Ministry of Foreign Affairs

of Romania

Office of the Spokesman

Aleea Modrogan nr.14 Tel.: 230.57.85

Bucureşti, 71274 Fax: 230.75.87

E-mail: drmm@mae.ro

drp@mae.ro

February 3, 2004

MEETING OF THE ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

WITH

THE US SECRETARY OF STATE

The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mircea Geoana, met on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 3, with the US Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell.

During the meeting, the main items on the current international agenda were tackled, taking into account Romania’s non-permanent Security Council membership, along with topics on the bilateral agenda.

From this perspective, Minister Geoana and Secretary Powell emphasized the necessity to continue the bilateral high level political dialogue, with the same frequency as in the past several years, particularly in the context of Romania’s UN Security Council Presidency next July.

A number of issues of common interest were reviewed, currently on the agenda of the UN Security Council, particularly the situation in Iraq and the role the UN could play in the overall process of democratic transformation in Iraq.

The Romanian Foreign Minister pointed out the particular attention that Romania attaches to the political clarification, the constitutional and the new institutions building processes underway in Iraq, and in which Romania hopes to have an important role. That could be achieved through involvement not only in the maintaining of stability and security, but through a more substantial presence in the economic and non-governmental organizations spheres.

Minister Geoana and Secretary Powell addressed the issue of Iraq’s foreign debt, as well as the manner in which Romania could recover the debt Iraq has towards it. The Romanian Foreign Minister requested that practical updating formulas are identified, designed – as case may be – also to restructure and to transform the debt in instruments for allowing the investment and trade with Iraq.

The second major topic on the agenda was the preparation of the Istanbul NATO Summit, scheduled for next June. The two sides reiterated their support for the reconfirmation, at the Summit, of the “open door policy”, as well as the need for a continued support of the current NATO candidate countries in their strides to prepare for joining the Alliance. Minister Geoana and Secretary Powell saluted the positive trend of late in the trans-Atlantic relations. They agreed that this trend is able to generate favorable premises for the accomplishment of the NATO mandate in Afghanistan and possibly, for an enhanced involvement in Iraq.

Thirdly, the latest evolutions in the adjacent area of Romania were assessed, along with the ways to support the democratic transformation processes in the respective countries, a special attention being given to the situation in Georgia. In this context, Minister Geoana and Secretary Powell underscored the importance of supporting the actions of the new authorities in Tbilisi and discussed various possibilities to encourage the overall transformations in the region, including dimensions such as economic security and civil society.

The agenda of the talks also included the situation in the Republic of Moldova and Transnistria, an issue of high interest to Romania. The two sides agreed upon a close cooperation in the follow-up discussions on this issue. A further exchange of views dealt with the Western Balkans, the evolutions in the European integration process, including from the viewpoint of Romania’s upcoming EU integration and to that end – the completion of the accession negotiations in the year 2004.

The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs requested the American side to examine in a flexible manner the new visa requirements, so as to insure a treatment as normal as possible to the Romanian citizens and also, the possibility to facilitate the US entry of Romanian students and citizens who might find work opportunities in the USA.

Another important moment of the day was the meeting with Mr. John Taylor, Under Secretary for International Affairs at the US Department of the Treasury. Under Secretary Taylor saluted the contract agreed upon by the Romanian Government with the US company Bechtel for the construction of the highway between the Romanian cities of Brasov and Bors. Minister Geoana and Under Secretary Taylor examined the perspectives of Romania’s relations with international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Other topics were the possibility of Romania’s recovering the debt owed by Iraq, the complementarity with the integrated European Union communications system of the ongoing infrastructure projects in Romania and the ways to enhance the Romanian participation in the economic reconstruction of Iraq.

The meeting at the Treasury also included an exchange of views on the economic and financial priorities of the Romanian Government aiming at correctly balancing on the one hand, the continuation of the inflation reduction policy and controlling the current account deficit, and on the other hand, ensuring a sustainable economic growth, promoting investments in the infrastructure and finding resources for the social dimension of the government’s policies.

Minister Geoana referred to the Romanian government’s fiscal policy for 2005, as well as to the government’s intentions to prepare the necessary conditions for the denomination of the national currency.

During the same day, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs gave a presentation at the Nixon Center with the title “Black Sea: A Bond of Security, a Bridge for Transformation,” attended by representatives of the academic and think tank community, the US Administration and the Washington media. The same issues was the focus of meeting that Mr. Geoana had with Mr. Craig Kennedy, President of and Mr. Ron Asmus, Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, along with the ambassadors to the US of Bulgaria, Ms. Elena Poptodorova, and Turkey, Mr. Faruk Logoglu.

Another important component of Foreign Minister Geoana’s visit to Washington were the talks held with US Congress members. The Minister met with Representative Porter Goss (R-Florida) and had phone conversations with Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) and Senator John McCain (R-Arizona).