[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 107 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8391-S8392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AUTHORIZING EXTENSION OF MFN TREATMENT TO THE PRODUCTS OF ROMANIA

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 3161, which was received 
from the House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3161) to authorize the extension of 
     nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) 
     to the products of Romania.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3161, 
a bill to extend permanent most-favored-nation trade status to Romania. 
I believe it is premature to surrender leverage over developments in 
Romania less than 4 months before their national elections. Adoption of 
this measure now will weaken our ability to extend support to 
democratic forces in Romania.
  I spoke in opposition to the Senate version of this measure, S. 1644, 
when the Finance Committee held a hearing on it on June 4, 1996. Before 
that, as Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in 
Europe, I joined with our Chairman, the distinguished Representative 
Christopher H. Smith, in a letter to the Chairman of the Ways and Means 
Committee in the House, urging postponement of action on this 
initiative until after Romania's elections.
  On Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 3161, after a spirited debate on 
the previous day. Their action, and the likely passage of this bill by 
this Chamber, surrenders leverage over developments in Romania which is 
uniquely ours. The semi-annual review process for Romania's most-
favored-nation gives Congress the ability to express itself if the slow 
but steady progress with democratization and privatization that has 
been occurring in Romania should suffer a reverse after this fall's 
election.
  I do not need to recite the horrors that occurred in the former 
Yugoslavia, just over the border from Romania when extremists seized 
control of the political process. Genocide in Bosnia has not yet been 
redressed, and thousands of American troops are deployed there on the 
ground to help the Dayton Accords succeed.
  Romania has a substantial ethnic minority population. Approximately 9 
percent of Romania's population of 23 million is ethnically Hungarian. 
Relations between ethnic Hungarians and Romanians have not always been 
easy.
  The current Romanian Government is a coalition government. It 
contained three extremist minority parties for 3 of its 4 years in 
office, with two leaving the government only this past December.
  All of the experts I have spoken with, and all knowledgeable Romanian 
officials believe that the next government will be a coalition 
government, too. I think it is very important for those who support 
democratic progress and privatization in Romania to keep a close eye on 
these national elections and the government they produce.
  The opposition did very well in this spring's local elections. This 
bodes well for their chances in the fall, but it appears that no single 
party has the strength or public support to form a government on its 
own. Even if the opposition wins, this does not resolve the question of 
who will be included in the coalition government.
  Romania has made clear that its first priority in its 
foreign relations is NATO integration. They view passage of this 
measure and receipt of unconditional MFN status as a step in this 
direction, a credential that they have made progress.

  I have no trouble saying that they have made progress. Measured since 
Ceaucescu's fall, the progress has been serious. Over a shorter time-
frame, it sometimes appears to be one step forward and two steps back, 
but it is progress nonetheless.
  Having said that, there are also problems. I think these problems are 
serious enough for Congress to want to keep the leverage it has through 
the semi-annual MFN report and review process until after this fall's 
national elections. Then, once we see how the elections have turned 
out, who is in the coalition government, and what their policies will 
be, we can make a well-considered judgment on whether to terminate the 
review process and make their MFN trade status unconditional. Action 
now is premature.
  I know that the Romanian Assembly and Senate both passed resolutions 
stating that all parties agreed that MFN would not be a political issue 
in the fall campaign. I ask you to imagine what would happen if both 
our House and Senate passed a resolution stating, for instance, that 
NAFTA would not be a campaign issue.
  In a nation with a free press, passage of such a resolution would 
have the immediate effect of moving the issue to the top of the 
political agenda, and focusing hard questions on the leadership of both 
parties. It would not take the issue off of the agenda.
  I received a copy of a May 27, 1996 letter from the president of the 
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, the DAHR, which states, 
``In the opinion of the DAHR, the entire population of Romania has 
great need of Most Favored Nation status, but we believe that the best 
method for the American government would be to continue to link this 
benefit to respect for human rights and minority rights until such time 
as practical results are achieved in these areas.''
  Mr. President, it does not sound to me as if there is unanimous 
support within Romania for pressing ahead with unconditional MFN. In 
fact, the ethnic minority most vulnerable to oppression and 
discrimination, and the one that has suffered serious human rights 
violations in the past, is the very one that asks the United States to 
retain the MFN review process.

