Bush Says Romanians Bring `Moral Clarity' to NATO Alliance

By
Holly Rosenkrantz

Bucharest, Nov. 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President George W. Bush, standing in the square where former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu fled almost 13 years ago, told tens of thousands of Romanians their country brings ``moral clarity'' to NATO as the U.S. seeks to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

``Here in December of 1989 you broke the silence of your captivity,'' Bush told the rain-soaked crowd just as the skies cleared and a rainbow appeared. ``From that balcony, the dictator heard your voices, and faltered, and fled.''

Bush's speech, at the end of a five-day, four-nation Eastern European trip, was designed to welcome former Soviet allies into the NATO military alliance formed 53 years ago to fight Communism. He also sought to build support for his bid to compel Hussein, by force if necessary, to abide by the United Nations' mandate to disarm. NATO endorsed the UN's effort this week, while stopping short of an explicit threat of military force.

White House officials had billed the stop in Romania, and a speech earlier today in Lithuania, as a victory lap in a campaign to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and broaden its mission to deal with new world threats, such as terrorism.

``You value freedom because you have lived without it,'' Bush told crowd that had listened to blaring rock music beside statues of Romanian patriots. ``You know the difference between good and evil, because you have seen evil's face.''

Thousands

In Lithuania about 5,000 people greeted Bush by waving American flags and shouting ``thank you'' after dancing to local drinking music as they waited for his speech.

The Bucharest rally drew 50,000 to 100,000 people, officials said. It was one of the few times Bush has delivered a speech outdoors since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Bullet-proof glass flanked Bush on three sides as he stood at a lectern on a stage.

Romania's history surrounded him. The former Communist Party Headquarters overlooking the square, from which Ceausescu ruled, is now home to the Romanian Senate. Several Communist party buildings destroyed in the 1989 uprising have been restored. The Securitate, home to Ceaucescu's secret police and site of thousands of tortures and murders, remains in ruins, just beyond the square where Bush spoke.

``That grim monument also recalls the many brave Romanians who did not live to see this day,'' Bush said. ``Yet today their hopes are being fulfilled. The nation they loved is rising.''

The largest of all seven states invited to become NATO members this week, Romania has been striving for the past eight years to join the alliance.

Patience With Romania

``We've got to be patient with Romania because Romania has come from a history of state-dominated industry, which failed, and it failed to provide to the people,'' Bush told Romanian television in an interview broadcast yesterday. ``The reforms are going to take time.''

Romania has been under pressure from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to speed up state- asset sales, tackle corruption and shut down loss-making enterprises.

``We have started a merciless fight against corruption and bureaucracy, which harm our country and erode trust towards democracy,'' Romanian President Ion Iliescu said as he introduced Bush.

``Romanians see Mr. Bush's visit here as an incentive, but accession into NATO is liable to induce a false sense of well- being,'' said Matei Paun, a partner with HTI Securities, one of the nation's top-10 brokerage firms. ``That may take away from the perceived need to forge ahead on other fronts.''

Romania is also the only country among NATO's newer members and candidates that sent more than 400 combat troops to Afghanistan, to help the U.S.-led coalition.