17 October 1997
(NAA meeting held in Bucharest October 10-13) (3790) Bucharest -- Senator William Roth (R-DE), president of the North Atlantic Assembly, which held its 43rd session in Bucharest October 10-13, said, "The process of NATO enlargement will not be complete until Romania joins the Alliance, and I hope that that will be sooner rather than later." The North Atlantic Assembly represents over 40 political parties from the 16 NATO nations. In addition to being president of the organization, Senator Roth is a member of the Senate NATO observer group which was organized last May and sent a delegation including Roth to the Madrid Summit. "I know that your nation was disappointed by the decisions of July. I attended that summit.... I saw first-hand how difficult these decisions were The decisions made in Madrid, though, benefited everyone. Enlargement is no longer just a concept. It is a real process, being actively implemented," Roth stated. "We must continue to reach out, particularly to those societies which can make such unambiguous commitments to the principles we hold most dear. Your nation has made these commitments. In fact, Romania's case for NATO membership compelled President Clinton to suggest this summer that Romania could well be invited to begin accession negotiations at the Washington Summit in 1999," Roth said in his remarks at President Constantinescu's reception October 12 in honor of the N.A.A. participants in Bucharest for the meeting. Following are transcripts, provided by the American Embassy in Bucharest, of Senator Roth's remarks after meeting with Romanian President Emil Constantinescu October 12, at President Constantinescu's reception in honor of the NAA participants on the same day, and at the press conference he held October 13: (Begin transcripts) Statement by Senator William Roth after meeting with Romanian President Emil Constantinescu -- Bucharest, October 12, 1997: SENATOR ROTH: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I want to not only thank you but the Romanian people, the Romanian delegates to our NAA for the magnificent hosting that they have been doing of the 43rd meeting of the parliamentary assembly. I would like to point out that this meeting here in Romania is really a very historic event. I say it is a historic event because it is only the second time that NAA has met in a country that is not a member of NATO. So, I think the fact that we are here in Romania shows the admiration and respect that the assembly has for the democratic reform and progress being made in this great country. I think that the second reason that this meeting is significant (is the fact that) it demonstrates, by our being here, how dedicated the North Atlantic Assembly is to make sure that the process of accession to NATO is open. I know there was great disappointment among the Romanian people, when Romania was not one of the countries invited to access in the first wave, but I can tell you that we are greatly impressed with the progress, the democratic reform, the rule of law, the other measures that you are taking, and I can assure you that most of us will not be satisfied until Romania becomes part of the NATO alliance. So, once again, thank you for your hospitality. (End transcript) Remarks by Senator William Roth at President Constantinescu's reception in honor of the NAA participants -- Bucharest, October 12, 1997: (Begin transcript) Mr. President, distinguished guests, I am delighted that we are able to hold our 43rd session of the North Atlantic Assembly in Bucharest. This is only the second time that we have held a session in a country that has yet to join NATO. This is testimony to the progress Romania has made in building the foundation of a democratic and market-oriented society. The assembly's presence here should be understood as recognition that Romania is well on the way to full integration in Euro-Atlantic and European structures. Indeed, Romania has done much to prepare itself for NATO membership. Because of the economic reforms now under way, we can already see the Romanian economy rising towards prosperity. This benefits not just Romanians, but provides new opportunities for general European economic growth. The potential of this nation, rich in resources and talent, is enormous. In the security and defense fields, Romania ranks among the most active participants in NATO's Partnership for Peace program. In fact, your country has held PFP exercises last week and your military took early steps to achieve interoperability with allied forces and has already introduced Western defense systems into its force structure. Your soldiers are serving with great distinction and courage under immensely trying conditions as a core element of the SFOR in Bosnia. Their service is indeed very much part of the transatlantic effort to bring peace and reconciliation to that region. Romania's diplomacy has been equally bold. The signature of historic treaties with neighbors Hungary and Ukraine not only ended decades of tension but also opened new venues for cooperation in economic and security matters. The joint Romania-Hungarian peacekeeping battalion reflects the intensity of cooperation between Bucharest and Budapest. These initiatives serve the cause of regional peace. They demonstrate that Romania is indeed a capable partner. Mr. President, your country's parliamentarians have argued the Romanian case for accession to the Euro-Atlantic community with eloquence, good grace, and passion. Our Assembly is all the richer from the active participation of distinguished Democratic leaders such as the present Speaker of the Senate, Mr. Roman, former leader of the delegation, Mr. Ratiu, and the present head of the delegation, Mr. Pascu. Because of your nation's progress, many of our government and assembly parliamentarians would have preferred to see Romania and other European democracies included in the first tier of new NATO members. I know that your nation was disappointed by the decisions of July. I attended that summit in my capacity as NAA president and as a member of the U.S. delegation. I saw first-hand how difficult these decisions were. The decisions made in Madrid, though, benefited everyone. Enlargement is no longer just a concept. It is a real process, being actively implemented. In my remarks at the summit to NATO Heads of State and Government, I stated clearly that the process of NATO enlargement must be an ongoing one, open to all European democracies that share the Alliance values and can contribute to its security. Indeed, that is NATO's policy. We must continue to reach out, particularly to those societies which can make such unambiguous commitments to the principles we hold most dear. Your nation has made these commitments. In fact, Romania's case for NATO membership compelled President Clinton to suggest this summer that Romania could well be invited to begin accession negotiations at the Washington Summit in 1999. And my experience here in the last few days leaves me even more confident that Romania will remain determined to take the political, economic, diplomatic, and military measures necessary to become a member of the Alliance. We, at the Assembly, look forward to working with you and the Romanian Parliament towards this objective. The process of NATO enlargement will not be complete until Romania joins the Alliance, and I hope that that will be sooner rather than later. In conclusion, Mr. President, may I express my gratitude to you for your hospitality, to the Romanian parliament for hosting this session, and to the Romanian delegation to the NAA and its helpful staff for its excellent preparation and organization. Pentru (to) Romania!" (End transcript) Press conference by Senator William Roth, president of the North Atlantic Assembly -- Bucharest, October 13, 1997: (Begin transcript) SENATOR ROTH: Thank you very much. Indeed it is a pleasure to be here. I want to welcome all the members of the media. We appreciate very much the great interest you have shown in the proceedings of the North Atlantic Assembly meeting. Before we initiate our discussion, allow me to make a few brief remarks. First, I am indeed delighted that we are to hold our 43rd session of the assembly in Bucharest. I think that's very significant. This is only the second time that we've held a session in a country that is not a member of NATO. So, I think that in itself is testimony to the progress Romania has been making in building the foundations of a democratic and a market-oriented society. The Assembly's presence here should also be understood as recognition that Romania is well on the way to full integration in Europe, Euro-Atlantic and European structures. The NAA mandate is broad, encompassing all the dimensions of the transatlantic relationship: economic, political, and, of course, militarily. The committee meetings, the committee resolutions and, indeed, today's plenary reflect the breadth of our mandate. However, this plenary session is unique in two respects: location, as I have already mentioned, and the timing. This meeting takes place in a most exciting and demanding time. In Euro-Atlantic affairs, it is most demanding because the Alliance must respond to new and more complex security challenges. The instability and tragic conflict that has besieged the Balkans remind us of this reality every day, as it does of NATO's unquestioned relevancy to our interest in the post-Cold War world. This is, I believe, a time of tremendous optimism. Just think of the pace of advance over the last five months. NATO has initiated what has the potential to be a fundamentally new and positive relationship with Russia. NATO has institutionalized the partnership with Ukraine to a formal charter and, of course, most importantly, at the Madrid Summit the Alliance invited three Central European democracies to accession negotiations that are now under way. All of these issues were addressed in one way or another over the last five days of Assembly activity, and they are sure to re-emerge in the plenary debate we will take this afternoon. As I see it, the demonstration of the Euro-Atlantic community ... are actively and appropriately responding to an unprecedented opportunity in history. For the first time, we have the chance to be pro-active in shaping the strategic context of transatlantic affairs. To NATO enlargement and other initiatives, the Alliance and its neighbors are not responding to aggression or disaster, but are building a sound foundation for enduring peace and stability in Europe, a region that is of vital interest to both Canada and the United States. The North Atlantic Assembly has been actively engaged in all these issues and, I might add, has led the charge for NATO enlargement. Some seven years ago, the Assembly passed its first resolution endorsing enlargement, and since then it has passed five other resolutions. It has always been among the very first to emphasize that enlargement must be a process, open to all European democracies that are ready to contribute to Alliance responsibilities. And I emphasized that point strongly on behalf of the Assembly when I addressed NATO Heads of State and Government at the Madrid Summit. Before I close, allow me to address briefly Romania's desire to join the Alliance. Because of your nation's progress, many of our government and assembly parliamentarians would have liked to see Romania and other European democracies included in the first tier of new NATO members. You can see this point reflected in the committee resolutions debated over the last few days. I know that the Romanian people were disappointed by the decision of July. I saw first-hand how difficult those decisions were. But you can take heart by knowing that Romania was and continues to be a strong candidate for NATO membership. While not all aspirants received invitations to NATO, the Madrid Summit was an unqualified success for all countries, and this is because enlargement is no longer just a concept, but a process now fully under way. NATO leaders made clear that membership will be an opportunity for every European democracy that can make a net contribution to the alliance' interests and responsibility. The NAA is a strong advocate of NATO enlargement, and we're carefully watching to ensure that this policy is not forgotten. The Alliance must continue to reach out, particularly to those societies which have made such unambiguous commitments to the values and principles we hold most dear. Romania has made these commitments, and I'm confident that Romania will remain determined to take the political, economic, diplomatic, and military measures necessary to become a member of the Alliance. We at the Assembly look forward to working with the Romanian government towards this objective. I would like to point out that we're very pleased to have our new secretary general, who has been many years with the organization, Simon Lunn, who is doing such an outstanding job for us. I would be happy to take some questions. QUESTION: E.F.E News Agency: A paragraph in the draft resolution makes reference to the United States' unilateralism and also suggests to the Europeans to adopt unanimous measures to the largest extent. What is your comment to this paragraph? SENATOR ROTH: To be honest, that is a continuous complaint that my country, the United States, moves independently, unilaterally. It's an interesting complaint because, frankly, I think my government does seek to consult and work with the European allies, as well as those elsewhere in the world. It's a natural complaint. No country ever thinks that it's been consulted closely enough, but it's something we should all work at, because the key of success for NATO is consensus. I think my government understands that and seeks to bring about the kind of consensus that makes for broad support. Q: Cristina Trepcea, PRO TV: We won't have the chance to ask this question after the plenary session. In may be a little early, but which are the main points of the final resolution? My second question: After hearing the speech of General Secretary Javier Solana, what are the conclusions for Romania regarding its chances of being in NATO in 1999? SENATOR ROTH: Well, as far as the resolution that we are considering this afternoon, it seems to me the main thrust and purpose of it is to have an honest debate about the relationship between Canada, the United States, and the European countries that make up NATO. We think it's very important that there be a very solid transatlantic relationship that is in a sense like a family. There are always some disputes and some disagreements. But what we think by these debates -- for example, in the Assembly -- is to have an honest exchange of ideas so that we end up with a very solid consensus on the issues that face the Euro-Atlantic countries. As far as Romania is concerned, I indicated already (that) Romania has every reason to be encouraged by what is happening here, by the fact that the Assembly is here. Much of the discussions -- I can tell you that in my discussions with members of the Assembly, everybody is impressed with what Romania is doing and moving towards a democratic society, an open society, the rule of law. We think that it's important that your country continue in these directions, because underpinning our relationship in NATO is that we have the same values, the same beliefs. We believe very strongly in human rights, in rule of law, in democracy, in an open, liberal market. I see your country making significant headway at this time. We urge you to continue to do so. I can tell you as one who probably espoused enlargement of NATO as early as anyone, I will not be satisfied until Romania becomes a member of the Alliance, and I would like that sooner than later. Q: Marius Hossu, ADEVARUL: In your statement this morning at the opening of the debates, you warned about the growing gap between American technologies and the levels attained by the European allies. In your opinion, what should the United States do to diminish this handicap? And a second question: After Madrid, Romania was considered as being a front-runner for the second round of accession. But now an Italian amendment was needed in order to set forth in the document of the political committee the difference between Romania, Slovenia, on one hand, and the three Baltic states, on the other hand. I don't want you to make a classification, but to give us your views whether Romania's chances have improved since Madrid or not. SENATOR ROTH: It is true that there is considerable concern expressed by many of the military about the technological advantage that the United States has over its European friends and allies. There is concern because, obviously, when you have interoperability, you all have to have pretty much the same weapons and