President Iohannis meets British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, talks focus on Strategic Partnership, defence

President Klaus Iohannis has met British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Thursday and the talks have focused on the NATO agenda and on bilateral co-operation in the fields of security and defence.

“The two officials have voiced the determination to strengthen the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in this field, stressing the common vision of the two countries on the current challenges regarding security,” a presidency press release informs.

The Romanian head of state underlined Romania’s firm commitment to NATO priorities, mainly regarding the consolidation of defence and deterrence and the balanced sharing of the responsibilities among the member states.

The British Defence Secretary has congratulated Romania for its efforts within the North Atlantic Alliance, stressing the importance of allocating 2% of the GDP for defence, as example to follow for other allies.

Regarding the coming negotiations on Brexit, the British official added that the UK will remain firmly committed to European projects on security of the continent.

“President Iohannis and the British Defence Secretary saluted the conducting in optimal conditions of the Noble Jump 17 drills, currently hosted by Romania, extremely important for the verification in real conditions of the reaction capacity of the forces involved,” the presidency release reads.

The British official underlined the intention to continue the joint training programmes of the armed forces, both within NATO and within the bilateral context.

President Iohannis saluted the excellent level of bilateral co-operation between Romania and the UK in the defence field and has appreciated the support granted to our country to strengthen deterrence and defence on the eastern flank of the alliance. He has also thanked for the presence of the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and of British troops deployed in Romania, as well as for the joint activities conducted in the Black Sea.

The British defence Secretary has had talks also with defence Minister Gabriel Les. Both officials concluded that the Strategic Partnership between the two countries is advancing excellently and is playing an essential part in the current context of security, with challenges in the area.

On Thursday the British Defence Secretary had talks with PM Sorin Grindeanu.