BUCHAREST, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed a pact on Tuesday with her Romanian counterpart, Razvan Ungureanu, to establish US military bases in Romania.

    

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice(L) signs documents together with Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanuin Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday Dec. 6 2005.  (Xinhua/Reuters)

    Romania will become the first East European country to host US military bases. Under the agreement, the US will assume control over Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu military airport near Constantaon the Black Sea coast.

    Part of Constanta's port is also expected to be made available to US forces. The other bases include military installations in Babadag, Cincu and Smardan.

    Rice, in Bucharest on the second leg of a four-nation European tour, also held talks with Romanian President Traian Basescu.

    At a joint press conference after the talks, Basescu said he had exchanged views with Rice on bilateral relations, the situation in the west Balkan region, the issue of the Black Sea aswell as the situation in Iraq.

    Basescu said the establishment of US military bases would place Romania in the framework of the overall security of Europe and make the country a pillar of European security.

    

Romanian President Traian Basescu (R) gestures to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during a welcome ceremony at the Cotroceni presidential palace in Bucharest December 6, 2005.  (Xinhua/Reuters)

    Washington's decision to locate the bases in Romania underscored the "political credibility" of his country, the president said, adding that his country had taken a "calculated risk" in allowing the US troops presence.

    Regarding Romania's military presence in Iraq, the president said his country would stay with the Americans "to the end" of themission in Iraq. Romania has 860 troops with the US-led coalitionin Iraq, as well as soldiers in Afghanistan.

    As to the allegations that Bucharest tolerated secret US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) torture prisons on Romanian soil, Basescu said they were "misplaced."

    And anyone who has any suspicions would be welcome to have them investigated in Romania, Basescu said.

    

Romanian President Traian Basescu (R) and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice listen to questions from journalists during a joint media conference at the Cotroceni presidential palace in Bucharest December 6, 2005. (Xinhua/Reuters)

    At the press conference, Rice called Romania a "great and committed" strategic partner of the United States. "It is fitting that the United States and Romania are not just friends but our forces are brothers and sisters in arms," she said.

    When asked whether the United States would consider establishing military bases in Bulgaria, Rice said President George W. Bush, after serious consideration, decided to set up bases in Romania first.

    Rice was scheduled to travel on to Ukraine Wednesday to meet with the Ukrainian leadership and later to Belgium for a NATO meeting. Enditem