The anti-missile system at Deveselu is solely defensive and aims at consolidating collective defence, the fundamental task of NATO, and also at deterring any ballistic attacks, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu told on Tuesday the Conference ‘2015 Multinational Ballistic Missile Defence Conference and Exhibition,’ in Seville.
According to a Tuesday’s release for AGERPRES from the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE), Aurescu said that the missile defence project represents in “the most eloquent manner” the solidity of the transatlantic partnership and “the solidarity and indivisibility of allied security.”
In his speech at the said conference, the Romanian top diplomat pointed out the headway in constructing the Aegis Ashore Facility in the Deveselu military base, which will be operational by this year’s end, as scheduled.
“We greatly appreciate the positive results of the negotiations which have led to the forging of the Joint and Comprehensive Action Plan that solves the Iranian nuclear file, but we must be aware that this solution does not address also the Iranian ballistics programme, which is being developed. That is the reason why UN sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile programme are further in place. Therefore, Russia’s allegations according to which the anti-missile system is no longer needed have no basis,” said Aurescu.
He added that there are still state actors and non-state ones interested in getting or developing ballistic technology.
The Romanian official underscored that the missile defence project is aimed at ensuring NATO security against threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic space, protecting populations, territories and allied armed forces, by observing the provisions of the UN Charter and the principles of international law.
“In line with the allied commitments assumed since the Summit in Lisbon (2010), until the most recent one, the summit in Great Britain in September 2014, we will continue, together with our allies, the steps to make the NATO missile defence system operational,” added the foreign minister.
