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U.S. Embassy Bucharest Statement on Military Relations with Romania
September 16, 2013
The United States and Romania enjoy exceptionally strong military relations. Cooperation between our armed forces reflects the strength of our partnership and the friendship between our peoples. The United States has relied on Romania in NATO, and in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
This cooperation has increased significantly in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down. Plans for the missile defense facility in Deveselu are moving ahead, with construction scheduled to be completed in 2015. U.S. Marines comprising the Black Sea Rotational Force just held opening ceremonies at Mihail Kogalniceanu military base last week. Romania and the United States also work together at Mihail Kogalniceanu on military airport operations in support of ISAF. Our armed forces participate together in numerous military exercises and engagements in Romania and other locations in Europe and the United States.
On September 15, Romanian media reported on a military.com article which contained erroneous information regarding U.S. bases in Romania.The article mischaracterized remarks made by U.S. Army Europe Commander Lt. Gen. Campbell.
The U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs Office provides the clarification below:
“Last week U. S. Army Europe Commander Lt. Gen. Campbell provided responses to a wide range of questions during a telephonic press conference. Unfortunately, the military.com reporter conflated several of the issues and made an error in his conclusions about activities in Bulgaria and Romania.
Lt. Gen. Campbell responded to questions about US Army permanent installations - defined as those locations such as we have in Germany, Italy, and Benelux – garrisons where units and large numbers of US Army Soldiers and their families are posted for several years at a time. There are currently no plans to build new ones and we are consolidating forces and returning several bases in Germany.
As you know, there has never been a plan to permanently “garrison” U.S. ground troops in Bulgaria or Romania. The military.com article took Lt. Gen. Campbell's comments about bases and separate discussion about rotational and training forces out of context. He spoke about the potential to rotate forces through Novo Selo, Bulgaria and locations in Romania - not establishing a base or garrisoning troops there.
At no time did Lt. Gen. Campbell speak on the topic of the missile defense facility at Deveselu. ”