Office of the Historian

72. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, May 15, 1981, 11:30–11:45 a.m.

SUBJECT

  • The President’s Meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Stefan Andrei

PARTICIPANTS

  • President Ronald Reagan
  • Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
  • Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Richard V. Allen
  • Assistant Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger (European Affairs)
  • Harry Barnes, former U.S. Ambassador to Romania (interpreter)
  • Paula Dobriansky, NSC Staff Member
  • Foreign Minister Stefan Andrei
  • Romanian Ambassador to U.S. Nicolae Ionescu
  • Corneliu Bogdan, Director for the Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The President opened the meeting by welcoming Foreign Minister Andrei. (C)

Foreign Minister Andrei responded by expressing his thanks and gratitude for having the opportunity to meet with the President and by conveying President Ceausescu’s best wishes and warm regards to the President. He went on to stress the great importance Romania attaches to its relations with the United States—particularly in the political and economic realm. Specifically, he referred to the importance of MFN being extended to Romania and the fact that the United States constitutes Romania’s third largest trading partner. Both developments have significantly broadened their overall relations. Lastly, he mentioned that Romania is seeking to strengthen cooperation in the international field and hopes the U.S. will join in this effort. (S)

The President replied that he respected Romania’s independent and special position within the Warsaw Pact and hoped that it will continue to pursue such an autonomous course. (S)

In response, the Foreign Minister assured the President that Romania will continue to support this policy and added it would be of great assistance if the U.S. would join Romania in its efforts to lessen international tensions. (S)

The President then reaffirmed his wholehearted approval of Romania’s independent course and the need to maintain good bilateral relations. (S)

Foreign Minister Andrei went on to say that he would be meeting with Secretary of State Haig in the afternoon,2 at which time he would continue to discuss and explain the Romanian position on some very pressing issues. That very morning President Ceausescu had given him instructions regarding Lebanon, and he wanted to discuss this issue with the Secretary of State. (S)

The Foreign Minister again expressed and emphasized the importance of good U.S.-Romanian relations and specifically made reference to Secretary of Commerce Baldrige’s May 14–15 trip to Bucharest. He maintained that Baldrige’s trip signified an expression of U.S. goodwill. He then conveyed President Ceausescu’s invitation to the President to visit Romania and said he sincerely hoped the President will accept this invitation. (S)

The President replied that he looked forward to the invitation. (S)

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The Foreign Minister added that a Presidential visit to Bucharest would be a clear manifestation of the special relationship between the U.S and Romania. (S)

At this point the meeting concluded to enable Foreign Minister Andrei to attend a luncheon at the State Department and to meet with Secretary of State Haig. (C)

  1. Source: Reagan Library, Paula J. Dobriansky Files, Romania—Correspondence (1). Secret. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. No drafting information appears on the memorandum of conversation. Allen sent a copy to Haig and Baldrige under a May 26 covering memorandum. (Ibid.)↩
  2. See Document 73.↩