Traian Basescu: Romania needs mutually advantageous economic cooperation with RussiaUpdated: 21-01-2010 | Regional Europe

Romania needs a mutually advantageous economic cooperation with Russia, President Traian Basescu told the annual meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Bucharest on Wednesday. In his speech the Head of State also approached the subject of the relations with China, Turkey, and the Middle East.

"In time our relation with Russia has had special aspects, but we have never ignored each other. The influence of Russia in the region is quite significant and Romania is aware of this reality. The message I want to convey here is that Russia can have Romania as its partner as long as our interests are observed. We need a mutually advantageous economic cooperation with Russia as regards trade exchanges, which already grew four times during my first term in office," said the President.

The Head of State appreciated that the relation with China was "an example of the success of the Romanian foreign policy" and added that Romania wanted a consolidation of the traditional economic relations.

"We were particularly satisfied with the pledge taken the Chinese authorities to support the investments made by their national companies in Romania. Our country is already the main destination of China's investments in Central and South-Eastern Europe. On a medium term we aim at the materialization of the ample partnership and, for this year, at a successful participation in the World Exposition in Shanghai," added Traian Basescu.

The President also voiced Romania's support to Turkey's joining the EU and said that this country's economic and energy potential placed it "in the foreground" of the Romanian "diplomatic efforts."

"We shall never stop informing everybody of our conviction that this potential will only be fully used if Turkey joins the European Union, of course the conditions implied being observed, an aim that we are strongly in favour of," said the Head of State.

Traian Basescu said that an "area of utmost interest for Romania" was the Middle East both due to the implications of its security situation and to the opportunities of economic cooperation.

Agerpres