Powell Thanks Romania for Help in Afghanistan, Iraq
Remarks with Romanian President Ion Iliescu after meeting
Speaking to journalists after his meeting with Romanian President Ion Iliescu at the State Department October 27,
Secretary of State Colin Powell thanked the president "and the people of Romania through him, for the support they have
provided to the United States, through some challenges in Afghanistan and Iraq, Romanians standing side by side
alongside Coalition forces, Americans especially, in both of those places."
Following is the State Department transcript of their remarks:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
October 27, 2003
REMARKS
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
And Romanian President Ion Iliescu
After Their Meeting
October 27, 2003
C Street Entrance
Washington, D.C.
(5:05 p.m. EST)
SECRETARY POWELL: My great pleasure to receive the President. We had an excellent conversation and I had the opportunity
to express my thanks once again to the President, and to the people of Romania through him, for the support they have
provided to the United States, through some challenges in Afghanistan and Iraq, Romanians standing side by side
alongside Coalition forces, Americans especially, in both of those places. We have an excellent relationship and
cooperate in many areas and I just offer to the President my best wishes for his continued success and I know he looks
forward to seeing the President tomorrow.
PRESIDENT ILIESCU: Thank you very much. It was a very open, very friendly dialogue. Secretary Colin Powell is a real
special friend of Romania and we have appreciated his personal other contribution, but also we have appreciated the
evolution of our bilateral relation, our partnership, on the bilateral basis, but also our participation in this general
fight against terror, and also the cooperation in Iraq and Afghanistan, in our region, in the Balkans, and also our
political, diplomatic relations. Now, we share the perspective, being a non-permanent member of the Security Council to
have the more close contact cooperation. We thank very much the Administration in general, the Department in particular,
and Colin Powell as being a very active supporter and friend of Romania. Thank you very much.
SECRETARY POWELL: I'd also like to thank the President for presenting me with the Star of Romania, the highest honor
given to me by the recognition of, really, friendship between our two countries. Thank you for that, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT ILIESCU: Thank you very much.