August 13, 2013
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România Internațional, 13.08.2013, 00:00
The Hungarian foreign minister stated that Hungary and Romania share an interest in protecting ethnic minorities, and said that Hungary has a healthy dialog with Romania on this topic. This pointed statement came after the speech made on Monday by Romanian president Traian Basescu, who said that Hungary has become a point of instability in terms of minority issues, and that Romania would quote ‘put Budapest in its place’, unquote. The head of state said that some top Hungarian politicians attending cultural events in Romania have overstepped the limit of decency. These declarations were in reply to separatist statements made by the leader of the far right party Jobbik of Hungary while on visit to Romania. The Budapest diplomatic service pointed out that Hunagry is committed to stability in the region and to guaranteeing the rights of ethnic minorities.
The trial in Bucharest of the 6 Romanians suspected of stealing paintings from the Kunsthal Gallery in Rotterdam, Holland has been postponed for 10 September. The lawyers representing the defendants claim that no painting has been harmed. It is hoped that the hiding place of the paintings will be identified by September. In October last year, seven paintings were stolen in less than two minutes from Kunsthal. The stolen items included famous paintings by, among others, Picasso, Monet, Gauguin and Matisse. It is suspected that the paintings were brought to Romania and burned. Expert analysis indicated initially that the ash does come from burning canvas painted in oil. The damages, in this case, would exceed 18 million Euro.
US State Secretary John Kerry said he did not believe that the announcement made on Sunday by Israel regarding building new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem will affect peace negotiations, scheduled for Wednesday in Jerusalem. Kerry said that the US is still opposed to new settlements, considered illegitimate by the EU and Russia. The EU called on Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from undermining the negotiations, in spite of the announcement. Israeli-Palestinian negotiations resumed in late July in Washington after three years, and will continue on August 14 in Jerusalem, then in Jericho, in the West Bank.
