Romania is a strong US and NATO partner, US President George W. Bush said Wednesday (9 March) after talks at the White House with Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu.

"I am impressed by your leadership. I am grateful for your friendship. Romania has been a steadfast ally of freedom," Bush said, with Basescu by his side. He hailed Romanian authorities and Basescu personally for their determination to fight corruption, noting the importance of this issue in boosting US investments in the Balkan country.

"I told the president I'm most impressed by his campaign to rid the government of corruption in Romania -- a steadfast, strong commitment," the US president said. "He believes in transparency and rule of law, and that is very important for American companies looking for a place to invest."

The purpose of Basescu's three-day official visit to Washington, his first since becoming president in December, was to discuss ways of strengthening political, military and economic co-operation. He was leading a delegation that included foreign and defense ministers Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu and Teodor Atanasiu, National Bank of Romania Governor Mugur Isarescu, and other advisers and officials.

"I am happy to pass our message regarding democracy, regarding freedom, regarding development of our strategic partnership," Basescu said. He also reportedly urged an easing of the US visa regime for Romanian citizens.

His meeting with Bush was attended by US Vice President Richard Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and other officials. Issues discussed included security in the Black Sea region, the situation in Romania's western neighbour, Moldova, and the Middle East.

On Thursday March 10, in the morning, between 10:30 and 11:30, President Basescu paid an unprecedented homage by a Romanian official, to the victims of the Holocaust. The President and his wife lighted a candle to the memory of the victims and visited the main areas of the Museum of the Holocaust in Washington, D.C., including the Romanian section.

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