Forord ved Norges og Romanias utenriksminister til en dokumentsamling i anledning besøket av Romanias president til Norge og markeringen av 90 års diplomatiske forbindelser

This interesting collection of diplomatic correspondence between Norway and Romania – Romanian-Norwegian Relations. Diplomatic Documents 1905–1947 – is being published at a time when the relations between our countries have never been closer or more active.

In 2004, Norway, one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, welcomed Romania as a new and valued ally in NATO. Romania became a member of the European Union on 1 January 2007 and subsequently also of the European Economic Area, and our two countries are about to embark on comprehensive cooperation programme to promote social and economic development in Romania.

Norway and Romania are partners and allies in efforts to promote peace, shared values and common principles in Afghanistan and the Balkans. Through the Seven-country Initiative, we are also working together for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The recent rapid growth in ties between our countries builds on many decades of friendly relations. Romania established a diplomatic representation in Norway in 1917, when King Ferdinand of Romania requested the accreditation of Grégoire Bilciurescu as Romanian Minister in Kristiania (today’s Oslo). The first Norwegian diplomat to reside in Bucharest was Chargé d’Affaires Terje Knudtzon, who arrived in l935.

However, the diplomatic contacts between our countries date back to before Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905. Following that important event, it was agreed that our diplomatic relations should be handled by our representatives in Berlin.

This book contains a number of interesting examples of early Norwegian-Romanian diplomatic contacts and events. The focus is on the most important diplomatic exchanges between 1905 and 1947, a crucial period in the history of both our countries. This collection of reports and correspondence provides valuable insights into our diplomatic history and the domestic and international events that took place during this period.

We hope that the documentation provides a useful basis for reflection on the development of the contacts that have enabled today’s close political and economic cooperation. Following Romania’s return to the family of democratic European nations and its integration into European and transatlantic structures, the bilateral relations between our countries have developed quickly. Trade has multiplied, cultural exchanges are more and more frequent, and people-to-people contacts are growing. Our relations are sure to deepen further and expand to include new areas as our citizens discover and learn more about each others’ countries and cultures.

The increasing number of common interests between our two countries is accompanied by a need for closer collaboration and exchange of experiences on a variety of issues, such as matters related to the High North and the Black Sea, energy, and the environment.

We would like to express our gratitude to all those involved in preparing this book. We encourage readers to engage in further study of Norwegian-Romanian relations, and thus to help to develop even closer ties between our two nations.

 

Jonas Gahr Støre Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway

Adrian Cioroianu Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania