16 January 1998
(Jan. 16 speech notes 80 years of diplomatic relations) (1950) Washington -- U.S.-Romania ties are now at their strongest since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries 80 years ago, according to Marc Grossman, assistant secretary of state for European and Canadian affairs. Grossman was on hand to celebrate the anniversary at a special forum hosted by the State Department and the Romanian Embassy January 16. The event attracted some 200 diplomats, military, clergy, media, and citizens from both countries. "I believe that relations between our two countries are the strongest they have ever been," Grossman said. "They will grow even stronger in the coming years." He described three long-term goals the United States hopes to reach with Romania. "First, we would like to broaden and deepen our bilateral relationship. Second, we would like to see Romania become a pillar of democracy and stability in southeastern Europe. Third, we would like to see Romania fully integrated into the European and transatlantic structures from which fate and circumstance have excluded it for so long." Grossman noted that when President Clinton visited Romania last July, he and President Emil Constantinescu agreed to establish a Strategic Partnership between the two nations. He pointed out that U.S.-Romania relations have progressed on a number of fronts. For example, the United States has extended permanent most-favored-nation status to Romania. Through the SEED Act and other bilateral programs, the United States has provided assistance to Romania in consolidating political, military, and economic reforms. The difficult task facing the Romanian government right now is economic reform, Grossman said. "Economic reform is crucial if we are to expand our bilateral economic ties, to encourage foreign investment in Romania, to reinforce regional stability and security, and to prepare Romania for membership in key western institutions." He added that "we are also encouraging increased U.S. private investment in Romania as these reforms take hold." Grossman praised Romania's desire to be "an active participant in the institutions that are working to make Europe united, democratic and prosperous." He noted that Romania was the first country to join the Partnership for Peace and is active in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, "and, it is moving ahead on accession to the European Union." Acknowledging Romania's deep desire to become a NATO member, Grossman said the United States and Romania "are concentrating our joint efforts on improving the Romanian military's NATO interoperability and on learning from the example of the three countries [Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic] currently involved in the NATO accession process." He pledged that the United States "will do everything we can to provide assistance and advice to Romania as it forges ahead with the difficult process of preparing itself for full integration." Following is the text of Grossman's remarks, as prepared for delivery: (Begin text) Symposium U.S.-ROMANIA: 80 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS Remarks by Marc Grossman Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs (as prepared for delivery) Washington, D.C. January 16, 1998 Thank you very much, Mark, for your kind introduction. It is a pleasure to be with you this morning to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Romania. Many of you have had a hand in shaping those relations. In this room -- the scholars, the diplomats, the journalists and the active citizens of both our countries -- is the living history of those relations. I especially welcome the opportunity to speak to you here today, because I believe that relations between our two countries are the strongest they have ever been. They will grow even stronger in the coming years. Each of you has played a part in bringing us to this point. And of that, you should be very proud. There are many in this room far more expert than I in the history of our countries' relationship, and you will hear from several of them during the course of this morning's discussions. I would like to talk to you about the future, and the direction in which we hope to take U.S.-Romanian relations over the coming months and years. This is an historic time for Romania, for it is undergoing the processes of transformation, integration, and cooperation that will shape the Europe of the future. I had the opportunity to see this first hand when I visited Romania in October 1997. Everyone there told me that Romania is committed to transforming itself into a free market democracy, to integrating itself into western structures, and to cooperating with its neighbors to improve regional security. If Romania and the other countries of the region can continue to advance these three elements, we have the chance together to build a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace. We have three long-term goals for our relations with Romania -- three goals that I believe the Romanian government shares. First, we would like to broaden and deepen our bilateral relationship. Second, we would like to see Romania become a pillar of democracy and stability in southeastern Europe. Third, we would like to see Romania fully integrated into the European and transatlantic structures from which fate and circumstance have excluded it for so long. These goals are attainable. To realize these objectives will require hard work, dedication, careful planning, time and patience on the part of both our countries. When President Clinton visited Romania last July, he and President Constantinescu agreed to establish a Strategic Partnership between our two nations. This partnership will be a means whereby we can coordinate our joint efforts to reach these goals. It is focused on identifying and carrying out specific, concrete actions which will advance our shared objectives. During my visit to Bucharest last fall, I led an interagency delegation in the first round of Strategic Partnership talks. At those meetings, we agreed that the partnership should expand political and economic activity on a mutually beneficial basis; help make