Financiarul

President Traian Basescu underlined on Tuesday, during the meeting with King Albert II of Belgium, at Cotroceni Presidential Palace, his satisfaction that the Belgian state, His Majesty personally, continue to promote a policy of strengthening relations and support for Romania.

According to a Presidential Administration release, talks between the two heads of state revealed their will to further consolidate the cooperation at state level and, beyond that, highlighted an authentic feeling of friendship present between the two countries.

In his first state visit in Romania, King Albert II of Belgians underlined that one of the reasons of his presence in this country is the “celebration of the links between Romania and Belgium”.

At the same time, King Albert II added that one of the objectives is the creation of conditions for initiation of a beneficial cooperation in several fields of interest, as agri-food industry, ecological technology, river and maritime transport, port infrastructure development included, management practices and, last but not least, in the energy security field.

President Traian Basescu appreciated, in his turn, that these cooperation fields are also priority interest zones for Romania, affirming the Romanian state’s will to develop the partnership with the Kingdom of Belgium, with special accent on the importance given by Romania to the development of the agri-food industry and energy resources.

The head of state reminded in this context the efforts Romanian diplomacy is making at European level for the outlining of an integrated development strategy in the Danube region and the political goal represented by the connection between the Black Sea and the North Sea through a river transport corridor with common rules – Danube-Main-Rhine.

President Traian Basescu added that, beyond the economic benefits for the European space, the implementation of a single river transport corridor between the North Sea and the Black Sea represents a real contribution to the combating climatic changes, by significantly reducing the noxious emissions characteristic for the road transport.

The dialogue of the two heads of state was also focused on the international economic crisis, in this context being evoked the two sides’ opinions on the national solutions aimed at economic re – launch and the effects of decisions adopted at European Union level.

President Traian Basescu laid accent on the priority given by Bucharest Executive to limiting measures of the international economic crisis effects upon Romania.

The head of state also evoked in this context the need to see more flexible European procedures, which would allow the maximization of the positive effects upon economy of the decisions taken by the European Union countries’ governments.

King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium are paying over July 7-9 a state visit to Romania.