203. Memorandum of Conversation1
SUBJECT
- Secretaryʼs Meeting with Romanian Ambassador—U.S.-Romanian Bilateral Relations
PARTICIPANTS
- Ambassador Corneliu Bogdan, Embassy of Romania
- Gheorghe Ionita, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Romania
- The Secretary
- Robert I. Owen, Country Director, EUR/BRY
Ambassador Bogdan had asked for the appointment to review various bilateral and international matters following his recent return from Bucharest where he had seen, among others, Romanian President Ceausescu. He conveyed President Ceausescuʼs personal best wishes to the Secretary for the New Year.
Bogdan said President Ceausescu was very satisfied with his visit to the U.S. and is determined to follow up in expanding our bilateral relationships, most particularly our trade and economic relations. As evidence of this Romanian determination, Bogdan stated that a special Romanian task force under the chairmanship of First Deputy Foreign Trade Minister Nicolae had been established to coordinate measures for increasing trade and economic relations with the U.S. As current activities, he cited the present visit to the U.S. of the Romanian machine-building ministryʼs delegation, discussions with RCA and Corning Glass on possible joint ventures, talks with Robert B. Anderson concerning possible cooperation in marketing and production, and a recent visit to the U.S. of the head of the Romanian Foreign Trade Bank.
In response to the Secretaryʼs inquiry concerning the potential for tourism in Romania, Bogdan noted that agreement had been reached for Pan American to begin service between New York and Bucharest this coming spring, and that an Intercontinental hotel in Bucharest should be completed in March or April. He said 20,000 Americans visited Romania in 1970 and that the Romanians were hoping to expand this to 60,000 in 1971. They plan to enlarge and improve their tourist [Page 501] office activities here, feeling that a better public-relations effort is necessary. The Secretary noted the advantage in tourism advertising of focusing on one or more attractions unique to a given country rather than making general appeals which frequently are less competitive.
Bogdan said the Romanians hope to expand exchange visits, having in mind reciprocal visits by representatives of the Romanian Economic Council and of President Nixonʼs Council of Economic Advisors, parliamentarians of the two countries, and regional officials (governors and mayors), to cite a few possibilities. Bogdan said he already had had an exploratory talk with Council of Economic Advisors Chairman McCracken.
Bogdan said there were two specific matters to which he would like to give a push, namely the Romanian interest in opening trade representation offices in Chicago and San Francisco, and in reaching early agreement on a U.S.-Romanian consular convention. He opined that remaining differences between the two negotiating sides were insignificant except for the questions of immunities and the taking of notarials and even these could be resolved readily if we both try a little harder. The Secretary agreed that we should move ahead promptly on the consular convention and assured the Ambassador of his personal support in this regard.2
To Bogdanʼs inquiry as to prospects for early action in response to the Romanian interest in acquiring MFN treatment and EXIM Bank facilities, the Secretary observed that the Department has submitted appropriate recommendations to the White House, that he favors and believes that the President favors assisting Romania in this regard, but that much depends on an assessment of the next Congress which would have to take legislative action. Bogdan responded only that although he is aware of the various complications and considerations he still has great confidence in the powers of the President. He said that, in other words, the President can get what he wants.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL ROM–US. Confidential. Drafted by Owen and approved in S on January 22. The meeting took place in the Secretaryʼs office. The memorandum is part I of II. Part II is ibid.↩
- An agreement was signed at Bucharest on July 5, 1972, and entered into force on July 6, 1973. For text, see TIAS 7643.↩