DATE=7/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235528
TITLE=CLINTON / ROMANIA ONITER (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:   PRESIDENT CLINTON MEETS TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITH 
ROMANIAN PRESDENT EMIL CONSTANTINESCU, WHO IS ON A WEEK-LONG U-S 
VISIT TO PRESS HIS COUNTRY'S BID FOR NATO MEMBERSHIP. HE IS THE 
FIRST ROMANIAN  PRESIDENT TO VISIT WASHINGTON SINCE THE FALL OF 
COMMUNISM THERE NINE YEARS AGO. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS MORE FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE.



TEXT:  ROMANIA CONSIDERS EARLY ADMISSION TO NATO THE KEY TO ITS 
FURTHER INTEGRATION INTO EUROPEAN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC 
INSITUTIONS. AND IT HAS PRESSED NON-STOP FOR MEMBERSHIP EVEN 
THOUGH THE ALLIANCE HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT ITS INITIAL EXPANSION TO
POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC. 

IN A SPEECH TO A JOINT MEETING OF CONGRESS ON THE EVE OF HIS 
WHITE HOUSE VISIT, PRESIDENT CONSTANTINESCU SAID ROMANIA CAN BE 
"AN ANCHOR OF STABILITY" AND IS EAGER TO DO ITS PART FOR THE 
ALLIANCE AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN EUROPEAN HISTORY:             
                                    

                 ///CONSTANTINESCU ACTUALITY///

         WE WELCOME THE CHANCE TO SHARE OUR PART OF THE BURDEN OF
         SECURING A PEACEFUL FUTURE FOR ALL OF EUROPE. BUT TO DO 
         THAT, WE NEED YOUR HELP. IN MANY WAYS, THIS MOMENT IS AS
         CRUCIAL TO THE FUTURE OF EUROPE AS WERE THE YEARS AFTER 
         WORLD WAR TWO THAT FIRST GAVE BIRTH TO NATO ITSELF. 

                       ///END ACT///                  

MR. CONSTANTINESCU SAID HIS COUNTRY WAS THE FIRST EAST EUROPEAN 
STATE TO JOIN NATO'S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE AND HAS RESOLVED 
ETHNIC AND BORDER PROBLEMS WITH NEIGHBORING STATES TO MEET 
CONDITIONS FOR FULL ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP.

HIS GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO EMBARKED ON A CONTROVERSIAL 
ONE-POINT-FIVE BILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM TO BUILD U-S-DESIGNED 
HELICOPTERS AS PART OF AN EFFORT TO BRING ITS ARMED FORCES INTO 
LINE WITH NATO STANDARDS.

IN HIS SPEECH TO CONGRESS, MR. CONSTANTINESCU STRESSED HIS 
COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC REFORM  -- WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE 
PROCESS HAS BEEN MORE DIFFICULT THAN ROMANIANS HAD EXPECTED 
FOLLOWING THE OVERTHROW OF COMMUNIST DICTATOR NICOLAE CEAUSESCU 
IN 1989.

HIS WASHINGTON VISIT RECIPROCATES A VISIT BY PRESIDENT CLINTON TO
BUCHAREST ONE YEAR AGO. (SIGNED)



NEB/DAG/PT

15-Jul-98 6:33 PM EDT (2233 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.