On Friday, the 1st of December, the Romanian Defense minster had a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Nurettin Canikli, visiting Bucharest on the occasion of Romania's National Day.

The agenda was focused on the Black Sea security situation and the practical aspects of cooperation in the defense field between the two states, both bilaterally and within the Alliance. The two ministers appreciated the importance of continuing bilateral military activities in diverse areas with an emphasis on exercise and joint training. They also had an exchange of views on concrete ways in which the Romanian and Turkish armed forces could intensify their cooperation, including in the technical field.

The necessity of mutual support and concrete contributions for the operation of the allied command and control structures on the territory of the two states has also been highlighted. In this context, Mihai Fifor emphasized the importance of continuing the NATO efforts to implement the decisions regarding the allied presence from the Black Sea, in all three dimensions, ground, airborne and maritime.

The meeting with my Turkish counterpart was a good opportunity to continue the dialogue already begun in November in the Meeting of the NATO Ministers of Defence from Brussels. For Romania, the development of the strategic partnership with Turkey is a priority in order to increase interoperability and ensure regional stability and security of our entire Alliance, the Defense minister Fifor said.

The Press Office