----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 11:28 AM Subject: [romania-economics] news Stick with reforms, France urges EU candidate Romania
Stick with reforms, France urges EU candidate Romania BUCHAREST, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Romania must stick to its reform path if it is to achieve its ambition of joining the European Union with Bulgaria in 2007, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said in an interview out on Monday. "Romania must in no case slacken the efforts it has undertaken in the context of its accession negotiations," Raffarin told the Adevarul (Truth) daily newspaper. Paris supported the wrapping up of entry negotiations this year followed by the signature of an accession treaty as early as possible in 2005 and entry on January 1, 2007, Raffarin said. "The next stages should not lead to a slowing down in the pace of the implementation of reforms," said the French leader, adding that "significant efforts" were essential. Romania still has to complete three of the 30 accession chapters needed to ready itself for membership of the 25-nation bloc -- justice and internal affairs; environment; and competition. The government of Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, which faces an increasingly tough re-election battle in November, has to hammer out an agreement with Brussels before the end of the year. Raffarin said there were no plans to hold a referendum in France on Romania's membership of the European Union, saying it would be approved by parliament. French President Jacques Chirac has promised French voters a referendum on Turkey's entry to the European Union, which is opposed by a large around 75 percent of French voters, including many in Chirac's ruling conservative party. 10/17/04 12:06 ET ########################################### This message has been scanned by F-Secure Anti-Virus for Microsoft Exchange. For more information, connect to http://www.F-Secure.com/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/RR.olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> EuroAtlantic Club: http://www.europe.org.ro/euroatlantic_club/ *** Birou de traduceri autorizate. Oana Gheorghiu - tel/fax: 252.8681 / [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romania_eu_list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
