South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) Meeting in Ankara

Romania holds the Chairmanship of the Coordination Committee of the South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial Meetings (SEDM-CC) and of the Politico-Military Steering Committee (PMSC) of the Multinational Peace Force South-Eastern Europe (MPFSEE) throughout 2023-2025.

In this capacity, Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvãr, participates, between November 21-23, in the South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial Meeting, held in Ankara, in the Republic of Turkey.

Minister Tîlvãr thanked his Turkish counterpart, Yaºar Güler, for his hospitality and for the excellent organization of the ministerial.

"The close relationship and cooperation with the Republic of Turkey, emphasized by the success of the ministerial in Ankara, are an admirable example of our robust partnership. This collaboration reiterates our joint commitment to regional stability and prosperity. Together with my counterpart, I used this opportunity to express my confidence that we will soon conclude the negotiations for the floating mines clearing project in the Republic of Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria Trilateral format ", the minister pointed out.

During the working sessions of the meeting, Minister Tîlvãr reiterated the crucial importance of regional cooperation in the current security context and highlighted Romania's commitment to promoting the objectives undertaken during the SEDM-CC Chairmanship, for the next two years.

„The consolidation of the South Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) is essential for the region. By increasing the interoperability and the readiness level, we make sure that we are prepared to effectively respond to the security challenges that will manifest themselves in the future", Minister Tîlvãr said.

Also, the Romanian Minister of Defence emphasized the initiative and steps taken by Romania so that the Republic of Moldova can become a full-fledged member of the SEDM, a goal achieved during the ministerial meeting in Ankara.

„The accession of the Republic of Moldova as a full-fledged member represents a significant step for the regional cohesion and security. Congratulations to Minister Nosatîi for this remarkable achievement. I am glad that our efforts to convince all SEDM members to vote for Moldova's accession to this format were successful", Angel Tîlvãr added.

The Romanian official also pointed out the importance of coordinating the SEDM activity with key international organizations such as NATO and the EU. In this context, Minister Tîlvãr emphasized the importance of initiating new projects and establishing a new level of political ambition at SEDM level. In the context of the serious consequences that the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine generates in the regional security environment, these strategic initiatives aim at consolidating regional cooperation in the field of security and defence, by adapting to these multiple challenges.

As part of the meeting in Ankara, Minister Tîlvãr had a bilateral meeting with his Georgian counterpart, Juansher Burchuladze, during which current aspects of Romanian-Georgian cooperation were addressed, such as the security situation in the Black Sea and the security and defence cooperation under the aegis of NATO or the EU. The talks reiterated the mutual commitment to enhance collaboration between the two countries on matters of common interest, Georgia being considered one of the most appreciated and long-lasting partners.

The Press Office