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RADOR: News from Romania, 97-05-08
May 8, 1997
CONTENTS
[01] The Traty with Ukraine
[02] King Michael I Has Left Romania
[03] Romanian Defence Minister Is Visiting Germany
[04] Romania Is Praized at the UN
[05] Ion Diaconesc Was Received by Pope John Paul II
[06] Weather in Romania
[07] Currency Rates.
[01] The Treaty with Ukraine
The basic treaty, which was iniatilled in Kev last Saturday the foreign
ministers of Romania and Ukraine sets out among other things that "the
existing border between them is inviolable". The document also says that
"the contracting parties will conclude separate traty on the regime of the
border between the two states and will settle the delimitation of their
continental shelf and of the exclusive Black Sea economic zones by an
exchange of letters between the foreign ministers, which will take place
upon the signing of this treaty". Article 13 says that for the protection
of the identity of the Romanian minority in Ukraine and of the Ukrainian
minority in Romania, the two countries will aMlly the existing
international standards including the Council of Europe's Convention on the
protection of national minorities. The treaty with Ukraine was finalized at
the end of three years of negociations, when a compromise formula was
reached to the historical past, marked especially by the loss of
territories by Romania under the 1939 Ribbentrop- Molotov Pact, territories
which now are parte of Ukraine.
Yesterday, after the meeting between president Emil Constantinescu with
leaders of the opposition parliamentary parties, the Party of Social
Democracy of Romania announced that it will vote for the traty butit
suggested that the treaty be signed after the NATO summit in Madrid. The
Romanians' National Unity Party instead announced that it will vote against
the ratification of the document in this form, because it contains no
reference to the 1939 pact and does not protect the interest of the
Romanian minority in Ukraine. RRI-RADOR, May 8
[02] King Michael I has left Romania
"The impression I'm leaving with is that I have found again tha Romania I
knew once, I am very impressed by the way I was welcomed everywhere". This
statement was made in Bucharest on Wednesday by former Romanian sovereign
King Michael I on the last day of a private visit together with his family
which lasted two weeks and which included various localities and areas in
Romania. He added that it was premature to speak about settling in Romania
for good.
Forced by communist to abdicate in 1947, King Michael, now aged 75, resides
in Switzerland. After 1989, the former post-communist regime of Romania
allowed him the country only once, at Easter time in 1992. The new regime
which came to power after the November 1996 elections restored Romanian
citizenship to King Michael. The current private visit paid by the King,
between April 25 and May 7, is the second this year, after one in March
which lasted five days. RRI-RADOR, May 8
[03] Romanian defence minister is visiting Germany
Romanian defenMe minister Victor Babiuc, now on a visit to Germany, has
reiterated in Bonn Romania's arguments for accession to NATO in the first
wave. Invoking geo-strategic aspects and "the logic of the process of
reform" of the Romanian armed forces, the Romanian minister said that
Romania's admission in the first wave would be in the interest not only of
Bucharest but also of NATO. According to Mr Babiuc, Romania waould be the
chain in the southern flank of the organization which would make the link
with the Ukrainian and the trans-Caucasus space, being also an important
factor in the Black Sea basin and in the Balkans. The Romanian minister
also said that according to international estimates, the cost of the
Romanian army's reform in the next 8 to 10 years would run to 3 billion USD
in the event of a fast integration into NATO. This cost would be by 40%
higher in the case of Romania's not being admitted to the Alliance. RRI-
RADOR, May 8
[04] Romania is praized at the UN
Romania was elected in the UN Committee for Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice during the recent session of the economic and social Council in New
York. Its mandate with the UN Narcotics Committee has been extended for
another four years. One of Romania's representatives was re-elected deputy
chairman of the UN Commission on Disarmament. RRI-RADOR, May 8
[05] Ion Diaconescu was received by Pope John Paul II
The speaker of Romania's House of Deputies Ion Diaconescu was granted a
special audience by Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. The Romanian high
official presented the situation in Romania to the Pontiff and thanked the
Vatican for the constant support given to the Romanian people. The Pope
said Romania could also count on the Holy-See's support in the future. The
speaker of the Romanian House of Deputies is on a two-day visit to the
Vatican. He is going to be received by Italian president Oscar Luigi
Scalfaro and will meet the chairman of the two Houses in Italian
Parliament. RRI-RADOR, May 8
[06] Weather in Romania
Weather in Romania remains warm and sunny in most of the country. Some rain
falls are possible in Northern and Western regions where temperatures will
be lower as well. Temperatrures will range from 13 centigrades in the
morning to 28 centigrades at noon. RADOR, May 8
[07] Currency rates
1 USD = 7,097 lei; 1 DEM = 4,118 lei; 1 GBP = 11,607 lei; 1 CHF = 4, 851
lei; 1 FRF = 1,220 lei; 1 XEU = 8,034 lei. RADOR, May 8
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