Romania Will Host American Mobile Military Units

There is a while since a Romanian leader got such high praise in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington. President Traian Basescu managed to get from the American President, George W. Bush, such words of praise like "friend" and "ally."

A few years ago, former President Ion Iliescu stated that Romania’s only allies were "the Black Sea and the Serbian people."

The Black Sea emerges thus as the one common ground between the two Romanian presidents, since the concerns for securing the security of the Black Sea region is a major topic Basescu approaches with the world leaders.

Basescu was excited Wednesday, when entering the White House. Next to him, in the Oval Office, staied the most powerful man in the world that encouraged him to stay the course. Bush stated at least twice that Romania is a trusted ally of the United States and that he admired Basescu’s policy so far, and the fact that he proved to be a man of deeds, not of words.

"Romania and the United States have a special relationship since they share the same values. I am proud to call Traian Basescu to be my friend," said Bush. In front of him, on the coffee table, there was a replica of the Mircea Brig, the Romanian navy school ship, presented to him as a gift by Basescu.

Bush also reminded that now, as a NATO member country, Romania has nothing to fear of, having such a strong ally as the United States.

Basescu’s excitement was visible when he was inside the Oval Office, but he relaxed when he got out and met a few of the half-frozen journalists to explain them which were the topics he addressed with President Bush.

Basescu said that he also talked with his counterpart about waving the visa requirements for Romanians traveling to the United States. He asked for Romania to follow the same road-map Poland and Slovakia are following on the matter and assessed President’s Bush stance to be very open on the subject.

Basescu met next at the US Senate with the majority leader, Bill First, and at the Pentagon, with Donald Rumsfeld, the Defense Secretary. They both recognized the importance of Romania in the context of the Black Sea region security.

At the Pentagon, the now stiff frozen Romanian journalists met a smiling and relaxed Basescu and a likewise Rumsfeld who were in a joking mood and unwilling to give a certain date for the opening of the permanent American military bases in Romania.

Rumsfeld said that the US is not envisaging to relocate big military bases, but to find locations for possible flexible operational units. Anyway, the United States has to reassess and reposition itself in the world, Rumsfeld added. The commander of the American land forces in Europe and the supreme commander of NATO, Gen. James Jones, said that the Bush administration will start this year talks regarding the location of military bases in Romania. Gen. Jones said that a mobile brigade, of between 3,000 and 5,000 personnel, will be stationed in Romania and Bulgaria. "We have no intention of setting up permanent military bases in this region," added Rumsfeld.

Gen. Jones said that negotiations with Romania and Bulgaria should start shortly and be specific about the details, like ports, air corridors and facilities for the land forces.

In the past, some of the countries which hosted American military bases refused to allow the Americans deploy in conflict areas or to grant facilities for operations they did not approve of.

Gen. Jones said he is not expecting to encounter such problems in Romania or Bulgaria, which he described as two "extremely open" countries.