Ambassador Niculaie Goia and lieutenant colonel Leonard Veza, the new defence attaché, hosted a reception at Marriott Hotel’s Crystal Ball Room to mark Romanian Army Day last week.

Vice Admiral Abdul Aleem was the chief guest gracing the occasion on behalf of the Pakistan government.

“The sacrifices of more the 700,000 military who paid the ultimate price during the four years of fierce battles, made Romania the fourth contributing power to defeat of fascism in WWII on 25 October 1944,” said the ambassador in his speech.

“The celebration of the Romanian Army Day has got an even greater significance this year since 2018 marks Romania’s centennial anniversary of the Great Union,” he said, when the three provinces of the country united into one land and the borders with Moldova were settled.

Dr Goia said that Romania’s situation to the eastern border of the Euro-Atlantic space makes it both a “gate-locker and strategic opener of the roads”.

He also drew attention to struggle against terrorism and antidemocratic forces worldwide, and he praised the excellent cooperation with Pakistan, and mentioned that Romania has two soldiers participating in UNMOGIP.

“From 1 January 2019, Romania will take over the presidency of the European Union Council for a semester,” said the ambassador.

Published in Dawn, October 29th , 2018

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