Poland and Romania have signed an agreement on closer cooperation up to 2020, with the focus on security, European policy and the economy.

The document was signed in Bucharest by Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski and his Romanian counterpart Lazar Comanescu.

Waszczykowski told a press conference that his visit was a continuation of the work undertaken by the late Polish President Lech Kaczyński, who in 2009 signed an accord on strategic cooperation with Romania’s then-President Traian Basescu.

Waszczykowski said that on many issues Poland and Romania hold convergent, if not identical, views, adding that, together with other countries of the region, Warsaw and Bucharest will be able to work together for the development of the European Union and NATO.

The top priority, Waszczykowski stressed, is ensuring NATO’s enhanced presence in countries located on the eastern flank of the military alliance.

Asked by Romanian journalists about Warsaw’s stand on accepting refugees from the Middle East, Waszczykowski said that distinguishing between refugees and economic migrants was a key issue for Poland.

“The former can apply for asylum in line with international law”, he said, adding that Poland cannot afford to take in economic migrants. (mk/pk)