FM Aurescu: The countries having Romanian minorities should take appropriate measures to preserve their identity

Romania has the interest that the countries having Romanian minorities adopt ‘appropriate’ decisions to preserve their identity, ‘at least similar’ to the ones promoted by our country in favour of the minorities on its territory, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Monday.
In a message sent to participants at the 13th edition of the Summer University, which began on Monday in Izvoru Muresului, Harghita County, FM Bogdan Aurescu welcomed the organization of the event, saying it as an “exceptional event, already having a good tradition centred on the problems of Romanians everywhere”.
In his message, the Romanian foreign minister also said:
– ‘an issue of special interest’ for the Foreign Ministry (MAE) is the development of policies meant to preserve, promote and develop the specific identity of Romanians everywhere; it is developed through its department for Romanians everywhere and through the joint bilateral committees with Serbia, Ukraine, Hungary;
– The Romanian minorities need constant support for the problems they face. “I assure you of my personal involvement in identifying the most suitable solutions to answer real problems,” Aurescu said;
– As a strong argument, Romania has succeeded during the last two decades, to set ‘a real pattern in inter-cultural dialogue between the minorities and the majority’;
– “Romania has learned from its own experience. Sound democracies are those societies based on tolerance, mutual respect, cultural diversity, inter-ethnic dialogue – to the benefit of the entire society”;
– The use of mother tongue, religious services in the mother tongue, access to education and information in Romanian, participation to social, economic, cultural and public life for Romanians living abroad – are basic elements to preserving specific identity, protected by international law, “on which Romania insists and will continue to do it in bilateral dialogue and multilateral dialogue,” FM Aurescu’s message underscored.
– “We strongly oppose the attempts to rewrite our history, which would affect our self-identification as Romanians, and would impose a different identity to those feeling Romanians. Artificial divisions cannot justify the infringing of international obligations relevant in terms of preserving and promoting the rights of persons belonging to national minorities becoming ‘victim to division’,” Aurescu also stressed. (Hint to attempts in Serbia and Ukraine to divide the Romanian minority, e.g. in Ukraine part of the Romanian minority is considered Moldovan)
– Romanian will continue to support the efforts towards democracy and for defending human rights in the countries in its neighbourhood;
The Summer University in Targu Mures is attended by 80 leaders of Romanian associations, personalities from Romania’s neighbourhood as well as from Diaspora. The main issue of debate: “Romania and Romanians at the EU and NATO borders”. Expected to attend the debates are former President Traian Basescu, the leader of the Social Romanian Party Mircea Geoana and the President of People’s Movement Foundation Cristian Diaconescu.