The Romanian ambassador has met Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness at Stormont, following a spat of racist attacks targeting Romanian families in south and east Belfast.
"I have been encouraged by the reaction of public opinion here because every reaction I have seen in the media at least was in objection to what happened two days ago," Dr Ion Jinga said.
"I come to my first visit to Belfast in an unfortunate and unhappy context. It is a place where we could build up projects on economic grounds, cultural exchanges, social co-operation - there are so many things that can be done together."
On Friday, Dr Jinga will meet Lord Mayor of Belfast Naomi Long and PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde.
"I was shocked because I didn't expect such negative extremism could happen here, it was for the first time when Romanians have been targeted in Britain", he said.
"Our embassy reacted immediately and we condemn every extremist and racist attack irrespective of who is attacked."
Mr Robinson said the power-sharing government had stood together to face down terrorism and sectarianism and would do the same with racism.
"Every one of us would hope and expect that they are given the best of treatment, we want to reciprocate that."
He said the best possible outcome was for the police to secure convictions against the guilty.
Mr McGuinness said: "It is a totally shameful episode and I believe that the vast majority of our people share our anger, and we have been very angry, at what has transpired over the course of the last number of days."
Earlier Romania's consul general, Mihai Delcea, met Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie at Stormont.
Dr Delcea also met the families in emergency accommodation.
Some are a "little stressed," he admitted.
"We are here to build bridges between our communities and societies, not to destroy anything," he said.
He added the reaction of civil society, with local people donating food and blankets had been appreciated.
© Press Association