In December 1999 the Helsinki summit allowed Romania to start negotiations with the European Union. What was exactly agreed on Helsinki and what are the bases for the negotiations regarding the full integration of Romania in the EU?
Romania has been invited to start negotiations with the European Union. That means that all the 12 states are now on the same side of the starting line for this edition process. Starting negotiations means technically to have a screening, that is, an analytic examination of the 31 chapters of the Aquis Comnunaitaire (a package of laws and regulations in the policies that are considered to be Aquis Communaitaire). All these 31 chapters will be examined consecutively. This year we start with the screening of twelve chapters and negotiations on five chapters. On the 15th of February 2000, the European Union, during its intergovernmental conference in Romania officially started negotiations. We have also a schedule proposed by ourselves to end this invitation process: 1st of January 2007. At that time we should be ready to propose the ratification of the Treaty between the European Union and Romania. In terms of the efforts Romania should do it, would mean to have a sustainable growth all over this period, starting this year with a modest one of probably around 2%. Next years growth should be around 6.5% a year. Today the GDP per capita in Romania calculated on the bases of the purchasing power is around US$ 4,000 and we should increase it to about US$ 9,000 in order to be able to integrate in the EU.
Can you tell us about the Romanian presidency of the OSCE in the year 2001?
We are part of the OSCE from the very beginning. We will hold the chairmanship of the OSCE in the year 2001. We are already in the Troika of OSCE. The leading group of the OSCE is formed by Troika: the country that held the presidency and the chairmanship in 1999 - Norway -, the country that is holding it at present - Austria - and the one that will have the chairmanship next year - Romania.
What means to chair the OSCE?
It is important to know that the OSCE is an institution that is action oriented. The most remarkable quality of OSCE is its capability to introduce action. This action of the OAC at different points in which all the countries agree to have OSCE missions are decided by the chairmanship together with the Troika, but mainly by the chairmanship. So the chairmanship can send missions and representatives and can propose solutions. Namely, just to speak about the present situation, OSCE is involved in many hot points: the Czech Republic, Georgia, Kosovo, Nogorno-Karavaj, Montenegro, Croatia and others. You can see that the OSCE is very important for the main directions, such as preventive diplomacy, conflict prevention, and after, conflict rebuilding and rehabilitation. It insures a set of values that are shared by all 54 states improving and enforcing the democratic values like freedom of the press, free elections, etc.
In which ways is the presidency of the OSCE related to the entry of Romania in NATO?
These things are not exactly related.
OSCE activities are complementary to the actions
of the United Nations or NATO, but they are not
doing the same thing. What we can say is that Romania
will cooperate with all the important countries.
OSCE is the only institutional organization where
small countries or medium countries are at the same
footing than the USA and Russia. That is the most
specific feature of OSCE. For instance, we have
agreed to fully cooperate and coordinate our actions
with the USA during our chairmanship of the OSCE.
In the meantime we have to propose and act in such
a manner as to insure a consensus because the real
value of the OSCE actions rests in its consensus.
We can bring together in some joint actions among
the USA, EU and Russia. |
Romania suffers from a negative international image. What efforts are you doing to establish a new, clean image?
First of all I think that the example of the democratization process of Romania is being recognized now as a valuable one. We have achieved a real democracy that is our own democracy, and not an imported one based, of course, on the way we recognize the values of a democracy. Romania has established solid credentials in some important points like minority rights, freedom of the press and many other things. About the bad image you have mentioned, it is our task to improve those situations that harmed Romania, not exactly internationally, but inside like the problems of the orphanages that is a world known problem. The Government is fully committed to resolve this problem in a new phase. The first one was just an emergency measure. Now it is a question of resolving the problem on institutional bases, on large bases and to be able to improve the life of children from these orphanages it is a tough task. I will give you one example. We can improve our image through an active presence of Romania in the international scene, in the media, in order to give a realistic image and appreciation of Romania today. Presently we are strongly working inside our country in order to repair and fix those things that need to go well.
What are the main objectives of foreign policy for the year 2000.
According to the Government program adopted by the Parliament we proposed five main objectives of the Romanian foreign policy for this year:
To successfully insure negotiations with the European Union
To successfully pursue our role into NATO according to the MAP (Membership Action Plan) proposed by the Washington summit last year
To successfully insure the OSCE chairmanship next year doing the right things this year
To operate and reinforce those lines of action that can actually increase the degree of integration of Romania into the globalization process
To exercise our foreign policy in accordance with the citizens wish in order to solve problems such as: visa problems, the international recognition of our high school diplomas, the promotion of Romanian business and the promotion of foreign investment in Romania in cooperation with Romanian businesses |
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS