USIA - Text: Albright, Romanian Foreign Minister Severin, 97-04-21

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TEXT: ALBRIGHT, ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SEVERIN 4/21

(Remarks prior to their meeting) (1230)

The two held a brief press availability prior to their meeting. Albright praised Romania for "its free and fair elections, its courageous economic reforms, its historic treaty with Hungary, its active participation and membership in the Partnership for Peace, and its generous participation in multinational peacekeeping operations such as the current operation in Albania."

She said no decision has been made on which countries will immediately be invited to join NATO, and reaffirmed that "NATO remains open to all European democracies that are able to contribute to its goals. While NATO's enlargment will begin at Madrid, it will not end there. NATO will continue to work with all of its partners who wish to meet its criteria for membership."

Severin said "we are sure that Romania could meet the criteria for NATO membership. We are looking towards our NATO membership as being the confirmation of a unified Europe and as being a confirmation that Romania really belongs to the democratic family."

Following is the transcript of the press availability.

(Begin text)

U.S. State Department

April 21, 1997

REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT AND ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ADRIAN SEVERIN PRIOR TO THEIR MEETING

With Romania's democratic transformation, our two nations have established strong and friendly relations. We are working together to lay political, economic, and security foundations of a new trans-Atlantic community. I congratulate Romania for its many contributions to this endeavor, including its free and fair elections, its courageous economic reforms, its historic treaty with Hungary, its active participation and membership in the Partnership for Peace, and its generous participation in multinational peacekeeping operations such as the current operation in Albania.

Today, Foreign Minister Severin and I will review Romania's new agreement with the International Monetary Fund. We will discuss Romania's efforts to promote regional stability through its treaty negotiations with Ukraine. We will compare notes on the overall situation in Europe and we will discuss plans to further enhance security cooperation through an enlarged NATO, a new Atlantic Partnership Council, and a NATO-Russia Charter.

I applaud Romania's aspirations to join NATO. I will reaffirm that NATO remains open to all European democracies that are able to contribute to its goals. While NATO's enlargment will begin at Madrid, it will not end there. NATO will continue to work with all of its partners who wish to meet its criteria for membership.

The common goal of the United States and Romania is to build a Europe that is free, unified, peaceful, and prosperous. During this decade, Romania's tremendous progress has provided inspiration on both sides of the Atlantic. I welcome Foreign Minister Severin's visit and anticipate a close partnership between our two nations in the years to come.

Mr. Minister.

FOREIGN MINISTER SEVERIN: Good afternoon. The message of the Romanian Government to the American administration is the following: We are looking forward to a close partnership with the United States of America. I am here to say what Romania can deliver, what Romania can offer this partnership, and not to ask what the United States can and will give to Romania.

I am here to stress the fact that we are and we could be a reliable partner. I am here to say that Romania has acted in full repsonsibility in her own geographical area, geo-strategic area. We have improved, stabilized, normalized, and strengthened the relationship with all of our neighbors -- trying to build structures of stability and security even before the NATO Summit in Madrid will make its final decision for the process to be started.

I am sure that Romania could offer the support of a dynamic factor of stabilization in the Balkan area, being the central European country -- the closest to this very unfortunate turmoiled area. We are sure that Romania could meet the criteria for NATO membership. We are looking towards our NATO membership as being the confirmation of a unified Europe and as being a confirmation that Romania really belongs to the democratic family.

I am looking forward to the discussion today with Secretary of State Albright. I am sure that these discussion will be substantial and very useful as far as the future relationsip and the future democratic process in Romania is concerned. Thank you very much.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, do you have any commnets on the current hostage situation at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, where the Romanov exhibit is being held up by Russian (inaudible)?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think that's slightly overstating the case. This is an issue of a private contract that the U.S. Government is not involved in. It is an issue between the two parties to the contract.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, Mr. Tarnoff has been sent to Europe to talk to the Europeans about Iran. Have you sent him to negotiate a new common policy on Iran, which might involve changes in U.S. policy as well as European policy? Or is he just they to tell the Europeans that they ought to do what they are already doing?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: We have a very clear policy on Iran. It has basically to do with Iran's behavior in its support for terrorism, its lack of support for the Middle East Peace Process, and its policy towards weapons of mass destruction. We consider it very important that our policy remain firm and clear. What Under Secretary Tarnoff has gone to Europe to discuss is cooperation in light of the Mykonos trial verdict in Germany, and to make clear that our policy will remain as it is, and (we) hope very much for additional cooperation and discussion with the Europeans about it. But we have no intention of changing our policy.

QUESTION: I would like to know if you think that Romania's efforts to get into NATO are consistent enough and energetic enough?

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: As I mentioned in my statement, we are most admiring of what has been going on in Romania and the progress that has been made in establishing democracy and free market principles. No decisions have been made as of yet on who will enter NATO immediately, but as I have also said, the door to NATO membership will remain open; the first shall not be the last. We are very pleased with the partnership activities that we have been involved in with Romania already. As I mentioned, not only the activities of Romania as far as Albania is concerned, but their participation in SFOR andother peacekeeping operations. Romania is a very good partner and we are looking forward to working with Romania further in the future.

FOREIGN MINISTER SEVERIN: Well, I have no comment. In fact, I fully agree with what the Secretary has said.

(End transcript)

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