BUCHAREST, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Romanian President Traian Basescu reiterated Wednesday that his country would "unreservedly" support the negotiating process for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)'s joining the European Union.
"Romania generally supports the open door policy both for the NATO and the EU, considering the fact that making the Balkans secure is an element of national security for Romania," Basescu stressed at a joint press conference with visiting BiH president Nebojsa Radmanovic.
"Of course we said that this process was not possible without some aims being achieved, aims that mainly pertain to the Copenhagen criteria," he added.
Basescu also said that Romania is ready to engage in major projects carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina related to infrastructure, tourism or the development of hydro-power capabilities.
Radmanovic, for his part, thanked Romania for its help over the last two decades, and said he expected his country to join the European Union in about five or six years.
But he also stressed it is possible that "a skeptical state of spirit" might arise with respect to the EU, if the process is "protracted."
Romania established diplomatic relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996. In 2012 total bilateral trade amounted to 174.3 million U.S. dollars.
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