http://www.nineoclock.ro/index.php?page=detalii <http://www.nineoclock.ro/index.php?page=detalii&categorie=politics&id=20070 510-507748> &categorie=politics&id=20070510-507748
"I do not want to see Romania giving up its commitments" warns Daniel Fried, Assistant to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice published in issue 3929 page 5 at 2007-05-11 Bucharest - Daniel Fried (photo), Assistant to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, was in Romania. He transmitted to the leaders from Bucharest to settle the political crisis, to not forget its commitments in Iraq and to give up the variant of involving Moscow in the political games from Romania, reads "Evenimentul zilei" referring to an extensive interview given by the American official to the newspaper after his meetings with the impeached President Traian Basescu, PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu and the leader of the Opposition Mircea Geoana. Fried sees the atmosphere from Romania as very confuse and tense. US want a strong and active Romania, that would look towards the horizon instead of using up its energies. "Secretary of State Rice estimates that we must be confident in the democracy from Romania. This is another aspect of the message that I have brought," stated Daniel Fried in the quoted interview. He cautions that further to the extension of the crisis it is not necessarily the Romanian-American relations that will have to suffer, but the interest of Romania. Daniel Fried says in that the domestic political crisis should not be attributed to the Russians, the Romanians did it by themselves. We discussed about the Russians (with the Romanian officials - editor's note) and we believe that the Romanians and the Americans should not consider them opponents. We want a powerful, not a weak Russia, but powerful in the terms of the 21st century. Concerning the energy dependence of Romania, Daniel Fried says that Bucharest alone must decide over its own energy policy - one more reason for which it is necessary to have a stable and capable Government. The US Assistant Secretary of State shows that the Government must assure a favourable climate for investments, it is necessary to have a functional Government. "We also want to see Romania as an active presence in the world. You are NATO members, and NATO is active in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq", he said. In his view, issues such as the pull out of the Romanian troops from Iraq should not be discussed in the middle of a political crisis. Hopefully, you will not make major and long term decisions in the domain of national security, is the message of Daniel Fried who adds: "I do not want to see Romania giving up the its commitments, the same as you would not like to see America renouncing its commitments, including those of defending Romania". Concerning the US bases from Romania, Daniel Fried is very satisfied: "It works very well, our people are delighted and there are no complaints". The Assistant Secretary of State shows that US want to discuss with Romania about the anti-missile shield, how it can be part of this system, and even to approach the issue in Russia-NATO Council. "We must be transparent with the Russians and offer them a partnership", declares Fried, who denies categorically, on another hand, that the bases from Romania could be used for an attack against Iran. VISA Waiver programme The Foreign Affairs Minister Adrian Cioroianu discussed with Fried on Wednesday about the interest of Romania to be included in the Visa Waiver programme, informs MAE, quoted by Mediafax. Several issues of interest of the bilateral relations, and at regional level, were approached during the discussions, the interest to attract American investments to the Romanian economy was expressed, reads a MAE press release. The two also discussed about the interest of Romania to be included in the Visa Waiver programme and to continue the collaboration in the global campaign against terrorism. Cioroianu stressed the determination of the Romanian party to assure the success of the next NATO summit, due in Bucharest, in April 2008. The Visa Waiver programme, run by the US authorities, allows the citizens from certain countries to travel to the US for tourism or business purposes, for a period of maximum 90 days, without a visa. by Nine oClock <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (C) 2000-2005 Nine o'Clock ---------------------------- Vali "Noble blood is an accident of fortune; noble actions are the chief mark of greatness." (Carlo Goldoni) "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." (Jimi Hendrix)
