Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume X, Eastern Europe

158. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Romania¹

189841.

Washington, June 20, 1987, 0731Z

SUBJECT

• Possible Threat to Great Synagogue in Bucharest: Assistant Secretary Ridgway’s Meetings With Romanian Ambassador.

REF

• A) State 188469;²
• B) Bucharest 4900.³

1. Confidential—Entire text.

2. EUR A/S Ridgway called in Romanian Ambassador Gavrilescu June 18 to express USG’s strong concern at having learned that demolition of Bucharest’s Great Synagogue may still be under consideration.

3. After delivering a demarche based upon the talking points contained in Ref. A, Para. 3, Ambassador Ridgway stressed to Gavrilescu her personal shock that demolition of this historic building could still be under consideration. She said that she had been among those who had testified to the Congress last year about the Romanian Government’s commitment to preserve the Great Synagogue, the Choral Synagogue, and the building housing the Jewish museum. Her personal assurance had been given. As a result, if any question remained about this issue, she would be unwilling to testify in favor of MFN renewal unless she were expressly ordered to do so.

4. Ambassador Ridgway emphasized the urgent need for the GOR to reiterate to the Romanian Chief Rabbi its commitment not to demolish these buildings, and to confirm to the USG that it had done so. In view of the uncertainty that has been created, a mere denial of intention to demolish would not suffice. In conclusion, Ambassador Ridgway observed that it had been very hard to obtain congressional approval for Romanian MFN in 1986, in part because of the demolition of the “Spanish” synagogue and subsequent refusal of the American Jewish community to testify for MFN renewal. That situation had been bad enough; if similar uncertainties now arise because of the demolition issue, this year’s task would be impossible.

5. Gavrilescu replied that he had heard nothing about any change in GOR policy regarding the Great Synagogue. He promised to report Ambassador Ridgway’s demarche to Bucharest.

6. Ambassador Gavrilescu paid a return call on Ambassador Ridgway at his request on the afternoon of June 19 to report that the Romanian MFA had authorized him to inform the Department that there is no truth to claims that the GOR planned to demolish the Great Synagogue. Bucharest city authorities had conveyed this information to an official of the Jewish community earlier June 19 in the absence of Rabbi Rosen, who is in Israel. Gavrilescu suggested that the whole matter was the result of a misunderstanding on the part of the Rabbi.

7. When asked specifically by Ambassador Ridgway whether the GOR had, in accordance with our demarche of June 18, provided assurances to a Jewish community official that the Great Synagogue and the two other historic buildings would not be demolished, Gavrilescu responded affirmatively. Ambassador Ridgway then asked whether Gavrilescu could confirm these same assurances to the USG, which he said he could. Ambassador Ridgway suggested it would be helpful if the MFA could provide the name of the Jewish community leader to whom the assurances had been given.

8. Gavrilescu then turned to the upcoming congressional hearings on Romania’s MFN status. Ambassador Ridgway indicated that we expected as many as five different sets of hearings in the weeks ahead.⁴ The first hearing will be on June 24 before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations of the House Foreign Affairs Committee which is particularly interested in the human rights situation in Romania. Ambassador Ridgway indicated that the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East is also considering hearings. Further hearings will probably be held by the committees with jurisdiction over the MFN renewal issue.

Armacost

1. Source: Reagan Library, Rudolf Perina Files, Subject File, Romania—Bilateral 1987 (2). Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. An unknown hand wrote at the top of the telegram, “R—see para 8.”
2. Telegram 188469 to Bucharest, sent June 19, transmitted talking points for the démarche that the Ambassador was to make to the Foreign Ministry. (Reagan Library, Rudolf Perina Files, Subject File Romania—Bilateral 1987 (1))
3. See Document 157.
4. An unknown hand drew two lines beside this sentence in the right-hand margin and wrote, “Gus Yatron (D–PA); according to State is a strong human rights advocate but intelligent in his approach compared to some others. Schifter slated to testify but Bill Ferrand may go. If he does Tom Simons will go with.”