France's new ambassador presents credentials copies to ForMin Aurescu

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, received on Monday Laurence Auer, the agreed ambassador of the French Republic in Bucharest, in order to present the copies of her credentials.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Aurescu welcomed the new ambassador to Romania and wisher her success in fulfilling her mandate, which begins, symbolically, in the year in which 140 years of bilateral diplomatic relations are celebrated.

The minister welcomed the "excellent" stage of the relationship between Romania and France, defined by a "solid" Strategic Partnership and which offers numerous opportunities for in-depth cooperation.

Bogdan Aurescu mentioned the common interest of the two parties to update the Strategic Partnership Roadmap, with the aim of giving a higher level of ambition to Romanian-French cooperation both bilaterally and European or internationally, the Foreign Ministry informed.

He expressed confidence that the mandate of the new ambassador will be marked by an upward dynamic of Romanian-French relations, based both on the affinities and special ties between the two states, and on close cooperation in many matters of common interest.

Minister Aurescu recalled the interest of the Romanian side to resume the dialogue in 2 + 2 format at ministerial level (foreign affairs and defence), appreciating that this represents a good opportunity to strengthen the bilateral Strategic Partnership and to deepen the topics of common interest in security and defence.

The head of Romanian diplomacy also welcomed the cultural cooperation, recalling the success of the Romania-France Season and welcoming Auer's direct involvement in this "unprecedented" public diplomacy project.

The agreed Ambassador Laurence Auer thanked for the reception and welcomed, in her turn, the very good level of the Romanian-French relations, indicated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She expressed her full readiness to contribute to the development and deepening of the bilateral Strategic Partnership in all areas during her term of office, building on the traditional relations between the two countries, historical, linguistic and cultural ties, and converging interests on many topics of common interest.

Auer highlighted the desire to strengthen cooperation at European level, including the prospect of France taking over the Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2021.