Romania at the European Council summit
Heads of state and government met in Brussels to discuss migration, EU-Russia relations and the Syrian conflict.
Corina Cristea, 21.10.2016, 13:10
Attending the European Council summit in Brussels, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis pointed out that Bucharest would get involved in Brexit negotiations with London, with a view to protecting the rights of Romanian citizens in this country.
Following a talk with Klaus Iohannis, British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty in the first half of 2017, which will mark the beginning of negotiations, estimated to last for at least two years. We want transparent and fair regulations, Klaus Iohannis argued, recalling that the Romanians living in the UK remain a priority for Romania.
Klaus Iohannis: “We dont want any incidents. We dont want Romanians in the United Kingdom to be subject to useless pressure. Madame Prime Minister has guaranteed she will personally see that such incidents should be avoided, both before and after Brexit, while the remaining details should be discussed as part of the negotiations between Great Britain and the 27 Member States”.
The migration crisis, EU-Russia relations and Russias involvement in the Syrian conflict, as well as the Unions trade agreement with Canada ranked high on the agenda of the EU summit. President Iohannis expressed his support for the unity of the EU based on commonly agreed principles. The President insisted on the need to fully observe the Minsk Agreements, a selective relationship with Russia, based not just on foreign policy relations, and the willingness to support the civil society in this country.
As regards relations with the Russian Federation in the context of the Syrian crisis, President Iohannis said the bombing of Aleppo must cease immediately, allowing for humanitarian missions to step in. Additionally, the president argued in favor of the negotiation process and against a military solution in this case.
