The development of cooperation between the Romanian Army and the US National Guard was among the topics discussed at a meeting between Romania's Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gheorghita Vlad, and visiting US officials.

Gen. Gheorghita Vlad met Tuesday at the headquarters of the National Defence Ministry with Gen. Thomas M. Carden, Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Maj. Gen. David K. Pritchett, Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard, who are on an official visit to Romania.

The talks focused on expanding cooperation between the Romanian Armed Forces and the US National Guard, with an emphasis on the long-standing partnership with the Alabama National Guard, the security situation in the wider Black Sea region, developments in the Euro-Atlantic area and the implementation of decisions adopted at the latest NATO summits.

The agenda also included identifying new opportunities for joint training and exchanges of experience, as well as developing projects to address current and future security requirements. The experience gained by Romanian and US military personnel through their participation in international operations and missions is an important benchmark for joint training and enhancing interoperability, the National Defence Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

'The partnership with the Alabama National Guard has grown and strengthened alongside the Romanian Armed Forces. Over more than three decades of cooperation, we have moved from exchanges of experience to complex training and projects that directly contribute to our forces' ability to operate together. The current security environment requires us to look ahead and develop this relationship in areas relevant to collective defence and to strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern Flank,' Gen. Gheorghita Vlad said.

In his turn, US Ambassador to Romania Darryl Nirenberg underscored the importance of cooperation for the strategic relationship between the two countries, saying that 'the 33-year partnership between the Alabama National Guard and Romania is a cornerstone of the strategic relationship, demonstrating the power of long-term cooperation in defence. Together, our forces are better prepared to meet the modern security challenges on NATO's Eastern Flank,' he said.

The delegation's programme in Romania includes activities in Bucharest, Sibiu and at the 'Getica' National Joint Training Centre in Cincu.

Gen. Thomas M. Carden is scheduled to meet with the commander of the Multinational Division South-East and the commander of the South-East Multinational Corps.

Maj. Gen. David K. Pritchett is also scheduled to meet with the chiefs of the Air Force Staff and Land Forces Staff, as well as the commander of the Joint Logistics Command. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Georgiana Tanasescu; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)

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