Peres greets Romanian premier in Jerusalem prior to China trip

Prime Minister Victor Ponta expresses Romania's friendship toward Israel, vows to continue partnership.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta met with President Shimon Peres in Israel on Sunday morning.
Ponta, who is on a semi-private visit to Israel, visited Peres’ at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday just prior to the president’s departure for a state visit to China.
Ponta, 41, who has been in office for two years, told Peres that throughout Europe, a new young generation of political leaders is taking over and bringing a new dynamic to their respective countries.
Relating to the unrest in Ukraine and a certain degree of instability in the region, Ponta told Peres that Romania is safe, economically sound, and politically and diplomatically in a good position as a member of NATO and the European Union.  It also has a special relationship with the United States.
Ponta recalled that he had last met Peres in 2004. At that time, he was a very young politician, and Peres had given him some very sound advice, he said. Ponta is a lawyer by training and his area of expertise is criminal law, on which he has written extensively. He is also a former basketball star.
Referring to Romania’s relations with Israel, Ponta said that Romania has a very positive attitude towards Israel. “You can count on us for partnership”, he said, adding that he will be back soon on an official visit and will bring a large delegation whose members will discuss a variety of agreements with their Israeli counterparts.
Peres noted that Israel has a unique relationship with Romania, which was the only Communist bloc country which did not sever relations in 1967 and whose Jewish community remained active even under Communist rule.