Romania as strong a candidate as possible for NATO membership in the future, and for integration into other western structures; and strengthen a democratic Romania's contribution to security in central and southeastern Europe. Our relations have moved forward. We have extended permanent most-favored-nation status to Romania. Through the SEED Act and other bilateral programs, we have provided assistance to Romania in consolidating political, military and economic reforms. Our governments have cooperated more closely on foreign policy issues of mutual concern. Travel between our two countries has increased dramatically. Business and commercial ties continue to expand. Through the Strategic Partnership, we are promoting coordination on foreign policy issues of mutual concern by fostering consultations in Washington, Bucharest, and other capitals around the world. We are also encouraging more frequent high-level contacts between our two governments, as schedules permit. Perhaps the most difficult task facing the Romanian government right now is economic reform. Economic reform is crucial if we are to expand our bilateral economic ties, to encourage foreign investment in Romania, to reinforce regional stability and security, and to prepare Romania for membership in key western institutions. Consolidation of democracy in Romania is also an imperative for further integration with the west. Under the Strategic Partnership, we have worked together to ensure that U.S. assistance is tailored to Romania's specific needs as it moves through each stage of its reforms. We are also encouraging increased U.S. private investment in Romania as these reforms take hold. Romania has shown us it has much to offer the United States as our ally. As I told the Atlantic Treaty Association in Sofia last October, security in today's Europe means not just the obligation to avoid large-scale military conflict. It also means building security within societies -- consolidating democratic reform, ensuring respect for human rights, and sustaining economic reform until it brings eventual prosperity. It means building confidence among neighbors. Romania has already begun to demonstrate the contributions it can make to regional security. Through its participation in IFOR [NATO-led Implementation Force in Bosnia], SFOR [NATO-led Stabilization Force in Bosnia], and the multilateral force in Albania, Romania has played a significant role in containing dangerous conflict in southeastern Europe. Romania's democratic development since the fall of the communist regime in 1989, the marked improvements in respect for human rights, and the economic reforms upon which Romania has embarked, all illustrate the government's commitment to building security within Romania's borders. The historic bilateral treaties Romania has signed with Hungary and Ukraine, the many trilateral initiatives it has commenced with other countries in the region, and its ongoing talks with Russia and Moldova have done a great deal to increase confidence among its neighbors. Through the Strategic Partnership, we are looking at concrete ways in which Romania can enhance its promotion of regional security and cooperation. Toward this end, we are encouraging Romania's continued assistance on Dayton implementation, Romania's support for SECI [Southeast European Cooperative Initiative] programs, the bilateral and trilateral arrangements into which Romania has entered with other countries in the region, and Romania's efforts to find cooperative solutions to common regional problems. Many of these common problems involve non-traditional threats to the countries of the region, such as corruption, organized crime, smuggling, and drug trafficking. These threats can also directly and indirectly endanger the security of the United States and other western countries. Another focus of our Strategic Partnership is to work together to improve Romania's ability to combat such threats. We are providing resources and training to the Romanian government aimed at enhancing customs procedures and enforcement and making export licensing more efficient. We are also encouraging Romania's promotion of regional cooperation to fight non-traditional threats. Romania's desire to be an active participant in the institutions that are working to make Europe united, democratic, and prosperous is evident. Romania was the first country to join the Partnership for Peace. It is playing an important role in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. It continues to be deeply involved in the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. And, it is moving ahead on accession to the European Union. In our Strategic Partnership discussions, we are focusing on how we can shape security assistance programs such as the Warsaw Initiative, Partnership for Peace, IMET, and the allocation of Excess Defense Articles to best enhance Romania's own efforts to qualify for NATO membership. In this regard, we are concentrating our joint efforts on improving the Romanian military's NATO interoperability and on learning from the example of the three countries currently involved in the NATO accession process. We will do everything we can to provide assistance and advice to Romania as it forges ahead with the difficult process of preparing itself for full integration. The challenge Romania faces is to overcome the legacies of repression and to successfully implement the political and economic reforms that will allow it to reintegrate itself with the west. The will of the Romanian people is formidable. I remain confident that Romania has what it takes to eventually become a member of all the key western institutions. This, then, is the direction in which we are headed together. It is my hope that in the coming years we will achieve our three goals of strengthened bilateral relations, increased regional security and Romania's integration with the west, and that Romania will fully realize its European destiny. Thank you for coming here today. Thank you for your interest and attention. Thank you for all that you each already have done to advance U.S.-Romanian relations. And, thank you for all that I know you will continue to do. (End text)