Australia wants to establish a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Romania and is looking at the possibility of opening a diplomatic representation in Bucharest, announced Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Australian Parliament, Milton Dick, who is on an official visit to Romania over October 12 – 15, the first visit of this level in the history of bilateral relations.
The Romania-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group will be intended to strengthen bilateral ties at parliamentary level, but also to stimulate diplomatic cooperation, the official detailed for AGERPRES.
As to the prospect of opening a diplomatic representation in Bucharest, Milton Dick stated that this is a decision that belongs to the Australian government.
“I’ll certainly be taking that feedback towards our Foreign Minister and our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but what I can confirm is that we announced formally in Bucharest a new parliamentary friendship group between Romania and Australia where we will see parliamentarians from both the House of Representatives and Senate focusing on Romania and building stronger relationships through our parliamentary links, but also through our diplomatic representations,” Milton Dick said.
Since 2013, the Australian ambassador to Greece has been accredited for diplomatic relations with Romania.
Milton Dick noted that, although bilateral trade is currently modest, he is aware that Romania has many opportunities and Australia is very keen to develop parliamentary, but also economic ties.
“We see there is area for cooperation, particularly in the Black Sea, the Constanta port development where our ambassador and alongside officials from Australia have already had productive discussions. We know that Romania has a lot of opportunities and Australia is very keen to develop parliamentary links but also economic links as well. We know more than ever in these difficult times two-way trade is important, and that’s why Australia is working so hard for an EU trade agreement, and we recognise Romania’s support,” declared the senior Australian official.
The Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives also noted that world forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union provide ideal opportunities for democracy to be supported, and that building on their close work under the umbrella of this global organisation, Romania and Australia can further their parliamentary exchanges.
Milton Dick also thanked Romania for the help offered to Australian citizens evacuated at the beginning of the war in Ukraine and underlined Romania’s role as a “key partner for democracy and stability” in the region.