[[Page S8392]]

  I received another letter from the Ad Hoc Committee for the 
Organization of Romanian Democracy, Inc. That letter, dated July 15, 
1996, points out shortcomings in the property restitution and 
compensation process in Romania, and talks about developments in a 
human rights case.
  In that regard, it states, ``To further emphasize the injustices of 
the present Romanian regime, we wish also to inform you that we have 
just received a fax from Romania informing us about two newspapermen, 
Radu Mazare, Chief Editor and Constantin Cumpana, Chief of Section, of 
the Telegraph, from the city of Constanta, who have just been sentenced 
for slander to 7 months in prison and a fine of 25 million lei (approx. 
$8000).''
  Their letter continues, ``In view of the above injustices, the 
Committee appeals to you, Senator D'Amato, to consent to urging the 
postponement, until after the Romanian Presidential- Parliamentary 
elections in September-October 1996, of debates and voting in respect 
to the granting of permanent MFN status to Romania.''

  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Democratic Alliance 
of Hungarians in Romania's letter and the Ad Hoc Commmittee's letter be 
printed in the Record at the end of my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. D'AMATO. Let me continue by pointing out some other problems in 
Romania. Rights of national minorities to receive an education in their 
native languages have been restricted by the Romanian education law of 
July 24, 1995, and the government has not supported the opening of an 
independent Hungarian university.
  An ethnic Hungarian, Pal Cseresznyes, remains in jail on questionable 
charges, an imprisonment that has lasted for 6 years and during which 
he allegedly suffered frequent beatings.
  I am concerned by reports that the local elections revealed serious 
inaccuracies in voter lists, a problem that had been identified by 
international observers in previous elections and that the government 
has had time to repair. Those same inaccurate lists appear to be going 
to be used this fall. Use of those lists could call into question 
public trust in the results of the national election.
  Mr. President, I regret that this measure has moved forward with such 
speed. I note that it was not referred to committee. Its consideration 
now coincides with the visit to the United States of the Romanian 
Foreign Minister, Mr. Teodor Melescanu. It appears that part of the 
rush to judgment this effort reflects is to produce a victory on this 
issue for the President of Romania, Ion Iliescu. Regardless of the 
protestations of parliamentarians and Romanian officials to the 
contrary, I firmly expect that passage of this measure will immediately 
be touted as a great victory for Romania.
  I hope that it will not, in fact, be a defeat for human rights, 
democracy, and free enterprise in Romania. I will watch the results of 
this election closely, and I join with those who support this bill in 
hoping that their results will justify the faith passage of this 
measures represents. I have, however, found that hope, when dealing 
with entrenched Balkan issues, is seldom well rewarded.
  I will be watching to see who is in the resulting coalition 
government and what policies they adopt. While passage of this bill 
will end the MFN review process, inclusion of Romania in NATO will 
require additional steps. Without the MFN review process leverage, if 
the elections produce negative results, the consequences in terms of 
U.S. policy will have to be more severe.

                               Exhibit 1

         Ad Hoc Committee for the Organization of Romanian 
           Democracy, Inc.,
                                  Mount Vernon, NY, July 15, 1996.
     Hon. Alfonse D'Amato,
     U.S. Senate, HSOB, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator D'Amato: At the request of the owners of the 
     properties nationalized-confiscated by decrees in 1949, we 
     are forwarding to you the English translation of the 
     memorandum addressed to President Iliescu of Romania and 
     submitted and registered at the office of the President. The 
     signatory is Mrs. Alexandrina Ionescu, Strada Franceza No. 
     56, Bucharest 3.
       The gist of the memorandum, condensed in a few sentences, 
     is as follows: By sentence of Lower Courts of Justice, Mrs. 
     Ionescu and other owners obtained the restitution of 
     property. They complied with all the prescribed legal 
     requirements by paying the taxes and registering the legal 
     deeds of property with the appropriate authority. 
     Nevertheless, the Attorney General has started proceedings to 
     annul the decisions of the Lower Courts.
       The attached memorandum, translated into English and 
     French, has also been submitted to the United Nations and the 
     Council of Europe.
       To further emphasize the injustices of the present Romanian 
     regime, we wish to also inform you that we have just received 
     a fax from Romania informing us about two newspaper men, Radu 
     Mazare, Chief Editor and Constantin Cumpana, Chief of 
     Section, of the Telegraph, from the city of Constanta, who 
     have just been sentenced for slander to seven months in 
     prison and a fine of 25 million lei (approx. $8000).
       In view of the above injustices, the Committee appeals to 
     you, Senator D'Amato, to consent to urging the postponement, 
     until after the Romanian presidential-Parliamentary elections 
     in September-October 1996, of debates and voting in respect 
     to the granting of permanent MFN status to Romania.
       We thank you, Senator D'Amato, for your consideration and 
     understanding of the Romanian people who desire true 
     democracy in their country.
           Very truly yours,
                                           Stefan Issarescu, M.D.,
                                                         Chairman.
                               Simone M. Vrabiescu Kleckner, J.D.,
                                                      Co-Chairman.

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
deemed read the third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be placed 
at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 3161) was deemed read the third time, and passed.

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