September 5, 2014 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 05.09.2014, 20:05
At the summit in Newport, Wales, the NATO leaders approved the setting up of a rapid reaction force to strengthen the organization’s capability, especially in the countries on the eastern flank, including Romania. Actually Romania is one of the countries that voiced their willingness to host elements of that force, the NATO secretary general Fogh Rasmussen announced, quoted by EFE. Rasmussen said that the headquarters of the new force will be in one of the eastern flank countries , and NATO will maintain in these countries a permanent rotating force. He said that if necessary the force can be activated within four days. Further details are yet to be established. At a press conference on Friday, president Traian Basescu announced that Romania will host a NATO commanding structure.
Romanian foreign minister Titus Corlatean attended on Friday the meeting of the NATO foreign ministers organized part of the NATO summit in Wales. On the occasion, Corlatean spoke about the situation in Ukraine and the future developments in the Middle East and North Africa, stressing the need for a firm response from the international community. He said the Euro-Atlantic organizations should provide consistent support to the eastern partners, using as an example the situation of the Republic of Moldova, which is still under pressure by Russia and where the consequences of the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact are still visible.
Officials from Kiev and the self-proclaimed autonomous regions of Donetk and Lugansk have signed in Minsk, following negotiations in the presence of OSCE representatives, a cease fire agreement for the region of Donbas, effective as of Friday, 3 GMT. The agreement has 14 items, covering all aspects relating to control, exchange of prisoners and other issues, RIA Novosti and Interfax report. On the ground the fighting continued with attacks on Donetsk, the largest city in the rebel region, and also on Mariupol, the port town controlled by the government forces. Some 2 thousand Russian military have been killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, said on Friday Andrii Lasenko, the spokesman for the National Security and Defense Council at a press conference held in Kiev. According to Reuters though, the information has not been confirmed by independent sources.
Immigration to Britain is good for Romania because it reduces the country’s unemployment, Romanian President Traian Basescu told BBC radio 4 on Friday. He added that the money sent back home by the Romanian nationals working in the UK has helped the Romanian economy. “Id like to be understood, as soon as the Romanian economic conditions allow, we will be ready to invite them back. Romania needs these people” the president also said.
Romanian social-Democrat MEP Corina Cretu is on the list of the future European Commissioners, announced on Friday by the new president of the Commission, Jean Claude Junker. Corina Cretu, aged 47, has been an MEP since 2007, and is currently vice-president of the European Parliament. In Romania she was adviser to former leftist president Ion Iliescu. According to the Bucharest media, although the Romanian Government hopes to get the regional development portfolio, Mrs. Cretu is more likely to be the next European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid. The list of the 28 members of the next European Commission must also be approved by the EU Council.
