“The peace in the Middle East is essential for Romania, for its own security,” Basescu said.
He mentioned the country’s proximity, as the flight from Romania to Israel only takes “a couple of hours.” Another reason for which Middle Eastern peace is important to Romania is the high number of Romanian nationals in the region, Basescu added.
Basescu left for a three-day visit to Israel, at the invitation of Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres.
The visit to Israel is part of a series of events celebrating 60 years of bilateral diplomatic ties, Basescu said.
The Romanian head of state’s agenda includes talks with business representatives in Israel, as well as a meeting with members of the Romanian community in the country.