; dismantle - under international supervision - all the warehouses of weapons, ammunition and explosives; and dismantle the paramilitary groups founded by the illegal regimes on the territory of the separatist regions.

Romania seeks to engage directly in peacefully resolution of the conflicts and disputes in her strategic proximity, through both national and multilateral actions, aiming at fostering democracy, support the efforts of rapprochement to the European and Euro-Atlantic bodies and of building security and prosperity. Romania’s interest is that the enlargement of the two organizations should not lead to new lines of separation. In this context, the enlargement of NATO and the European Union, opening the frontiers, intensifying the flows of persons, goods, services, and capital, as well as technological development, all created favorable conditions for Romania to connect to the Euro-Atlantic prosperity and security area.

NATO and EU enlargement provides a unique opportunity of having the Euro-Atlantic community at the Black Sea shores which is a situation that brings Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey in the position of acting in a double role - of both EU and NATO border guards, therefore making the issue of maritime security more and more important.

Another element that must be taken into account is the dynamic transformation of the states in the region. Almost all the countries have chosen to pursue a democratic way, sharing the values of the Euro-Atlantic community: democracy, human rights, rule of law, market economy and the necessity of contributing to the global effort against terrorism.

At this moment, all the Black Sea states have institutionalized relations with NATO, being - in one way or another - a part of the Euro-Atlantic community: Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey are NATO member states; Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Republic of Moldova are partners for peace; Ukraine and Russia - involved in special partnerships with the Alliance. Apart of Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, both Georgia and Ukraine have acted - sometimes - as de facto members of the Alliance, by providing political backing, guaranteeing air and land passage rights, and fielding peace-support troops for NATO and U.S.-led operations.