systems. So, yes, the United States is ahead, but the problem, to be candid, is one that has to be faced by the Europeans. They are the ones that have to take the actions, the steps to structure their defense industries so that they are as modern and advanced as we are. I'm hopeful that this will happen. As a matter of fact, to be candid, I personally got involved in the North Atlantic Assembly because many years ago I felt it was important that there ought to be better cooperation in the areas of science and procurement. But again, I think this is a problem that is critically important for our friends in the European countries to face. Now, as far as Romania is concerned, I've already indicated that the process continues to be open for all European countries who have our shared values and who can make a contribution to the defense of the West. I think it's very clear that there's recognition not only here by the Assembly, but there was in Madrid, that your country, Romania, is making significant progress and that the president, for example, suggested that accession might be taken as early as 1999. But I would say to the countries in Europe, who are going through democratic reform and all the other things, there is an open door policy. That's critically important for all the countries who seek membership to understand that this is a process, an operation. The first tier consisted of three. We will have additional tiers as time goes on, but it's important to recognize the process is open. Q: Catalin Negoita: Although the Romanian-Hungarian relations have been described as excellent by both Bucharest and Budapest, at Saturday's debates a parliamentarian said Romania's place was not in NATO as long as significant differences between Romania and Hungary still exist. I would like your comment on this statement, as within NATO you have Greece and Turkey having very serious differences that could lead to an open war. SENATOR ROTH: First of all, one of the great things about the NATO Alliance is the impact it had on Western Europe. As you know, in that part of the region, for centuries there were constant conflicts, fights, controversy between neighboring countries, but as a result of NATO, for the last fifty years in Western Europe there has been basically peace and friendship. That's the reason why I think it's so important to extend NATO to East and Central Europe. We want the same stability, we want the same security, we want neighbors to learn to live together in peace and harmony, to prevent conflict. I congratulate Hungary and Romania for the progress that they are making in that relationship. These are old controversies, they don't die easily. There'll always be those who will disagree with what's being done. That's part of democracy, but I want to congratulate Romania and urge your country in its efforts to reach agreements with its various neighbors, because that is important as you seek membership in the Alliance. Q: Daily newspaper "Ziua": In your capacity as American senator and president of the North Alliance Assembly, could you tell me how you wind up the dispute between the Americans and the French over the command of the Southern Flank of the Alliance? My second question: Has Romania won, in your person, an advocate in the U.S. Senate when a decision is made in connection with the continuation of the enlargement process? SENATOR ROTH: On the first question, as you know, that has been a difficult question between the French and ourselves with respect to the Southern Command. I go back to a comment I made a few minutes ago. In every family you sometimes have strong disagreements and that certainly is the case here. My country feels that, with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, they want to continue that command. But let me also point out that, the French, while they said they will not join the integrated commands at this time, they want to cooperate. I believe that we have to continue to work together and try to iron out the differences so that we can move together. France has been an old friend and ally of my country since the days of independence. Let me point out that, as I said earlier, I am very impressed with the progress your country, Romania, is making. I look forward to working with you as you progress to full membership and, I think I said earlier, it's my hope that you become a member of NATO sooner than later. Q: Aoriana Gulea, Antena 1: The NATO-Russia relationship was very well highlighted by NATO Secretary General Javier Solana. How much importance can the NATO-Russia relationship play in the process of integration to which Romania has committed itself? SENATOR ROTH: Let me answer you this way. For the peace and stability of Europe, we think it's critically important that NATO works in a new cooperative way, opens new bridges, new discussions, means of cooperating with democratic Russia. So I think that the secretary general in negotiating the Founding Act did great service for the Alliance, and I think the agreement is solid. It does provide for very close consultative mechanisms. I think that's highly desirable. At the same time, I think it's important to understand that in no way does the Founding Act undercut the decision-making of NATO as to who will be members. That is strictly a question for the now 16 countries that make up the NATO Alliance and no one else is involved in that. So, the question of Romania or any other country, whether they should be a member, is a decision to be made by a consensus of the Alliance. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here. (End transcript)