The Ministry of National Defence, the US Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invite the media to attend the ceremony marking the beginning of the main construction works of the missile defence facility at Deveselu in Olt County.

The ceremony will take place at Military Base in Deveselu, on Monday, 28 October, from 11:45, and will include speeches held by Romanian, US and NATO high officials.

Context: Romania and the United States of America organize the ceremony marking the beginning of the main construction works at Deveselu

On 13 September 2011, Romania and the United States of America signed the Agreement between Romania and the United States of America on the Deployment of the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania to be hosted by a military base at Deveselu. The agreement, which came into force on 23 December 2011, stipulates that an Aegis Ashore ground-based missile defense system will be placed and operated by Romania, as part of the US contribution to NATO missile defence system. Cooperation in missile defence is a major contribution to NATO collective security as an integral part of the allied missile defence system.
Temporary facilities were already erected for the personnel involved in the working construction. A ceremony will be organized at the military base of Deveselu, on 28 October, to mark the start of the main construction works. The US missile defence system will be based in Deveselu and will become fully operational by 2015. It is estimated that about 200 military, civilian and contract enlisted personnel will be needed to operate the facility.

The mentioned agreement and hosting the American facility at the military base of Deveselu is an integral part of the enhanced Strategic Partnership of Romania and the United States of America. Military cooperation has increased significantly over the last years, a trend that is going to be maintained. Romania and the USA have been side by side in all theaters of operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. The US Marines of the Black Sea Rotational Force train at Mihail Kogalniceanu military base. On October 18, 2013, Mircea Dusa, the Defence Minister and Chuck Hagel, the US Secretary of Defense agreed on supporting the transit to and from Afghanistan. The US Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, emphasized that such an agreement is one more proof of Romania`s firm commitment to ISAF as far as regional and international security is concerned. The armed forces of our countries participate in many military exercises and activities in Romania and other places in Europe and the USA. This cooperation reflects the force behind our Strategic Partnership and the friendship between the Romanian and American people.

MoND Press Office