Romania has a more solid Atlanticist anchor than Hungary

[Ars Moriendi]

Analyst Wess Mitchell: Romania has a more solid Atlanticist anchor than Hungary

http://actmedia.eu/daily/analyst-wess-mitchell-romania-has-a-more-solid-atlanticist-anchor-than-hungary/55044

http://actmedia.eu/images/articles/141107094214Wess_Mitchell_300x200_c.jpg

Romania has a more solid Atlanticist anchor than Hungary, and Atlanticism, as an organising force, is more powerful in Romania, says Wess Mitchell, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) think tank president.

'It is a healthier state organisation, there is a healthier civil society. Therefore, I am optimistic about Romania, with all the existing challenges,' Wess Mitchell said in an interview to Hotnews website.

When asked how he would define Romania's status in the region at the moment, the US analyst pointed out that our country is 'an island of democratic governance and Euro-Atlantic ideas and institutions.'

'I would say that Romania is an island. An island of democratic governance and Euro-Atlantic ideas and institutions. From a strategic stand, it is an island of Atlanticism and of the US military influence and of the western political and economic presence. (...) Romania is an important ally of the US and the West,' the analyst showed.

Romanian democracy deserves to be praised for the real and difficult progress it has made, says Wess Mitchell, President and Co-Founder of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).

I believe that you are already a model of democracy in this region. (...) I believe Romanians must admit the enormous steps they have made as a democratic nation in the past 25 years. Romania has become from one of the poorest, struggling and oppressed nations captive of the Soviet space into one of the most successful economies and with one of the most rapid growth ratio in the region, said Mitchell.

He emphasizes, in an interview granted to news website HotNews.ro, the major difference existing between Victor Ponta and Viktor Orban.

I believe that Viktor Orban and Victor Ponta are very different — I want to point out this from the beginning. It is important to understand which are the differences between Hungary and Romania: Victor Ponta never used the state's powers to attack the freedom of the press or religion, never proclaimed the death of liberal democracy in Romania, stated Wess Mitchell.

The American analyst says Romanian democracy deserves to be praised for the progress recorded.
I have high trust in your democratic institutions — the anti-corruption institutions you've established in Romania. I believe they must be protected and cared for. I believe they are bright points and that Romanian democracy deserves to be praised for the real and difficult progress it has made, he added.

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Glad we are clear on this from both sides of the ideological spectrum :)

[Ars Moriendi]

I wonder if Romania's political alignment with the US is as strong as contemporary Poland's.
I was browsing around and found a piece that briefly mentions American military deployment in Romania already includes an important missile shield, that is planned to be copied on Poland in a few years time.

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U.S. Tests Missile Defenses For Sites In Romania, Poland
http://www.rferl.org/content/us-missile-defense-romania-poland-aegis-ashore/26678658.html

The U.S. Navy conducted a successful test of an upgrade to the Aegis missile defense system on November 6, simultaneously destroying two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile off the coast of Hawaii.

Sources say the tests have validated the upgrade of the missile defense system built by Lockheed Martin, as well as two different missiles built by the U.S. defense firm Raytheon.

The upgrade is due to be installed on U.S. Navy Aegis destroyers and also is part of the Aegis Ashore system due to become operational in Romania in 2015.

NATO in October formally inaugurated its Naval Support Facility Devesulu -- the new Aegis Ashore facility in Romania that is meant to protect southern Europe from ballistic missile attacks.

Another Aegis Ashore site in Poland is scheduled to become operation in 2018 to protect northern Europe from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

[Ars Moriendi]

Mitchell is right. I found a summary of a debate between the two presidential candidates, and just like it was in France 2 years ago, both of them are firmly inside the Atlanticist bloc (in what regards to foreign policy):

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The first televised electoral debate for the runoff: Ponta will make energy independence from Russia his main objective for the next five years
http://actmedia.eu/daily/the-first-televised-electoral-debate-for-the-runoff-ponta-will-make-energy-independence-from-russia-his-main-objective-for-the-next-five-years/55106

http://actmedia.eu/images/articles/141112101144ponta_iohannis_28332300_680x365.jpg

Candidate of the alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Union for Romania's Progress (UNPR) and the Conservative Party (PC) in the November 16 presidential runoff election Victor Ponta told Realitatea TV private broadcaster on Tuesday evening, at the first televised electoral debate for the runoff, that if elected president he will make energy independence from Russia his main objective for the next five years.

