Loading ...Readying for the NATO Summit in Bucharest and Romania's support for Croatia, Albania and the Republic of Macedonia access into the Alliance, evolutions following the declaration of independence by Kosovo and economic exchanges with countries in the region were the main items on the agenda of the Balkan tour of the Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu, over February 25-27, to Zagreb, Podgorica and Skopje.
As well, further to the official visits in these three former Yugoslav countries, Minister Cioroianu participated on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 27 and 28, in the SEECP Foreign Ministers Meeting and in the meeting marking the completion of the Stability Pact in South East Europe and the official launching of the new Regional Cooperation Council (RCC).
The meetings organized in Bulgaria's Capital were emphasized especially due to the presence of a Kosovar delegation formed of a representative of the UNMIK mission and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in Pristina Besim Beqaj, who asked to be accepted as representative of the newly-proclaimed state. Kosovo was admitted as full-fledged member of RCC prior to the proclamation of independence by this province, being represented in this regional format by the UNMIK administration, based on Resolution 1244, and the Kosovar delegate's request was blocked by Serbia's representative, ForMin Vuk Jeremic.
Under conditions in which Minister Cioroianu reiterated on Tuesday, in Podgorica, Montengro, that Romania will not recognize Kosovo independence, he supported Minister Jeremic stance at RCC meeting, the Serbian official stating that Belgrade will attempt to stop, in the upcoming months, Kosovo access to all world bodies. As well, according to a source from Romania's delegation to RCC meeting, Minister Cioroianu did not honor Besim Beqaj request for a bilateral meeting.
Sofia meetings also highlighted the divergent points of view of the states in the Balkan region over Kosovo independence, under conditions in which Albania and Turkey recognized the move made by Pristina, Croatia and Bulgaria failed to express a clear position, although tended to recognize Kosovo independence, the Republic of Macedonia said it was waiting for an 'appropriate moment' to express a position, Greece and Montenegro made known their reservation and Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republic of Moldova and Cyprus announced they would not recognize the Kosovar authorities decision.
As for the NATO Summit on April 2-4, in Bucharest, Minister Cioroianu voiced hope in Zagreb and Skopje that all three candidate states – Croatia, Republic of Macedonia and Albania – will receive in Bucharest invitations to enter the Alliance. The Croatian ForMin Gordan Jandrokovic, as well as Montenegrin Milan Rocen and Macedonian Antonio Milososki stressed that the accession of the three Balkan countries to NATO is to boost stability and security in the Balkans, where tensions were re-ignited after Kosovo proclaimed independence.
At the same time, Cioroianu reiterated Romania's support for the European Union accession efforts made by Croatia, Montenegro and Macedonia, all three candidate countries and offered Bucharest Government expertise in their accession process.
As for the economic relations, Ministers Cioroianu and Jandrokovic pointed out in Zagreb that both countries wish that commercial exchanges keep up the pace with Romanian-Croatian good political relations and that they should not be limited just to Romanian tourists visiting Croatia in an ever-increasing number, year-on-year.
As regards Minister Cioroianu's visit to Pogorica, a first of a top Romanian dignitary after the proclamation of the independence by the Montenegrin state, in 2006, a topic discussed with his counterpart Milan Rocen was represented by the need of consolidation of the bilateral judicial framework through negotiations and conclusion of some documents including an economic cooperation agreement and one dealing with mutual investments' promotion and protection.
In Skopje, Minister Cioroianu emphasized the availability of some Romanian energy companies to take part in the materialization of some contracts offered by the Macedonian Government and the wish to strengthen relations between the chambers of commerce in the two countries, a protocol being signed to this end that is adapting the bilateral agreement on investments to Romania's EU member status.
In Croatia, Minister Cioroianu had meetings with Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, as well as with representatives of the Romanian community in Zagreb (business people, managers of multinational companies, artists, representatives of the academic environment).
In Montenegro, the Romanian ForMin met the acting Premier Zeljko Sturanovic, designated Premier Milo Djukanovic, as well as Parliament's Chairman Ranko Krivokapic and, in Skopje, the visit included meetings with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Chairman of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia Ljubisa Georgievski.
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