Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday signed a joint declaration of the Romanian and Israeli governments regarding priorities for short and medium term cooperation, as part of an intergovernmental meeting in Jerusalem.

At the same time, four Romanian-Israeli cooperation documents were also signed as part of the same meeting: a joint declaration between Israeli's interior minister and Romania's minister of labour, family affairs and social security; a memorandum of understanding between Romania's Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports and the Vad Yashem Institute of Jerusalem, with support from the Israeli Ministry of Education; and a statement of intent between the environmental ministers of the two countries and a cooperation plan in healthcare and medicine between the healthcare ministries of the two countries.

Prime Minister Boc says this meeting is a new stage in bilateral cooperation between Romania and Israeli in fields of common interest, such as economy, agriculture, occupational safety, environmental protection, education, emergency medical care and tourist promotion.

'Prime Minister Emil Boc has stated that this intergovernmental meeting marks the beginning of a new stage in the bilateral relations between the two countries that go back 60 years, and Romania wants this to be marked by closer bilateral cooperation through actual projects in all fields of shared interest,' reads a press release issued by the Romanian Government.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the agreement signed mean an important step forward toward intensifying the bilateral relations.

Boc also announced that Romania and Israel will set up a research and development foundation to raise private funds and also a specialist centre for upgrading communications infrastructure.

He also introduced the Romanian Government's policy in support of investments and jobs creation, showing that Israeli business people are offered investment opportunities in Romania in various fields, including infrastructure, agriculture and the oil industry.