He also said new selling markets for Romanian products have to be opened.

Ponta also said that in a Europe where consumption and business get contracted, solutions have to be sought to allow Romania's exports and industrial output to find selling markets.

In the same context, he mentioned that Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel visits China each year and her visits led to China having become Germany's third largest trade partner, a reason why, while keeping the Romania-US-NATO axis, Romania has to find energy investment and open new markets for its products.

'While keeping the Romania-US-NATO strategic axis, which is a political and military axis that means Exxon investment in the Black Sea and the so important German investment, Romania has to find energy investment, because energy independence from Russia will be may main objective as Romania's president in the next five years and new markets have to open for Romanian products. If we talk about Asia, we talk mainly about agri-food products,' Ponta explained.

He added that the strategic partnership with the US is an excellent thing that will be continued if he is elected president, while Romania is and will continue to be a serious partner inside NATO.

Ponta also said that, in his opinion, Romania should play a more important part for its regional friends and neighbours.

'First of all, for Moldova, which we have to help join the European Union and not swerve away from its European path in its November 30 elections. For Ukraine and Georgia, both of which were courageous to sign association agreements with the EU and are close to us, for Serbia and the Western Balkan countries, which should become Romania's friends and partners. Romania is now a model worth following by these countries in their European integration, NATO integration and the development of their institutions,' said Ponta.

Iohannis: no need for reinventing Romania's foreign policy or a new Bucharest-China axis

Candidate of the Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL) in the November 16 presidential runoff election Klaus Iohannis believes Romania should continue its strategic partnership and remain a serious NATO and EU partner, insisting that there is no need for reinventing Romania's foreign policy or a new Bucharest-China axis.

'Romania's security and the fact that we are finding ourselves in the current situation, despite all the geopolitical complications in the Ukraine area, is the result of that three pillars that have buttressed Romania's foreign policy, which has to be continued. We do not have to reinvent anything in the area of foreign policy. We have the strategic partnership with the US, our place and part in NATO and the EU and we have to prove that we are serious, long-term partners ready to undertake our part that we are ready to increase defence spending to 2 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). There is no need for any new Bucharest-China axis, no need for reinventing. (...) We just have to prove that we are serious and for that we need a serious president,' Iohannis told Realitatea TV private broadcaster on Tuesday evening, at the first runoff debate.

[Zmey Gorynych]

Mitchell is right. I found a summary of a debate between the two presidential candidates, and just like it was in France 2 years ago, both of them are firmly inside the Atlanticist bloc (in what regards to foreign policy)
Three posts in a row, you really care for Romania. As always you are superficial which is a direct consequence of your poor knowledge of the political situation in the country you speak of. You should support the gypsy, he has the same ideas for the future.

[Ars Moriendi]

Three posts in a row, you really care for Romania. As always you are superficial which is a direct consequence of your poor knowledge of the political situation in the country you speak of. You should support the gypsy, he has the same ideas for the future.

I update my threads when I can. I have one about Yemen with 4 or 5 pages of updates. Have neglected it a bit now that I think of it.

I have no opinion regarding the Romanian election. I simply tried to detect foreign policy statements and contrast them. Reminded of the Sarkozy-Hollande debates of 2 years ago.

[KawaiiKawaii]

Three posts in a row, you really care for Romania. As always you are superficial which is a direct consequence of your poor knowledge of the political situation in the country you speak of. You should support the gypsy, he has the same ideas for the future.

You should be glad that Ars is actually interested in your country, or Latvia, or Yemen :)

[Zmey Gorynych]

You should be glad that Ars is actually interested in your country, or Latvia, or Yemen :)
Really, why !?

[KawaiiKawaii]

Really, why !?

Because the people interested in Romania (except Romanians and Hungarians) are very few. So we can discuss politics, culture, ect. That's how I learnt a lot of things about countries I had close to zero knowledge about. He obviously has his pro-Hungarian positions, but you can defend your pro-Romanian ones :) That's how you start debates.

[Zmey Gorynych]

Because the people interested in Romania (except Romanians and Hungarians) are very few. So we can discuss politics, culture, ect. That's how I learnt a lot of things about countries I had close to zero knowledge about. He obviously has his pro-Hungarian positions, but you can defend your pro-Romanian ones :) That's how you start debates.
Don't take it the wrong way but I care very little for other people's interests and opinions. Lately I've been engaging more and more in futile arguments with the most unlikely people on issues concerning Romania/romanians, something I should stop doing.