The British Defence Minister Michael Fallon said on Monday in Bucharest after meeting Romanian DefMin that UK would contribute with troops for the two NATO command centers in Romania, pointing out he is sharing the concern regarding the Black Sea security.
Michael Fallon is in a visit to Bucharest on Monday, with his agenda including meetings with his Romanian counterpart Mircea Dusa, with President Klaus Iohannis and with Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
British minister also informed that one of the newest destroyers of the Royal Navy would arrive to Constanta in October “I would like to officially inform you today that one of the newest destroyers of the British Royal Navy will be present in Constanta in October,” Fallon said.
According to him, “the defence anti-missile shield is a defensive one”. “We have the right to defend ourselves in this format of alliances,” the British Defence minister added.
Romanian minister Dusa also said that he and Fallon discussed the two NATO command centres to be set up in Romania.
‘The minister assured me British troops will be present in both command centres, especially the division one, where there will be a reasonable number of troops. We have also discussed the importance of the defence budgets, the fact that Romania committed on a political level to this obligation of earmarking over the coming years 2 percent of its GDP to the defence, in order to ensure the modernization and equipment of its army. (…) I have thanked for the presence of British troops in Romania, in the exercises organized in 2014 and in the large-scale exercises scheduled in 2015. (…) The British troops will also be present in the exercises at the firing range of Smardan [southeastern Romania], Dusa stated.
During the meeting with the Romanian premier Victor Ponta, Michael Fallon reiterated UK’s interest to enhance the strategic dialogue with Romania and also reminded the UK troops availability to take part in the military exercised hosted by Romania.