DATE=4/30/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40213
TITLE=ROMANIA-NATO
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AS THE U-S SENATE VOTES ON WHETHER TO CONFIRM POLAND,
HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC AS THE NEXT NEW MEMBERS OF NATO,
THE CANDIDATES FOR A SECOND ROUND OF ENLARGEMENT HAVE A CHANCE TO
MAKE THEIR CASE. V-O-A'S RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, ROMANIA IS TRYING TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION.
TEXT: WHEN ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANDREI PLESU MET DEPUTY
SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT FOR LUNCH AT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, AMERICAN OFFICIALS SAY 85 PERCENT OF THE CONVERSATION
CONCERNED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO.
THE AMERICAN OFFICIALS BELIEVE THIS FOCUS ON A REGIONAL EVENT IS
MORE EVIDENCE THAT ROMANIA IS TAKING A WIDER INTEREST IN ITS
NEIGHBORHOOD, TRYING TO IMPROVE ITS CREDENTIALS FOR NATO
MEMBERSHIP WHEN THE ALLIANCE DECIDES TO ENLARGE AGAIN. THAT
DECISION COULD BE MADE AS SOON AS APRIL, 1999, WHEN NATO
CELEBRATES ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY AND IS EXPECTED TO ADD POLAND,
HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO BRING THE ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP
TO 19.
ROMANIA FEELS IT CAME CLOSE TO MEMBERSHIP AT MADRID LAST YEAR,
BUT FELL SHORT WHEN NATO DECIDED TO EXPAND BY ONLY THREE NATIONS
TO START.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL JOHN BERRY SAYS ROMANIA'S ENTHUSIASM
IS NOT THE PROBLEM.
///BERRY ACT///
IF EFFORT, DETERMINATION AND GOOD INTENTIONS WERE ENOUGH
TO QUALIFY FOR NATO MEMBERSHIP, CLEARLY ROMANIA WOULD BE
READY AND ELIGIBLE TODAY.
///END ACT///
MR. BERRY, SPEAKING AT A WASHINGTON (WILSON CENTER) CONFERENCE,
EXPLAINS THAT IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING ROMANIA IS SIMPLY NOT
READY. THE PROBLEM, AS MR. BERRY SEES IT, IS THAT ROMANIA'S
ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES HAVE FORCED THE GOVERNMENT TO CUT DEFENSE
SPENDING.
/// BERRY ACT ///
AS WELL-INTENTIONED, AS CLEARLY FOCUSED AS ROMANIA IS,
THEY ARE HELD BACK BY A RESTRICTIVE DEFENSE BUDGET.
THAT IS NOT CRITICISM; THAT IS SIMPLY REALITY. THESE
ARE ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES THAT THE COUNTRY IS WORKING
ASSIDUOUSLY TO OVERCOME, AND IT'S NOT A POLITICAL
CHOICE TO DOWNPLAY DEFENSE.
///END ACT///
ROMANIA'S DEFENSE BUDGET WAS CUT BY 10 PERCENT IN THE MIDDLE OF
LAST YEAR. MR. BERRY SAYS THOSE REDUCTIONS WILL MAKE ROMANIA'S
ROAD TO NATO THAT MUCH SLOWER.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL JONATHAN RICKERT, AT THE SAME
CONFERENCE, SAYS NATO WILL HAVE TO ABSORB POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE
CZECH REPUBLIC, BEFORE IT CAN FOCUS ON ROMANIA WITH ITS WEAK
ECONOMY.
///RICKERT ACT///
THE ECONOMY OF ROMANIA, LET'S FACE IT, IT'S BELOW THE
OTHER CURRENT NATO MEMBERS IN ECONOMIC TERMS, AND IT'S
THE LEAST TRANSFORMED, AND THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT HAVE
AN EFFECT -- A PRACTICAL EFFECT AND ALSO A PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECT -- ON ALL THE CURRENT NATO MEMBERS WHEN THEY COME
TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHO WILL BE NEXT.
///END ACT///
ECONOMIC PLANNER KEITH CRANE SAYS ROMANIA WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO
MAKE MILITARY IMPROVEMENTS, COMPARED TO POLAND AND HUNGARY, WITH
THEIR HIGHER STANDARDS OF LIVING.
///CRANE ACT///
HUNGARY AND POLAND MADE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN
MILITARY BUDGETS LAST AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR IN
PREPARATION FOR NATO. AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE BIG
PROBLEM IS THAT THEY NEED TO INVEST IN COMMUNICATIONS
AND COMPUTERS SO THEY CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR FUTURE
NATO ALLIES. AS WE HEARD BEFORE, THE ROMANIANS WERE
FORCED TO CUT THE MILITARY BUDGET BY 10 PERCENT.
///END ACT///
NATO IS NOT EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THE SECOND ROUND OF ENLARGEMENT
BEFORE MINISTERS MEET IN BRUSSELS NEXT DECEMBER TO PREPARE THE
1999 WASHINGTON SUMMIT. THE PRINCIPAL LOSERS AT THE MADRID
SUMMIT -- ROMANIA AND SLOVENIA -- ARE BUSILY WORKING TO IMPROVE
THEIR PROFILES FOR ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP, TO BE READY NEXT TIME
NATO EXPANDS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RP/WDC /MMK
30-Apr-98 3:53 PM EDT (1953 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.