Defence Minister’s meetings during his official visit to Italy

As part of the working visit paid to the Italian Republic over September 24-27, Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvãr, had a meeting with the Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Italian Senate, Stefania Craxi, and visited the Center for Advanced Defense Military Studies, where he met with the Chairman of the institution, Admiral Giacinto Ottaviani.

During the meeting with the Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Italian Senate, important topics on the bilateral agenda were approached, including defence cooperation within NATO and EU, the war in Ukraine and the evolution of the security situation in the Black Sea.

"I consider that it is very important to enhance cooperation between our countries on the parliamentary dimension of defence, in the context of the challenges posed to the security and stability of the European and Euro-Atlantic space", the Romanian official emphasized.

The two officials expressed their solidarity and commitment to a substantial contribution to the Allied efforts meant to strengthen NATO's eastern flank, as well as their support for an omnidirectional approach to the threats emanating from the southern part of the Alliance.

The Romanian Minister of Defence pointed out: "Just as Romania is at the eastern border of the EU and of the North Atlantic Alliance and is very aware of the types of challenges and risks faced by the Black Sea region, so is the case of Italy, as a Mediterranean country, which feels the direct effect and implications of the threats coming from the south. Together, we can complete the assessment of the entire spectrum of threats posed to the security of the Euro-Atlantic space, including through an integrated, comprehensive and over-arching approach to our joint efforts in this regard. A joint effort is needed to manage the current security threats coming from all directions."

The Defence Minister’s visit to the Center for Advanced Defence Military Studies, where he had a meeting with the Chairman of the Center, Admiral Giacinto Ottaviani, was an opportunity for applied talks on the expansion of the strategic dialogue in the field of security and defence into the dimension of education. In this context, the two officials emphasized the importance of enhancing the collaboration between the defence ministries of the two countries with respect to the training of military and civilian personnel, but also further developing the research dimension in the field of defence and security policies, on common interest topics.

"There are very good prospects and potential for consolidating the Romanian-Italian relations in the fields of defence and education and research, and, in the forthcoming period, we are engaged in strengthening the partnership between the Center for Advanced Defence Military Studies from Rome and "Carol I" National Defense University from Bucharest, by exploring concrete ways of collaboration, with a view of training and further-developing the military and civilian personnel from the two ministries", Angel Tîlvãr stated.

The Press Office