In the context of NATO Defence Ministers' Meeting, the Romanian Minister of National Defence, Mircea Dusa, met with the British Defence Minister, Mr. Michael Fallon, on Thursday, February 5.

The two ministers had talks on the Romanian-British cooperation, the topics on the defence ministers' meeting agenda and the security situation in the extended Black Sea region.

Speaking of the cooperation between the two armed forces, minister Dusa appreciated the commitment of Great Britain to intensify cooperation with Romania in terms of strategic dialogue and security.

The two officials emphasized the importance of the concrete decisions to be adopted during the reunion on NATO assurance measures and implementing the Readiness Action Plan. They pointed out the importance of creating some command and control elements in Romania and other states in Eastern Europe as part of the allied measures to adapt to the new security environment.

As to the worsening of the security situation in the Black Sea region and the latest developments in Ukraine, the Romanian defence minister talked of the need to continue and even to strengthen the assurance measures of the Alliance in 2015.

The British defence minister expressed his solidarity with Romania's concerns and pointed out the intention of the authorities in London to endorse actively the adapting and assurance measures implemented at allied level in the present strategic context. Michael Fallon also talked of the decision to increase the participation of British soldiers in exercises organized in Romania as part of the assurance measures and to participate with military personnel in creating the command and control elements to become operational in our country.

MoND Press Office