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

63. Telegram From the Embassy in Romania to the Department of State¹

920.

Bucharest, February 5, 1981, 1413Z

SUBJECT

• Romanian Invitation to Secretary Haig.

REF

• A) State 29279,
• B) Bucharest 733 (Nodis).²

1. C—Entire text.

2. I delivered the Secretary’s message contained in reftel to Foreign Minister Andrei at 11:00 am today, February 5, just before he left he left for the airport for the arrival of Syrian President Assad. I informed Andrei the Secretary had asked me to tell him he looked forward to meeting him.

3. Andrei said he looked forward to meeting Secretary Haig. He then read the Secretary’s message and thanked me for bringing it personally. He asked that I transmit his best regards to the Secretary and stress the importance of the invitation he had conveyed on February 4 when he received me along with Belgrade Charge John Scanlan (reported septel).³ The invitation for the Secretary to visit Romania was made at President Ceausescu’s behest, Andrei said. Concerned by many difficult and threatening international situations, including some recent developments in Europe, Ceausescu would especially welcome an opportunity to discuss them with Secretary Haig. Therefore he hoped that during a forthcoming trip to Europe the Secretary would be able to include a stop in Bucharest.

4. For his part, Andrei said, he planned a trip to Argentina and Brazil in April or May (the Brazilian Ambassador noted that possibility last night), and a stop in Washington might be possible at that time.

5. I told Andrei I would convey the invitation just as he presented it to me, carefully noting President Ceausescu’s personal interest. While I did not yet have an answer to his message of January 30, reftel B, on Libya, I assured him that I would contact him as soon as it was received. As I left, Andrei mentioned once more Romania’s desire to collaborate with the new U.S. administration.

Aggrey

1. Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Country File, Europe and Soviet Union, Romania (01/31/1981–05/14/1984). Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room.
2. Telegram 29279 to Bucharest, February 4, contained the Secretary of State’s reply to a congratulatory message from Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D810053–1043) Telegram 733 from Bucharest, January 30, conveyed Libya’s offer, made through Romania, to resume full diplomatic relations with the United States. (Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Country File, Europe and Soviet Union, Romania (01/31/1981–05/14/1984))
3. Telegram 922 from Bucharest, February 5, described Aggrey and Scanlan’s meeting with Andrei. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D810055–0749)