The Ambassador of Romania

Washington , D.C.

February 17 th , 2006

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the Council of Honor of the Institute for the Investigation of the Crimes of Communism (IICC) held its first meeting on February 14 th , 2006 at Victoria Palace , since the setting up of the Institute. The Council members have elected the executive board of this institution: historian Stejarel Olaru, executive director, Mrs. Lucia Hossu Longhin, Secretary General and historian Marius Oprea. president. Also, on February 14 th , the IICC has concluded an association with the Romanian Institute of Recent History , a non governmental organization, whose founder; the former Ambassador of Holland in Romania , Mr. Coen Stork, actively supported the Romanian dissidents prior to 1989.

The IICC will hire maximum 25 people and will be lead by a council of 11 members, civil society personalities, which include: Petre Bacanu, Elvira Ruxandra Bianu, Doina Maria Cornea, Dennis John Deletant, Constantin-Grigore Dumitrescu, Radu Filipescu, Radu Ioanid, Gabriel Liiceanu, Marius-Gheorghe Oprea, Cristian-Romulus Parvulescu and Andrei-Gabriel Plesu. All members of the Council of Honor for the Investigation of the Crimes of Communism have only honorary positions.

Moreover, I would like to mention that the Institute for the Investigation of the Crimes of Communism was founded on December 21 st 2005 , by a decision of the Romanian Government. The institute has the mandate to identify and investigate, from an institutional point of view, crimes, abuses and violations of human rights that took place under the communist regime in Romania between 1945 and 1989. Also, the IICC will analyze the communist regime and identify activists of the communist party, officers and magistrates who worked with the Securitate, and abuses committed, ordered or inspired by them. The IICC will notify the Prosecutor's Office once criminal deeds are discovered.

The Institute aims at developing educational programs, and the results of the research will published in reports, every trimester, and a final annual report. A summary of findings will also be published in a history of the communism textbook, essential to understanding what happened prior to 1989.

The IICC was created for an initial period of 6 years with the possibility to be extended, and functions under the auspices of the Romanian Government. The IICC will be self-funded, from the sale of the institute's books and research publications and will also receive funds from the Romanian Government. In 2006, the running costs will be covered by funds from the state budget.

Further information about the IICC will be provided on the Romanian Government website: http://www.gov.ro/

.    Sincerely yours,

Sorin Ducaru