MAE: Bogdan Aurescu pleads for strengthening NATO posture on entire Eastern Flank

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu pleaded for strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture on the entire Eastern Flank on the second day of the meeting of foreign ministers from NATO member states. Aurescu participated on Wednesday in the session devoted to the relations with Russia, regional security and developments in the area of arms control, on the second day of the meeting taking place in Brussels. Besides the allied ministers, also participating in the session were the foreign ministers of Finland, Sweden and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. According to a MAE release sent to AGERPRES, during his intervention, Aurescu saluted the presence of Finland, Sweden and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the ministerial session, highlighting the importance of coordination with "like-minded" partners on common interest topics, for the promotion of a strategic, unitary and cohesive approach. He drew attention in particular on deepening the coordination between the EU and NATO in this sense, as he had also stressed these aspects during the recent Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 22 March. The Foreign Minister presented Romania's assessment on the persistent security challenges at the Alliance's eastern border, at the Black Sea included, referring in context to the need to solve the extended conflicts that destabilise the security in the region, says MAE. Consequently, he reiterated the support for NATO's current approach towards Russia, stressing the need to further consolidate the Alliance's deterrence and defence posture on the entire Eastern Flank. In this framework, the Foreign Minister underscored that the dialogue with Russia can take place only in the circumstances of a very robust defence and deterrence posture of NATO. At the same time, Aurescu evoked the importance that the Alliance must grant to the unity and cohesion of the Eastern Flank, from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea. Furthermore, the Romanian chief diplomat pointed out the relevant impact of arms control on regional security and stability and maintained the need to continue of a comprehensive manner the allied coordination on this dimension, the MAE release also shows. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)