Delaware News

At Opening of U.S. Embassy in Romania, Biden Speaks on the Rule of Law in a Democratic Society

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Thursday, March 22, 2012



Wilmington – Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden delivered the keynote address Thursday at the dedication of the new U.S. embassy in Bucharest, Romania.

At the invitation of two U.S. Ambassadors, Biden is in Romania and Ukraine this week to deliver three speeches on the importance of the rule of law and an independent judiciary in a democratic society. Biden was invited to share his perspective as Attorney General, major in the Delaware Army National Guard’s JAG Corps, and former USDOJ Interim Legal Advisor in Kosovo.

 

Today, Biden spoke at the ceremony to formally open the new U.S. embassy and mark 130 years of American-Romanian diplomatic relations. The ceremony also featured speeches by U.S. Ambassador Mark Gitenstein, Romanian Senate President Vasile Blaga, Prime Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, and Mr. Leo Hession, the Managing Director of Operations for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.

 

“I know the important work that will be done inside and outside of these walls,” Biden said. “This embassy not only provides the venue in which our relationship is forged, challenged, and maintained, it stands as the physical manifestation of our commitment to do so.”

 

On the impact of the rule of law in a democratic society, Biden said: “Rules matter and there must be real consequences for breaking them, despite how wealthy or powerful the party at fault may be. Under the eyes of the law, such influence is stripped of its force. I believe that the judges who defend the rule of law and the prosecutors who remain vigilant in its enforcement that make up an independent judiciary are not only upholding the rules – they are helping to establish and perpetuate the maxim of equality and a culture that values protecting it. But they cannot do it alone. For a country to take its place as a partner among nations, its commitment to honest and open government must be as fundamental and universal as the rights its laws seek to protect.”

 

On Tuesday morning, Biden delivered the keynote address at the “Promoting and Ensuring Transparency and Accountability with the Judiciary” regional counter corruption conference in Bucharest. The annual conference brings together law enforcement officers from 20 European countries and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Last year, Biden participated in a panel discussion at the conference, which was held in Zagreb, Croatia. The full text of Biden’s remarks is available upon request.

 

On Friday, Biden will be the featured speaker at the U.S. Ambassador’s Forum at the American embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. The forum is a leadership and policy series hosted by U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft and is aimed at creating a regular opportunity for the examination of the ideas, trends and forces impacting the world. The series brings prominent speakers, innovators and experts in a wide range of fields from the United States to Kyiv for an exchange of perspectives on issues facing Ukraine, the U.S., and the global community. The Forum begins at 5 p.m. Ukrainian time (11 a.m. EST).

 

U.S. Ambassador to Romania Mark Gitenstein invited Biden to speak at both events in Bucharest, and Ambassador Tefft asked Biden to speak at the Ambassador’s Forum in Kyiv. The U.S. State Department is paying for the trip.

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At Opening of U.S. Embassy in Romania, Biden Speaks on the Rule of Law in a Democratic Society

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Thursday, March 22, 2012



Wilmington – Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden delivered the keynote address Thursday at the dedication of the new U.S. embassy in Bucharest, Romania.

At the invitation of two U.S. Ambassadors, Biden is in Romania and Ukraine this week to deliver three speeches on the importance of the rule of law and an independent judiciary in a democratic society. Biden was invited to share his perspective as Attorney General, major in the Delaware Army National Guard’s JAG Corps, and former USDOJ Interim Legal Advisor in Kosovo.

 

Today, Biden spoke at the ceremony to formally open the new U.S. embassy and mark 130 years of American-Romanian diplomatic relations. The ceremony also featured speeches by U.S. Ambassador Mark Gitenstein, Romanian Senate President Vasile Blaga, Prime Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, and Mr. Leo Hession, the Managing Director of Operations for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.

 

“I know the important work that will be done inside and outside of these walls,” Biden said. “This embassy not only provides the venue in which our relationship is forged, challenged, and maintained, it stands as the physical manifestation of our commitment to do so.”

 

On the impact of the rule of law in a democratic society, Biden said: “Rules matter and there must be real consequences for breaking them, despite how wealthy or powerful the party at fault may be. Under the eyes of the law, such influence is stripped of its force. I believe that the judges who defend the rule of law and the prosecutors who remain vigilant in its enforcement that make up an independent judiciary are not only upholding the rules – they are helping to establish and perpetuate the maxim of equality and a culture that values protecting it. But they cannot do it alone. For a country to take its place as a partner among nations, its commitment to honest and open government must be as fundamental and universal as the rights its laws seek to protect.”

 

On Tuesday morning, Biden delivered the keynote address at the “Promoting and Ensuring Transparency and Accountability with the Judiciary” regional counter corruption conference in Bucharest. The annual conference brings together law enforcement officers from 20 European countries and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Last year, Biden participated in a panel discussion at the conference, which was held in Zagreb, Croatia. The full text of Biden’s remarks is available upon request.

 

On Friday, Biden will be the featured speaker at the U.S. Ambassador’s Forum at the American embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. The forum is a leadership and policy series hosted by U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft and is aimed at creating a regular opportunity for the examination of the ideas, trends and forces impacting the world. The series brings prominent speakers, innovators and experts in a wide range of fields from the United States to Kyiv for an exchange of perspectives on issues facing Ukraine, the U.S., and the global community. The Forum begins at 5 p.m. Ukrainian time (11 a.m. EST).

 

U.S. Ambassador to Romania Mark Gitenstein invited Biden to speak at both events in Bucharest, and Ambassador Tefft asked Biden to speak at the Ambassador’s Forum in Kyiv. The U.S. State Department is paying for the trip.

# # #

 

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.