NATO Member States’ Mission In Afghanistan Not Over Yet – Romania President

Basescu said Thursday before leaving for Prague, the Czech Republic, that Romania upholds the solidarity and consolidation of the relation between the European Union and the United States, adding it is highly important for Romania, as EU member state, to rejoice a stronger relation between the EU and the U.S.A.

The head of state stressed that NATO missions in Afghanistan are linked to the September 11 attacks upon the United States that triggered the anti-terrorism war in Afghanistan, which has gone beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

Basescu said Romania has deployed more troops in Afghanistan over the past years and will deploy an additional 150 troops in 2010. He added that Romania runs the risk of endangering its existing troops in the area unless it deploys an additional 600 troops and stressed the country will have 1800 troops deployed in Afghanistan until September. Basescu said the measure targets to help Romania successfully accomplish its military missions and provide maximum security for troops already deployed in the area.

Romania currently has 1,020 troops in Afghanistan. Over the past years, 12 Romanian troops were killed during military operations in Afghanistan.

Basescu on Thursday saluted the signing of the new START treaty in Prague where he will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama and ten other leaders from Central and Eastern Europe.