June 22 () –
The authorities of the United States and Romania signed a memorandum of understanding this Friday to combat foreign disinformation in a sign of their commitment to strengthening their “strategic partnership”, as well as cooperation between both countries in economic, energy and security matters. .
“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Romania to counter manipulation of information by foreign states. “, the State Department has indicated in a statement.
Blinken has defined “the manipulation of information by foreign states,” including disinformation and propaganda, as “a transnational security threat that can create or exploit divisions within and between countries, jeopardize electoral integrity, and undermine public confidence in the Government.
In this regard, the secretary has indicated that, by expanding bilateral cooperation, both the US and Romania “intend to (…) align their government policies along the five key areas of action established” in the mentioned agreement, which is based on the “shared recognition of the threat that (both) face.”
“This expanded cooperation allows for greater exchange of information on foreign disinformation operations, the development of capacities to strengthen social resilience and multilateral coordination on this issue,” adds the note, which presents the memorandum as “an important step towards protecting of a free, open and fact-based global information environment”.
Aside from this issue, during their meeting, Blinken and Odobescu also reaffirmed “the importance of supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression” and promised to “work together as NATO allies to strengthen security and energy resilience throughout the Black Sea region.
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