Romanian ambassador to Ankara Gabriel Şopandă said Monday that Bucharest is in favor of Ankara's full membership to the European Union and remains committed to that goal.
Delivering a speech at a ceremony held in Ankara on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the foundation of the Romanian state, Şopanda said Romania backs Turkey's full membership bid to the EU.
Commending the bilateral relations between the two countries, he said mutual ties are being expanded in many areas.
"In addition to excellent cooperation in political dialogue and commercial relations, cooperation between Romania and Turkey is being carried out in a wide range of cultural, scientific, medical and educational fields," the Romanian envoy asserted.
"Our economic and trade relations constitute the most dynamic part of our cooperation. For the time being, among our most important trading partners, Turkey ranks fifth," he said, adding that Turkey ranks first among Romania's non-EU trading partners.
The ambassador also endorsed the security cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the NATO alliance. "We welcome Turkey's cooperation in the field of defense, security and support within the scope of NATO. We trust the future of this relationship," he said. He also expressed his gratitude for Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli's visit to Romania last week to attend the official celebrations for the 99th anniversary of the foundation of the Romanian state.Meanwhile, Şopanda stressed that Romania is a reliable partner in the fight against terrorism.
"Romania, together with Turkey and other states, is a reliable ally in the fight against terrorism to prevent any kind of extremism," he said. He also underscored that he is proud to be representing his country in Turkey, a country located in a region tackling many different threats.
"I am honored to represent Romania in Turkey with my embassy's team in a region where we face serious threats together as strategic partners and close friends based on our common interests that bring our states closer," he said.
