ForMin Aurescu welcomes Ambassador Klemm on his farewell visit, reiterates interest in Visa Waiver

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu has welcomed at the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) headquarters, on Friday, Ambassador of the U.S. in Bucharest Hans Klemm, on his farewell visit, context in which he reiterated and argued "Romania's legitimate interest" to access the Visa Waiver programme.

According to a MAE release, Minister Aurescu has expressed the special appreciation of the Romanian side, as well as his own for the entire activity of Ambassador Hans Klemm during his tenure in Bucharest and his substantial and very effective personal involvement in the development and strengthening of the bilateral Strategic Partnership.

On this occasion, Aurescu has evoked "the excellent character of the high-level political interaction, unprecedented in terms of pace and substance in the history of bilateral relations," achieved as a result of President Klaus Iohannis's meetings with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in June 2017 and August 2019, "meetings which have decisively contributed to the expansion and strengthening of the Strategic Partnership."

In his turn, Ambassador Klemm thanked Minister Bogdan Aurescu for the excellent cooperation and personal contribution to the strengthening of the Strategic Partnership, and evoked important moments and accomplishments of this mandate, which both officials worked and contributed to.

"Recalling the recent meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brussels, Minister Aurescu underscored the importance of expanding the US military presence in Romania and strengthening the NATO defence and deterrence posture on the Eastern Flank, including in the Black Sea. The Romanian Minister called to mind the most important aspects of the NATO Foreign Affairs Ministers' meeting in Brussels, taking into account the preparations for the meeting of NATO leaders in London, between 3 and 4 December 2019," the release showed.

Furthermore, the two officials briefly evoked the significant developments over the last period in the dynamics of the bilateral dialogue, including strengthening cooperation in the civil nuclear area and ensuring security for 5G networks, aspects of strategic importance for the common prosperity and security of the U.S. and Romania.

Moreover, Minister Aurescu reiterated and argued "Romania's legitimate interest, one of the most firm and committed partners of the U.S., to access the Visa Waiver programme" and voiced confidence that "the positive trend, of constantly decreasing the visa refusal rate during Ambassador Klemm's tenure would also continue during his successor's mandate."