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RADOR: News from Romania, 00-03-09
March 9, 2000
CONTENTS
[01] Results of the Visit Payed by Foreign Affairs Minister Petre Roman to
Great Britain
[02] 52nd Meeting of the French Institute of High Studies for National
Defense
[03] The Team of Specialists in Environment of the European Commission
Ended Their Visit to Maramures
[04] Seminar Hosted by the United States Embassy
[05] The Parliament Voted the Members of the College of the National
Council for the Study of the Security Archives
[06] Changes in the Parliamentary Commissions
[07] Legislative Priorities
[08] Statement Made by Stephane Cosse, IMF Representative in Romania
[09] The State Borrows from the Population
[10] The Head of State Assures Some Requests of the Pensioners Will Be
Solved
[01] Results of the Visit Payed by Foreign Affairs Minister Petre Roman to
Great Britain
On Wednesday evening, foreign affairs minister Petre Roman returned from
the visit payed to London at the invitation of his British counterpart
Robin Cook. The head of Romanian diplomacy said the talks held with British
politicians and businessmen proved Romania started having closer relations
with the Euro-Atlantic institutions. According to RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI,
during his meetings the Romanian foreign affairs minister suggested the
organization of an economic summit to be hosted by Bucharest, to discuss
the economic reforms in Eastern and Central European countries in
connection with the process of joining the European Union. The parties also
agreed that Romania would fully cooperate in the British initiative
regarding a more efficient system for deterring drug and people smuggling.
RADOR
[02] 52nd Meeting of the French Institute of High Studies for National
Defense
Bucharest hosts the 52nd meeting of the French Institute of High Studies
for National Defense, who is on a study mission in South-Eastern Europe
regarding NATO integration and EU joining. The 88 French participants, high
military and administrative officials, will meet important representatives
of the Romanian political and business milieux. On Wednesday, the French
delegation headed by vice-admiral Jacques Celerier met Senate chairman
Mircea Ionescu Quintus and Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, state secretary in the
Foreign Affairs Ministry, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI informs. The
discussions focused on the development of armed forces, and on the economic
aspects of equipping the Army. The Senate chairman tried to explain to the
French guests the reasons of the difficulties in implementing the reform of
the armed forces, remining that Romania experienced since 1989 one of the
most oppressive totalitary regimes in Eastern Europe. RADOR
[03] The Team of Specialists in Environment of the European Commission
Ended Their Visit to Maramures
The team of experts in enviroment of the European Commission, who held
talks with representatives of the local administration and specialists
ended their visit in Maramures. Two projects in view of reducing the
pollution in Baia Mare and the county of Maramures were accepted, one
regarding the supply with drinkable water of several towns, and one
regarding the recycling of solid residues in Baia Mare. The projects will
be forwarded to the European Commission, and will be financed from the
funds allocated to the program ISPA Environment, mentioned the
correspondent of RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI. RADOR
[04] Seminar Hosted by the United States Embassy
On Wednesday, US ambassador in Romania James Rosapepe opened the
proceedings of the seminar dealing with the legal procedures Romanian
businessmen travelling to the United States have to follow in view of
obtaining visa. The seminar was co-organized by the United States Embassy
and the Romanian-American Capital & Trade Development Group, and was
chaired by Mrs. Linda Dodd-Major, director for business relations in the
Immigration and Naturalization Bureau of the Justice Department. Ambassador
James Rosapepe said, quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, the seminar was
one of the actions aiming at fostering the Romanian-American economic
relations. RADOR
[05] The Parliament Voted the Members of the College of the National
Council for the Study of the Security Archives
The Parliament approved, with 248 votes in favour and 2 against, the list
of members of the College of the Nationa Council for the Study of the
Security Archives. The members were afterwards sworn in by the two
Chambers. RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI specifies the oposition MPs did not
take part in the voting. RADOR
[06] Changes in the Parliamentary Commissions
The two Chambers of Parliament approved the replacement of senator Radu
Vasile with the PNTCD representative George Achim in the Romanian
delegation to the Council of Europe, and the replacement of the late
lamented Ion Ratiu with PNTCD deputy Iftene Pop in the Romanian delegation
to the North Atlantic Assembly, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI reports. Deputy
Adrian Videanu became secretary of the Commission monitoring the activity
of the Romanian Information Service, replacing Liviu Spataru, while PD
deputy Horia Vasioiu became chairman of the Commission monitoring the
activity of the External Information Service, replacing George Serban.
RADOR
[07] Legislative Priorities
The Government forwarded the Standing Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies the
list of legislative priorities, asking for the speeding up of the vote on
11 draft laws and ordinances. According to RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, the
list includes, among others, the draft on preventing and punishing
corruption, the draft regarding the saveguarding of secrete information,
and the draft regarding some measures to assure the observance of copyright
by the customs officers. RADOR
[08] Statement Made by Stephane Cosse, IMF Representative in Romania
Stephane Cosse, IMF representative in Romania, said in an exclusive for
RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI that the IMF did not yet answer Romanian
Government's request of technically extending the stand-by agreement, to
end on March 31. The last IMF mission to Romania promissed the agreement
would be extended by 11 months, on condition the Parliament approved the
budget till the end on March and the issue of salaries payed from the state
budget was solved. As these conditions could not possibly be fulfilled in
due time, the prime minister asked for the technical extension of the
agreement. RADOR
[09] The State Borrows from the Population
The Finance Ministry will launch in March 9 issues of state bonds in view
of coverning the budget deficit. According to the TV station PRIMA, the
total value of the issue of "Treasury bonds with discount" exceeds 8,000
billion lei. The bonds will not benefit from tax facilities, according to
an order signed by finance minister Decebal Traian Remes. The Finance
Ministry will increase or decrease the borrowed values due to the issues
according to the Treasury's financial needs. RADOR
[10] The Head of State Assures Some Requests of the Pensioners Will Be
Solved
On Wednesday, president Emil Constantinescu payed a visit to the Alms-house
in Straulesti. The pensioners raised the question of their low incomes. The
head of state assured some of the requests would be solved by implementing
the Law regarding social protection of elderly people, and by the Law
regarding the public system of pensions, to be voted on March 10, RADIO
ROMANIA ACTUALITATI reports. RADOR
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