Financiarul

President Traian Basescu said on Sunday before leaving for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), where he is paying an official visit, that Romania has particular economic interests in the Middle East, interalia.

‘In the Middle East area Romania has particular economic interests, and last but not least it is keen on the topics related to the energy and to the Romanians living in the countries of the Middle East,’ Traian Basescu told a press statement he made in the Bucharest-based Henri Coanda Airport’s Hall of Honor.

Romania’s President specified that his official visit to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is the reply to the visit President Mahmud Abbas paid to Bucharest, last year.

‘I could say that the visit to Ramallah (a locality in Trans Jordan, where the PNA hqs lie- editor’s note) is the conclusion of a cycle of meetings I have had with the Middle East leaders, all mainly approaching the topic of the security in the region, a topic of major interest for Romania, having in view its own security,’ President Basescu said in the same press release.

Traian Basescu also stressed that the meetings he had with the presidents of Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, the King of Jordan and the President of Israel precede his visit to Ramallah.

‘From our viewpoint, the peace process can be continued now, taking into account the political developments in the region, and the objective that must be attained is two states Palestine and Israel – in peace and security, the topic of security being extremely important for Israel. Nobody can ask Israel to tolerate terrorism deeds in its territory or the insecurity on its borders,’ Basescu pointed out.

At the same time, Romania’s President added that the topics to be discussed with his hosts would be related to terrorism having in view that the Middle East region is a supplier of terrorism deeds happening just in the territory of the states in the region.

‘As for the practical, direct action during this visit, except the talks to approach all the topics of interest for Romania, it will be signed a cooperation accord between the Romanian Foreign Ministry and that of the Palestinian National Authority,’ President Basescu said.

Romania’s head added he would meet both the PNA President and the Prime Minister and the Romanians living in Palestine, mentioning in the context the major hardships occurred when they had to be evacuated during the recent military events in the Gaza Strip.

During the visit President Basescu will hold official talks with PNA President Mahmud Abbas and the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, in Ramallah.

At the same time, President Basescu will lay a flower wreath at the Mausoleum of the late PNA President Yasser Arafat.

Also accompanying President Basescu is Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu.

It was PNA President Mahmud Abbas, on the special occasion of his 2-day official visit to Romania, on Nov 3, 2008, who extended Romania’s President the invitation to pay this visit. President Basescu assured President Abbas he accepted the invitation.

President Abbas stressed that President Basescu could pay the visit ‘whenever he wishes, at the moment he sees appropriate, and added that he would be ‘very warmly welcomed by the Palestinian people.’

Likewise, President Abbas stressed that Romania and PNA ‘are friends connected by old and very good relations.’

‘I refer to the role Romania has been playing in the peace process in the Middle East.

It was the first country which welcomed a Palestinian delegation and among the first which recognized the Palestinian State, almost 20 years ago.

We cannot forget that hundreds of Palestinian youth were trained and educated in the Romanian universities and became the messengers of the Romanian science and culture,’ Abbas said.

At the same time, he thanked for Romania’s readiness to resume the educational programmes for the Palestinian youth in its universities.