"We agreed that we should have a role in the future of Iraq along with the coalition forces," Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana told a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul following bilateral talks.

"The two countries can cooperate not only in the restructuring of Iraq economically, but also in rebuilding Iraq's democratic institutions," he added.

Geoana said Romania had experience in installing democracy and a free market economy after years under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu.

He also praised Turkey as a "matchless example of a Muslim country with democratic institutions in place".

Turkey and Romania are both members of the US-led coalition against the regime of Saddam Hussein.

On the bilateral front, the two ministers pledged to increase trade, and expressed their desire to accelerate efforts to realize a planned natural gas pipeline passing through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, Geoana added.

SPACE.WIRE