Response of President of Romania, Mr. Klaus Iohannis, regarding the Government intention to launch the process of relocating the Romanian Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
20 april 2018
With regard to the publicly circulated news about the Government’s intention to launch the process of relocating the Embassy of Romania in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Presidential Administration states that:
The President of Romania has not been previously informed or consulted on this approach. The Presidential Administration underlines that this decision is not based on solid and comprehensive evaluations. Such a relocation can only be done after a very close analysis that takes into account all its consequences and foreign policy implications.
President Klaus Iohannis considers that the Romanian Government’s initiative may possibly, at most, represent the beginning of an evaluation process on the matter, which can only be completed when the negotiations on the Middle East Peace Process have been concluded, since the status of Jerusalem is a central theme of it. This status cannot be established until a direct and final agreement between the parties has been concluded.
The President, as the only one vested with making Romanian foreign policy decisions and as a representative of Romania abroad, in accordance with the constitutional provisions, reiterates that Romania’s constant position regarding the Middle East Peace Process remains unchanged. President Klaus Iohannis once more stresses the need for a fair and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by implementing „the two-states solution”, Israel and Palestine, co-existing in peace and security, as the unique feasible option capable of ensuring the parties’ meeting their aspirations.
The President of Romania reaffirms that Romania’s position on the status of Jerusalem remains in line with the one established by the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.
The Presidential Administration reminds that, among the requests of the numerous resolutions of the UN Security Council and of the UN General Assembly on the matter, is the one according to which the UN member states should refrain from setting up diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and to intensify international efforts for an lasting, comprehensive and fair peace in the Middle East. Therefore, at this stage, relocating the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem would represent a violation of the relevant international law.
Taking all these aspects into account, President Klaus Iohannis urges all governmental and political decision-makers to responsibility and judgement regarding Romania’s major foreign policy decisions with strategic consequences, including on national security and the Romanian citizens. Consequently, such a decision might be taken only after debates and after all the relevant institutions in the realm of foreign policy and national security have approved it. The final decision, from the constitutional point of view, belongs to the President of Romania.