Financiarul

“I can say to all those banging heads against the TV studios walls alarmed that Romania will be circumvented by the energy corridors that, in case South Stream is constructed – and I repeat if South Stream will be ever constructed – Romania will not remain outside that project.

We have the ability and knowledge and interests and everything it is needed to lay on the table, so that South Stream will not circumvent us.

But in politics, especially in foreign politics one has to demonstrate steadfastness, good sense and seriousness and the capacity to stay attached to your option”, said the head of state.

According to him, Nabucco represents a success for Romania, given that one moment it was the sole European country which did not abandon this project in the favor of South Stream.

“(…) In the end, our stand, the American stand and Brussels brought Nabucco back at the front. I can tell you now that on the occasion of the winter Council Nabucco was to be eliminated from the European Commission priority agenda and Romania’s firm stand blocked that idea”, he underlined.

Basescu added that Romania must tackle from the political standpoint the promotion of the next project on the agenda: the oil pipeline Constanta (south-east) – Trieste, via Pancevo.

On the other hand, the head of state pointed out that for the moment the Romanian diplomacy has some problems in grasping the importance of certain zones.

“For two years already, on the occasion of the annual meeting with the Diplomatic Corps I tell them: dear diplomats, take the road to Central Asia, look at Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, at the Caspian zone (…)”, stated the President.

He emphasized that lack of professional competency must end when Romania’s interests are approached and voiced hope that Minister Cristian Diaconescu will do whatever it takes to equip the Romanian embassies in Central Asia with skilled diplomats.

“Those who wish to use diplomacy in London alone I can tell that I meet with Gordon Brown once in three months, if they want to stay in Berlin alone, that I meet Merkel once in three months because all head of state and of government meet once in three months.

We solve the issues there, when we meet in Brussels and not through the great diplomats crowding the embassies in these countries”, Traian Basescu said.