144. Letter From President Reagan to Romanian President Ceausescu1
As you know, I am required by United States law to forward to the Congress by June 3 of each year a determination concerning continuation of Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) treatment for Romania. After considerable deliberation, which revealed strong congressional opposition and reservations within my own Administration, I have today signed a report to the Congress containing my determination to continue Romanian MFN for 1986–87.
This was a difficult decision for me. It will not be easy for the Administration to defend it in the Congress. In my December 6 letter,2 I wrote of the heartfelt concerns of large numbers of the American people regarding observance of religious freedom in Romania. I cannot accept, as you replied in your January 7 letter,3 that these concerns are artificial or unfounded. I personally share them. At my request, Secretary Shultz presented to you on December 154 proposals regarding Bibles and treatment of unrecognized religious groups that we believe are well within your discretionary power to accommodate. Our representatives have pursued these points in numerous conversations in Bucharest and Washington.
As I said in my December 6 letter, our interest has not been to undermine Romanian sovereignty or intervene in Romanian internal affairs, but to uphold the commitments that our two Governments have made to address basic human rights issues. Together with the United States Congress and public, I seek to allay serious concerns that threaten the careful balance in relations between our two countries. Your Government’s unwillingness to accommodate these concerns has placed at risk our policy, which benefits Romania substantially. I have decided that once again my Administration will seek to argue the case for continued Romanian MFN before the Congress, recognizing that we are under a severe handicap in doing so. Without meaningful steps on the part of your Government to [Page 394] address our concerns, however, there is no guarantee that we will be persuasive.
With best wishes,
Sincerely,
- Source: Reagan Library, Paula J. Dobriansky Files, Romania—EE MFN (9). No classification marking.↩
- See Document 139.↩
- Not found.↩
- See Document 140.↩