For the first time in history Romania could have only allies round its borders if, following the NATO Summit, the Alliance gets enlarged by Croatia, Macedonia and Albania and Ukraine and Georgia are a Membership Action Plan, President Traian Basescu told the participants in the Summit of Young Atlanticists on Tuesday.
The Romanian Head of State emphasized the fact that the NATO Summit would mainly focus on the enlargement of the Alliance, on the NATO operations in the Western Balkans and Afghanistan as well as on the anti-missile system, a subject that is already subject to public debate.
'From our viewpoint the Summit is of crucial importance as most subjects are directly connected to our region. No matter whether we speak of the Western Balkans or of Georgia or Ukraine, these subjects are directly connected to Romania's national security and to the security of the region where Romania and the Romanians exist,' said the Head of State.
Traian Basescu added that Romania supported Croatia, Macedonia and Albania being invited to join NATO, supported the intensification of the dialogue with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. Romania also supports an MAP being granted to Ukraine and Georgia, also said the President.
'If these aims are attained, Romania will first have only allies round its borders. We cannot regard the past as a period with allies round us, the period when we were part of the communist bloc,' explained Traian Basescu.
About 120 young people from the states that are members of the North Atlantic Alliance and the Partnership for Peace will meet in Bucharest, over April 1-5, during the Summit of Young Atlanticists in order to debate the aspects on the agenda of the NATO Summit as well as topical subjects on the international security agenda.
The opening ceremony of the Summit of Young Atlanticists will be held on Tuesday evening. Premier Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, General Joseph Ralston, former SACEUR commander, manager of the Romanian Intelligence Service George Cristian Maior, president and chief executive officer of the Atlantic Council of the United States Frederick Kempe, president of the Atlantic Council of Romania Alexandru Serban, the president of the Atlantic Treaty Association, Ambassador Robert Hunter, former US permanent representative to NATO, are to attend.
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