Defence Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu, met on Wednesday, 29th September, at the MoND Headquarters, with the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre, as part of the visit that the Canadian official pays to Romania, over 27th 29th September.

During the meeting, the officials assessed the security situation from the extended area of the Black Sea and the Western Balkans and the joint activities and suggested concrete ways of enhancing cooperation relations at Allied and bilateral levels. Also, the dignitaries focused on the increase of participation in training activities, implementation of NATO measures in order to increase the reaction and deterrence capacity in the region as well as consolidation of interoperability between the Romanian and Canadian forces.

Minister Ciuca presented an assessment of the current situation from the Black Sea area, the implementation status of the tFP measures developed in response to the threats from the region, where Canada has a significant contribution. At the same time, the Romanian official thanked the Canadian partner for the involvement of the Royal Canadian Air Forces in the air policing missions which stand for a good exercise that increases the reaction and deterrence capacity and consolidates interoperability between the two armed forces.

Another subject listed on the meeting agenda was cooperation within the UNO, Romania assuming a contribution to MINUSMA Mission from Mali. In this context, the Romanian minister thanked the Canadian official for the support offered in the pre-deployment and taking-over stages of the mission.

The Defence Minister and the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff agreed upon keeping the pace of the defence bilateral relations by continuing the consultations at the level of the international forums and practical establishment of the military partnership elements on its three components - maritime, ground and air.

The Romanian Chief of Defence Staff thanked General Wayne Eyre for the contribution made by the Canadian troops to the North-Atlantic Alliance structures deployed on Romanian territory. The significant presence of the Canadian colleagues in the entire range of NATO defensive actions on the Eastern Flank emphasize the strong and long-lasting trans-Atlantic link among the allies. The presence of the sixth Canadian detachment beside the Romanian Air Force for the execution of the air policing missions and exercises show the excellent level of bilateral and Allied cooperation, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu stated.

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The Canadian CHOD's visit takes place in the context of his meeting with the soldiers of the Canadian detachment deployed to Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base from Constanta. On 27th and 28th September, General Wayne Eyre met with the Canadian detachment made up of 140 soldiers (pilots and technical personnel). The Canadian soldiers (with six CF-188 Hornet aircraft) will be executing NATO-led enhanced Air Policing missions together with the Romanian military personnel of the Romanian Air Force (with F-16 Fighting Falcon and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft).

The visit agenda of the Canadian Chief of Defence Staff also included a meeting with the soldiers of the Headquarters Multinational Division South East from Bucharest.

The Press Office