Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes anti-missile shield agreement with US

The anti-missile shield agreement signed by Romania and the U.S. has been made public following an agreement reached with the U.S., according to the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Teodor Baconschi. Deveselu, the place where the anti-missile shield will be placed, remains under Romania’s property and sovereign jurisdiction, according to the agreement signed by the RomanianExternal Affairs Minister and the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and made public today. “U.S. forces will use the base without prejudice to the Romanian legislation”, shows the agreement. Moreover, the basic operations will be conducted only with taking into account the public health and safety, and “all buildings, including those built, used, modified or improved by U.S. forces, are owned by the Romanian, while mobile objects and installations remain the property of the U.S. forces or U.S. contractors “, according to the Article 4 of the agreement. Also, Romania will have to establish a restricted air space above and around the base, and the number of U.S. forces members and civilian component in the base after the construction phase is completed, it will not exceed 500. The base and Romanian military and civilian personnel will be under Romanian control exercised by a representative of the Romanian Armed Forces. This Romanian commander "will advise about the relationship with local and governmental Romanian institutions and will facilitate contacts such institutions", "will participate in coordinating mutual logistics support for military personnel and civilians in the base", "will participate in the security coordination inside the base, and "will participate in the coordination of joint training inside the base". Read the full agreement here(PDF version, in Romanian). Romania’s External Affairs Minister Teodor Baconschi and the US Secretary of State Hillary signed in September the agreement to place the US anti-missile shield in Romania. Also, the Romanian President had a meeting with US President Barack Obama during the visit in the US made this September. Romanian President said that the anti-missile agreement with US signed in Washington brings Romania’s security at the highest level in the country’s history. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (photo source: MAE)