Brussels, 06/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - In Washington on Monday 3 November, Romania signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding on security measures with the United States, with a view to its becoming part of the US visa exemption scheme, the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Romania is the latest of the countries that have applied to join the VWP to sign such a document, which marks the start of negotiations on cooperation agreements on combating terrorism and organised crime. Ultimately, Romania's joining the VWP will see its nationals exempted from the need to have a visa for stays in the US of less than three months. For the moment, the statement commits the two countries to better sharing of information on international travel, border checks on entering the country, improving the exchange of intelligence on persons suspected of terrorism and known terrorists, filing swift and full reports on lost or stolen passports in increasing security in airports. 15 EU member states are currently members of the VWP, and six others - the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia - will join on 17 November. US Secretary of State for Homeland Security Michael Chertoff recently announced that it was likely that the remaining member states which are not yet part of the scheme - Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Poland and Romania - would join in the next few months. Diplomats suggest that the first half of 2009 is the most probable time. (C.D./transl.rt)