Domestic

46 people have been detained in Timpuri Noi quarter in Bucharest. Men from Germany, Czechia, Canada and Romania by origin were planning to hold anti-NATO actions. They have been taken to Bucharest police office.
11 anarchist and extremist Romanian and international organizations plan to hold actions to create obstacles for the summit. Timpuri Noi quarter is located near the Parliamentary Palace, where NATO summit takes place.

***

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu addressing the event said that security umbrella of NATO on Balkan countries and Black Sea region will expand democratic reforms and bring economic and social stability to the region. The Prime Minister noted that Romania supported integration of Croatia, Albania and Macedonia into NATO and close relations between Georgia, Ukraine and NATO.
“It will be a signal for strengthening relations between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia and cooperation with Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Central Asia”, he said.
To him, NATO can defeat separatism and nationalism with the help of critic energies in the region. The Prime Minister added that NATO specialists made effort to find concrete means to strengthen energy security since Riga Summit in 2006 and the results of these investigations would be made clear in Bucharest Summit.
“Europe needs for common and stable approach in this field. Taking into account of growing demands, Europe should diversify and secure energy recourses, suppliers, and transportation corridors.

***
Russian President Vladimir Putin will leave for NATO Bucharest Summit on April 3. He will attend the assembly of Russia-NATO Council within the framework of the Summit. The assembly will discuss the prospects of integration of Ukraine and Georgia into NATO, establishment of antimissile system and ongoing development in Kosovo.

***

“I hope NATO will open its doors for Albania, Croatia and Macedonia,” President of Romania Traian Basescu said in NATO Bucharest summit. He said that Serbian people continued to pay for the mistakes made by others on their behalf.
“Democracy’s winning is very important in Serbia”, he said.
Romania’s President underlined that they supported Ukraine and Georgia’s joining NATO Membership Action Plan.
“We also support NATO’s cooperation with Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan”, he said.
Traian Basescu said NATO-Russia relations were of great importance in terms of Euro Atlantic security.

***

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has left for Bucharest, the capital of Romania, to attend the NATO summit. The President’s Press Service told APA that Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, head of Presidential Executive Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and Baku Mayor had seen off the head of state at Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

***

NATO summit started on the level of the working groups at 18.30 on April 1. APA’s correspondent accredited to follow the summit reports that President of Marshall Fund Craig Kennedy made a keynote speech. Following this, President of Romania Traian Basescu delivered a speech. Discussions on the theme “Balkans after Kosovo: what else? were conducted without presence of media in the evening session after supper. Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Chairman of CE Committee of Ministers Jan Kubish, representative of Greek Foreign Ministry Aleksandros Rondos, member of Kosovo Parliament Veton Surroi, former Foreign Minister of Serbia Goran Svilanovic attended the discussions. Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Foreign Minister of Romania Adrian Coroianu, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Director of Europe and Eurasia Practice Laurent Ruseckas attended the discussions on the theme "Arms and gas: NATO’s role in Eastern Europe".

U.S President George Bush addressing NATO Bucharest Summit called Afghanistan the most ambitious mission for NATO. “We cannot lose Afghanistan. If we do not defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan, we will face them on our soil”. Bush said historic decision would be passed at the Bucharest summit on Croatia, Albania and Macedonia. “We will enlarge the North Atlantic alliance to allow the Circle of freedom to cover the three new Balkan countries”. The US president urged to welcome Georgia and Ukraine into NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) and said door was open for the other countries too. “My country’s position is clear - NATO should welcome Georgia and Ukraine into the Membership Action Plan”. George Bush stated that the establishment of missile defense system was very important for Europe. To him, Iran prepares to produce long-range missile, the missile can be reached to Europe and Romania. The President invited Russia to the strategic cooperation on missile defense. “Russia is not our enemy. We are looking forward to a new security relationship with Russia and our goal is not a mutual disposition. We do not establish antimissile system to defend ourselves from Russia. Newly-established NATO should not defend us from Russia, because “cold war” has ended”, he said. The U.S President called Russia and NATO to develop strategic cooperation at high level and proposed to use the bases in Post –Soviet territory in European missile defense.
New antimissile system does not cover NATO members –Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Amalgamation of U.S-made system with NATO system will be discussed in Bucharest Summit.

Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Romanian Prime Minister addressing the Summit welcomed all attendees. He conducted discussions on “NATO’s door: is it open or close?” in the first half of the day. Mircha Jeoana, Romanian former Foreign Minister, member of Senate, Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg, member of German Bundestag, Bruce Jackson, head and author of project “Transitional Democracies”, Valdis Zatlers, Latvian President addressed the event. After dinner, Jaap De Hoop Scheffer, NATO Secretary General will deliver a speech. The hearings will be held on NATO’s peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan. Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister, Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan will address the summit. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babajan, Toomas Ilves, Estonian President, Radoslaw Sikorski, Polish Foreign Minister will make speech at 16.30 by local time. Today’s working day of the summit will end with official cocktail.

• 33 years pass since Garakend tragedy
• Azerbaijan marks third anniversary of the liberation of Kalbajar from occupation
• Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker paid working visit to Kyrgyzstan -PHOTO