Joe Biden in Romania: “I appreciate your support for the new antimissile defense plan”

Romanian president Traian Băsescu met at Cotroceni Palace with U.S. vice-president Joe Biden. At the end of the meeting, Biden said American soldiers are proud to fight beside Romanian people such as the military in Afghanistan, while Traian Băsescu concluded that the relationship between Romania and U.S. is consolidating.

It is a great joy to be in Central Europe. Now, after 20 years,  people have broken the chains of repression here. Romanian has radically changed in the last 20 years, said the American vice-president.

Joe Biden thanked Romania for its involvement in Afghanistan and expressed his appreciation for the professionalism Romanian troops have proven.

The Romanian state has deployed more than 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, a contingent of nearly 68,000 troops drawn from 42 countries.

Traian Basescu said the two diplomats have discussed over bilateral issues and agreed on the need to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. Romanian head of state explained the key topics of the talks were the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Biden is on a visit in Eastern European countries to reaffirm the U.S.' ties with eastern allies and reassure Poland and the Czech Republic after the Obama administration announced last month that it has scrapped the Bush-era antimissile shield plan.

The U.S. vice-president was in Warsaw Tuesday and will leave for Prague Friday, after his Bucharest visit.