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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-05-13
May 13, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] The Prime Minister Is Asking for Inquiries;
[02] Joint Session in Parliament;
[03] Proposals of Amnesty for Some Army Crimes in December 1989;
[04] Press Conference of CNS Cartel Alfa Trade Union Federation;
[05] WEU Ministerial Meeting in Rhodos;
[06] PDSR Leader Ion Iliescu Had Talks in Belgrade;
[07] International Conference on "Sibiu - European Confluences".
[01] The prime minister is asking for inquiries
Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile has asked his Control Department to
start investigating the State Printing Office where the stamps involved in
the "Cigarette Affair" were supposed to be printed. He has also asked the
department to investigate the activity at Romanian consulates abroad.
RADOR
[02] Joint session in parliament
While attending a joint session on Tuesday, the Romanian senators and
deputies have continued the debates they have started last week concerning
the draft project of setting up an inquiry commission to investigate the
smuggling incidents at the Otopeni Military Airport. The introduction of
the document was subject to another round of voting on Tuesday, and then
rejected by the plenum despite Opposition protests. The Opposition has left
the room when the president of the session, Vasile Lupu, said that the vote
should refer to all the responsibilities the commission would have. The
representatives of the Opposition organised a press conference and
condemned, as they put it, the new attempt of the Power to cover up the
"Otopeni Affair". The joint session on Tuesday has also approved the
request made by the Romanian president concerning the future international
military training exercise on Romanian territory in May-June 1998. At the
same session, the deputy representing the ruling Democratic Party (PS)
Alexandru Sassu, now a minister in the Vasile Cabinet, was replaced by PD
Deputy Iuliu Pacuraru as commissioner with the inquiry commission to
evaluate the current status of the Romanian Television. RADOR
[03] Proposal of amnesty for some army crimes in December 1989
At a PNTCD BCCC (ed.n. Coordination and Control Bureau of the ruling
Christian Democrat National Peasant Party) meeting on Tuesday, the
secretary of State with the Romanian National Defence Ministry (MApN),
Constantin Dudu Ionescu put forward the proposal of an amnesty for army
crimes during incidents in December 1989. PNTCD president Ion Diaconescu
said there were differences on the matter between party members as the
public opinion was still not prepared to approve such an amnesty. He
informed that both Mr Ionescu and the BCCC were expected to examine the
proposal and make a decision on the issue. The BCCC meeting also discussed
the existing differences between party members of the PNTCD branches in
Bihor, Arges and Gorj counties. RADOR
[04] Press conference of the CNS Cartel Alfa trade union federation
The leader of Cartel Alfa Trade Union National Confederation Ioan Homos
said the Executive accepted the protocol between his organisation and
former Ciorbea Cabinet signed in October last year. Mr Homos has informed
that all its demands were subject to debates in the Cabinet, and deadlines
were expected by the end of May for talks with social partners on draft
documents to be promoted in the very next future. The trade union leader
pointed out that it was for the first time when the prime minister put
officially forward the idea of negotiations to result in a social pact. The
government is to present its first version on the matter as soon as
possible. RADOR
[05] WEU ministerial meeting in Rhodos
The WEU ministerial meeting has ended in the Greek Island of Rhodos on
Tuesday. Romanian delegation included Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu and
Defence Minister Victor Babiuc. Back in Bucharest, Mr Plesu has informed
that the foreign and defence ministers in WEU member, partner and associate
countries have tried to redefine the role the organisation had to play in
the context of a new European security architecture. The minister added
that the talks also focused on latest developments in Kosovo province and
participants admitted that all European and Euro-Atlantic organisations
should intensify their efforts to find a solution to the crisis as soon as
possible. Participants included foreign and defence ministers in 28
countries. They have also agreed with the idea of establishing a European
arms agency. WEU President Luis Maria de Puigh has poited out the existing
differences between the WEU and the EU and stressed that international
cooperation should be developed according to the Amsterdam Treaty. The
declaration at the end of the meeting has also included a proposal made by
Romanian Defence Minister Victor Babiuc. He said that the participation of
partner states in NATO and WEU operations should be similar to the
participation of observer or associate states. RADOR
[06] PDSR leader Ion Iliescu had talks in Belgrade
In the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Tuesday, the Secretary General of the
Socialist Party in Serbia (SPS), Gorica Gajevic, met the former president
of Romania, Senator Ion Iliescu, the leader of the opposition Party of
Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR). Mr Gajevic has pointed out the
traditional friendly relations between the people of the two countries and
said that both the Romanian minority in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
and the Serbian minority in Romania should be the basic reason for
developing good relations between the two neighbouring countries. Ion
Iliescu said he understood the political position of Yugoslavia and
condemned the double-crossing policy that some states followed used on the
matter. The two politicians have shared the opinion that the cooperation
between their parties has improved the relations between the two countries
and people. RADOR
[07] International conference on "Sibiu - European Confluences"
Delegates of the European Commission, UNESCO and the UN as well as
officials and experts in architecture and restoration in nine European
countries attend a three-day international conference in the Transylvanian
city of Sibiu. They are expected to find solutions aimed at preserving the
treasures of medieval architecture in the historic centre of the city. In
his opening speech to the conference, Romanian President Emil
Constantinescu has pointed out that all the people should share the
responsibility of preserving culturalm national and European values. Here
are some excerpts of his address: "No one has the right to ignore or watch
in cold heart the ruin and destruction of cultural and historic treasures.
Our duty today, when we are trying to join the EU, is to intensify our
efforts and save this heritage. (...) The conference in Sibiu proves that
we are not alone in our efforts. Famous experts of European and world
institutions are here in the name of the values belonging to the European
spirit". RADOR
[08] Romanian participation in NATO's "Cooperative Lantern '98" military
training exercise
NATO's "Cooperative Lantern '98" training exercise is going on in the
Hungarian city of Balatonkenese. Participants include 900 officers and
troops in 18 European countries and the US. The Romanian delegation
includes the former UNAVEM 3 batallion operating in Angola under the UN
command last year. In a statement to the RRA, public relations officer
Alexandru Leaua has informed that the 25 Romanian officers participate in
both command and operational peace-keeping exercises. RADOR
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