[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 30, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H1691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 NATO EXPANSION SHOULD INCLUDE ROMANIA

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my 
strong support for Romania's membership into NATO. I was warmly 
welcomed to Cluj-Napoca, the sister city of Columbia, South Carolina, 
and I have seen firsthand as the roots of democracy flourish in 
Romania.
  A recent article in The Washington Post cited the successful reform 
efforts of Romania, as well as the cooperation that Romania has offered 
to America to fight the war on terrorism. Romania has unconditionally 
opened its airspace to its allies with 20 NATO military flights daily. 
Its brave young men and women serve as peacekeepers in Kabul, and the 
Romanian government has offered a specialized mountain unit for service 
in the rugged terrain in Afghanistan.
  I commend the efforts of Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, Foreign Minister 
Mircea Geoana, and Deputy Chief of Mission Stelian Stoian for their 
continuing important reforms and for joining the war on terrorism. 
Romania is proving itself as a trustworthy ally and should be granted 
membership to NATO with its neighbor, Bulgaria.

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