The Department for Defence Policy and Planning hosted the meeting of the Romanian-US Joint Committee on implementing the Agreement between Romania and the United States of America regarding the activities of US forces stationed in Romania and the Agreement between Romania and the USA on deployment of the US missile defense system in Romania, at the Palace of the National Military Club, Tuesday, 18 December.

The chairmanship of the Joint Committee is shared by the State Secretary for Defence Policy and Planning, Mr. Sebastian Huluban, representing Romania, and Major General Mark O. Schissler, from US EUCOM, on behalf of the USA. Mr. Bogdan Aurescu, State Secretary in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in the meeting as a special guest, along representatives of the Ministry of Administration and Interior, the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications in Romania (ANCOM). The US delegation included experts and guests from USAREUR, USAFE, MDA and the US Embassy to Bucharest.

In his opening speech as Romanian co-chairman, Sebastian Huluban restated that the Romanian party is fully engaged in creating the necessary conditions so that the US party can start building the facilities at Deveselu base.

Important decisions were taken during the meeting on the future joint activities, an analysis was made of the current state of affairs and the perspectives of the installation of elements of the missile defense system at Deveselu base. Other topics of mutual interest were approached as well, such as training activities planned for 2013 or particular transport activities at Mihail Kogalniceanu base and Constanta Port.

During the Joint Committee meeting, the two co-chairmen signed two Implementation Arrangements one concerning new regulations on data exchanges and personnel protection, another on communications.

MoND Press Office