Multinational Black Sea Task Force

Romanian President Traian Basescu has called for his country's participation in negotiations to settle Moldova's dispute with separatists in Transdniester and for the creation of a regional task force to monitor criminal activities in the Black Sea basin. Basescu also spoke about relations with Russia and Moldova as well as outstanding issues with Ukraine. The president reiterated his determination to fight widespread corruption in Romania and called for the total opening of Romania's dreaded Securitate files -- an issue that still divides Romanian society 15 years after the fall of communism. RFE/RL: Mr. President, during your recent visit to Moscow, you talked with President Vladimir Putin about Romania's readiness to participate in the talks to resolve the dispute between Moldova and its breakaway region of Transdniester. How did President Putin react to your proposal? Basescu: We did not talk about our readiness, we argued about the necessity that Romania be involved in this process. I expressed a point of view, and I did not expect an answer from President Putin at once because this is an issue of analysis. But from what I felt during my discussion with President Putin, I believe that [the Russian position] is not one of rejection of this issue. It remains to be seen how things will develop. The most important thing for me, though, was that Romania make very clearly known its opinion about the Transdniester conflict -- that is, Romania must be part of the negotiations process to pacify Transdniester.