Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ No. 16/ 4th Year 15 th November – 1st December 2011 Politics 1. Romania’s President, Qatar’s Ruling Emir talk on means of enhancing state cooperation 2. President Basescu received the EIB deputy chairman at Cotroceni Palace 3. PM Boc, PM Netanyahu sign joint declaration on priorities for bilateral cooperation 4. PM Boc proposes scholarships and travel programs for Israelis with Romanian origin 5. MFA on maintenance of restrictions on Romanian workers on UK labour market 6. Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi warns against two-speed Europe risk 7. Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi has visited Libya 8. Romanian Foreign Minister has met with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister 9. Romania and Algeria aim for more audacious bilateral relations 10. Romanian Foreign Minister has met with Armenian counterpart 11. Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi’s letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon 12. Switzerland supports Romania joining Schengen area in two stages 13. Romanian presidency of International Exhibitions Bureau 14. Gyorgy Frunda gives Romania as an example of guaranteeing rights of national minorities 15. The International Congress for Human Rights hosted by the Embassy of Romania in London 16. The Christmas Ball of the Romanian Medical Society UK Economics 1. Romania's economy posts 2.7-pct growth during Jan-Sept, 2011 2. Romania's economic outlook, subject of debate at Economist Conferences 3. Eurostat Report Q3: Romania with the highest growth rate in the EU 4. EBRD: Continuation of programmes with IMF and EU helps Romania maintain macroeconomic stability 5. Romanian exports of primary energy resources up 6.5 pct this year 6. Investments of 780 million Euros in 11 wind farms in country's north-east area 7. Raiffeisen: 2.5% economic growth in 2011 8. The agricultural land owned by foreigners in Romania, 700,000-plus ha 9. Partnership between Ministry of Environment and World Wildlife Fund for Nature to save forests 10. Pound trades at 5.09 lei Culture 1. The National Day of Romania 2. Gala Recital on the National Day of Romania 3. Prince Charles hailed in fight to keep Romania green 4. Romania has final assent to host EYOF Winter Edition 2013 5. The Way I Spent the End of the World @ Romanian Cinematheque 6. Victor Nicoar ă @ St Martin in the Fields 7. Anca Benera reveals unseen London 8. Claudiu Komartin, back in London with a new project 9. Mircea Cantor at Tate Modern Level 2 Gallery 10. Romanian Crime Writing at the University of Leeds 11. Monooka and Cergo Banda LIVE! 12. The Man with the Luggage after Eugene Ionesco, in Liverpool 13. Cristian Luchian – ‘The Great Time’ Exhibition 14. Alexandra Dariescu (piano) in Oldham 15. Alexandra Dariescu (piano) in Bracknell 16. Alexandra Dariescu (piano) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Barbican Hall 17. The Man with the Luggage after Eugene Ionesco, in Canterbury Arundel House, 4 Palace Green London W8 4QD UK Tel. 020 7937 9666 Fax: 020 7937 8069 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.london.mae.ro Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ December 1, a day that symbolises the national unity of Romanians Bucharest, December 1/ Agerpres/ - Romanians celebrated 93 years since the Greater Union of December 1, 1918, a highlight in Romania's history that crowned the Romanians' century-old aspiration for national union. December 1 became Romania's National Day in 1990. The Grand National Assembly in Alba Iulia, scheduled for December 1, 1918, was seen by contemporaries as decisive to the national unity of all Romanians . All the calls back then highlighted the historical significance of the action that was to be decided in Alba Iulia: 'It is the day when a decision about our fate will be taken for all eternity. Come and swear that we will be inseparable and stay united form here on with our brethren on the entire Romanian soil, under one and inseparable rule,' reads the call to participation issued by the National Council of Blaj. • Politics Romania’s President, Qatar’s Ruling Emir talk on means of enhancing state cooperation Romania’s President Traian Basescu paid an official visit to Qatar and held talks with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on bilateral relations and the means of strengthening cooperation between the two states. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani opened a round of talks at Al Wajabh Palace evening with the Romanian head of state, who arrived in Doha on a short working visit. The two state officials reviewed ties of cooperation between the two countries and means of enhancing them. President Basescu visited Qatar at the invitation of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who also visited Romania in 2008. During the 2008 visit, the two states signed a protocol on mutual protection and promotion of investments, and an agreement on economic, commercial and technical cooperation. (ActMedia, November 24, 2011) Arundel House, 4 Palace Green London W8 4QD UK Tel. 020 7937 9666 Fax: 020 7937 8069 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.london.mae.ro Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ President Basescu received the EIB deputy chairman at Cotroceni Palace During the meeting with EIB deputy chairman Wilhelm Molterer, President Traian Basescu raised the issue of the possibilities of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to get involved in a higher absorption of the European funds by Romania, through a technical assistance in this respect. According to a release of the presidential administration, President Basescu received the EIB deputy chairman on at Cotroceni Palace, on which occasion the Romanian Head of State voiced his gratitude for the excellent cooperation between Romania and the European Investment Bank. The talks between the two officials aimed both the current activities portfolio of the EIB in Romania, as well as the prospect of some future projects which might be financed by the EIB and which have 'a significant contribution to a sustainable economic growth and to Romania's economic and social development, rural and agricultural development, transport, energy, SMEs and projects in the context of the EU Danube Strategy.' (ActMedia, November 25, 2011) PM Boc, PM Netanyahu sign joint declaration on priorities for bilateral cooperation Bucharest, Nov 24 /Agerpres/ - Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu signed a joint declaration of the Romanian and Israeli governments regarding priorities for short and medium term cooperation, as part of an intergovernmental meeting in Jerusalem. At the same time, four Romanian-Israeli cooperation documents were also signed as part of the same meeting: a joint declaration between Israeli's interior minister and Romania's minister of labour, family affairs and social security; a memorandum of understanding between Romania's Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports and the Vad Yashem Institute of Jerusalem, with support from the Israeli Ministry of Education; and a statement of intent between the environmental ministers of the two countries and a cooperation plan in healthcare and medicine between the healthcare ministries of the two countries. Arundel House, 4 Palace Green London W8 4QD UK Tel. 020 7937 9666 Fax: 020 7937 8069 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.london.mae.ro Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Prime Minister Boc says this meeting is a new stage in bilateral cooperation between Romania and Israeli in fields of common interest, such as economy, agriculture, occupational safety, environmental protection, education, emergency medical care and tourist promotion. "Prime Minister Emil Boc has stated that this intergovernmental meeting marks the beginning of a new stage in the bilateral relations between the two countries that go back 60 years, and Romania wants this to be marked by closer bilateral cooperation through actual projects in all fields of shared interest," reads a press release issued by the Romanian Government. Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the agreement signed mean an important step forward toward intensifying the bilateral relations. "We have always been friends, but now we want to translate into practical terms our cooperation in the fields of defence, economy, education, agriculture and other fields. The Israeli people know that the Romanian people and the Romanian prime minister are their good friends. There are Israeli citizens of Romanian extraction and many Israelis have a Romanian friend," said PM Netanyahu. PM Boc also announced that Romania and Israel will set up a research and development foundation to raise private funds and also a specialist centre for upgrading communications infrastructure. He also introduced the Romanian Government's policy in support of investments and jobs creation, showing that Israeli business people are offered investment opportunities in Romania in various fields, including infrastructure, agriculture and the oil industry. Another topic discussed was security in the Middle East, with PM Boc showing that Romania is sharing the world's