July 21, 2004

Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase heads for talks with President Bush

UNITED NATIONS - Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase heads for talks with President Bush, strongly backing the U.S. call for the international community to stay the course and help build a democratic Iraq.

Nastase presided at a U.N. Security Council meeting and held talks with Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday before heading to Washington to press for a stronger "Euro-Atlantic bridge" and greater U.S. investment. A Bush spokesman said the two leaders will also discuss the war on terrorism, Afghanistan and Iraq in the Wednesday afternoon meeting.

Romania, which joined NATO this year and has 700 troops and civilian contractors in Iraq, believes the country's new interim government must be supported, Nastase said.

"I believe the international community should stay the course in Iraq and be united by the goal of building a democratic and sovereign Iraq," he told a news conference.

"In my opinion, we have to understand that what we need there is not a withdrawal which will create a huge disorder and an anarchy, but a very controlled political process with the cooperation of the United Nations, and this is what we are supporting," Nastase said.

Nastase opposed the Philippines' decision to pull its troops out of Iraq early to meet a demand of Iraqi insurgents who kidnapped a Filipino truck driver.

"In my opinion, it would be counterproductive to tell the terrorists they can isolate one country or one of the participants in the coalition," he said. "This will encourage further developments which might be ... counterproductive for the whole political process in Iraq."

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Monday that "Romania is a stalwart NATO ally of the United States, and a key contributor to the international effort to help the people of Iraq."

On a domestic issue, Nastase said he is ready to run for president if his party decides that he's the best candidate.

The Social Democratic Party, which Nastase chairs, will choose its candidate at its congress in August, he said.

"I'm ready to go for it," Nastase told the news conference. "If the polls and the analysis will show - as some of my colleagues consider it will be the case - that I am the best candidate of my party, well, of course, I shall run."

Nastase, 54, became chairman of the party after 2000 presidential elections, when Iliescu became president and had to retire from the party's leadership. Rumors spread recently that Nastase, angered that Iliescu had not offered him public support, would step down from the party post.