Financiarul

Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu on the first day of a visit to the United States on Thursday met Rabbi Andrew Baker, the international affairs director of the American Jewish Committee, whom he communicated Romania’s openness to building a Holocaust memorial in Bucharest.

Diaconescu said he would discuss with the other Government members so as to set a roadmap for building such a monument, after consultations with the representatives of the U.S.-based Jewish community, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

In the Romanian minister’s opinion, there should be no difficulties in completing this project, as there are no anti-Semitic actions in Romania.
Also attending the meeting was executive vice-president of B’nai B’rith International Daniel Mariaschin.
The talks also focused on the current global economic and financial crisis and the very good relations that Romania traditionally has with the representatives of the Jewish communities.

Diaconescu is scheduled to meet on Thursday U.S. vice-President’s National Security Advisor Anthony Blinken, Undersecretary of Political Affairs and Secretary of Defence Michelle Flournoy and prominent members of the U.S. Congress – Richard Lugar, co-chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, Benjamin Cardin, Solomon Ortiz, chairman of the Romanian Caucus in the House of Representatives and chairman of the Readiness Sub-Committee on the House Armed Services Committee, Joe Wilson, a member of the Caucus for Romania and of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Robert Wexler, chairman of the Sub-Committee for Europe on the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee.

The agenda of the talks will include the cooperation in the operation theatres from Afghanistan and Iraq and aspects of a priority interest in the bilateral relation, with special emphasis on extending the economic side of the bilateral strategic partnership.

The visit will also be an opportunity for a detailed exchange of views referring issues of common interest on the international agenda, with special importance being placed on the developments in the enlarged Black Sea area, the release said.

The Romanian foreign minister will meet officials of renowned think tanks based in Washington. He will deliver a speech at the Atlantic Council think tank on regional issues later on Thursday, to be followed by a question-and-answer session.