Romania has the capacity to contribute with cu troops in Lebanon, in case of an international decision in this respect, President Traian Basescu said yesterday in Washington, according to Mediafax release. Asked whether Romania will contribute with troops to settle thing in Lebanon, President Basescu answered that Romania has the capacity to participate with troops and to meet its obligations and a NATO member state and as an European state, whether an official decision is taken on this matter. "The international community can count on Romania's support in restoring peace in Lebanon and in guaranteeing Israel's security", Basescu stressed, persisting on the need to ensure Israel's security, a matter Romania is directly interested in because of the Romanian community in Israel. The head of state added that Romania has a potential, but an international decision has to be made on the way the situation in Lebanon can be solved. President Basescu's visit to Washington takes place shortly after the political controversies generated by the withdrawing of Romanian troops from Iraq. Funds from the Pentagon The Romanian President had a meeting at the Pentagon with the US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, which was not followed by press statements. Rumsfeld welcomed President Basescu on the stairs of the Pentagon. At the end of the meeting, the President announced he had asked the US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, an increase by 50% of the American financial assistance to the Romanian Army. The chief of state stressed the American side had in view an increase by 20% of the 2007 assistance for the Romanian military. Basescu did not say whether the Bucharest's requirement was agreed upon by the US side, instead confined himself to say that no written agreement had been concluded during the meeting he had with Donald Rumsfeld. Basescu asked the Pentagon an "immediate solution" to ensuring logistics for the Romanian troops in Iraq. He stated, a few hours after the meeting at the Pentagon, that he discussed with the US Secretary of Defence on the technical program of implementing the Access Agreement of the American military facilities on the Romanian territory, agreement that has already been ratified by the Parliament in Bucharest. Compensations in the Teo Peter case Basescu also said, at the discussions had with the US Secretary of Defence, that he required the latter a fair solution of the compensation rate in the Teo Peter Case. When the Romanian journalists asked the President whether a requirement for a million US $ is a "fair" one, Basescu answered: "It is very good (.) I consider the requirement is fair and not the very low offer that had been made". Roxana ANDRONIC