The Congress Of Romanian Americans (CORA) held its 4^th Annual Conference on October 8-11, 1998 in the Nation's Capital. Approximately 50 people participated in the annual conference of this organization which was founded in 1991. Bishop Nathaniel Popp, Chairman and Armand A. Scala, President presided over the meetings.

Ambassadors Rosapepe of the US, Geoană of Romania and Minister Consul Spânu of Moldova participated in the meetings.

Experts on the political, economic, and business scenes made presentations to the gathering. These experts included Paul Thomsen, Teodor Stolojan, Dr. Paul Goble, Dr. Dan Nelson, and Mark Meyer, JD. A report on the Romanian-American Action Commission was presented by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. A discussion was held about Romania as the featured country in the Smithsonian's annual Folk Life Festival scheduled for next year in Washington, DC. In addition, there was discussion of establishing and constructing a museum with its focus on the victims of Communism.

Plaques of recognition and appreciation were presented to Jonathan Rickert who served seven years cumulatively, as a US Diplomat in Romania, and to Armand Scala founder of CORA.

Jon Cepoi, a Romanian-American leader from California, and Timotei Zivcu, Pastor of a Romanian-American Baptist community in Northern Virginia, were added to CORA's Board of Directors.

At a recent meeting, it was agreed that priorities facing CORA should include, but not be limited to:

• Romania's inclusion in NATO;
  
• Improving the image of Romania;
  
• Return of Communist confiscated properties to Romanians;
  
• Encouraging students and other professionals, who have come to the US, to return to Romania to help their country;
  
• Moldova's Transniester, 14^th Russian Army and Ilascu problems.
  

CORA's next meeting will be held in June of 1999.

A panel discussing NATO and Romania stressed the importance of a continuous "grass roots" campaign with the purpose of obtaining an April invitation for Romania to be included in NATO.

The continued expansion of NATO is critical. Final acceptance of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic is expected in December. Forces opposed to further NATO expansion are many and will be difficult to overcome. Romanian-Americans are urged to write to the President, their Senators and Congressional representatives asking them to support Romania's inclusion in NATO. It is in the interest of the US as well as that of Romania.

Why was Romania passed over for inclusion in the first group of NATO inductees? See Statement on Romania in NATO - The First Group on page 4 of this issue for an answer from the point of view of an individual who has lobbied heavily for Romania's inclusion in NATO.

Deputy Chief of Mission, Spânu appealed for help from the Romanian-Moldovan-American Communities to inform US leadership in the White House and the Congress of the problems in Moldova.

Counselor Spânu brought up the subject of the breakaway Transnister Province. This act was unconstitutional and accomplished by the use of physical force. Those who broke away were supported by the 14^th Russian Army. They are recognized by none and the atrocity has been ignored by all.

The 14^th Russian Army remains on site. A group of Romanians in Moldova, including their leader Ilie Ilascu, a member of the Moldova Parliament, were illegally arrested and have been confined to Transnister prisons for years, without fair process of law.

Armand Scala, representing CORA, brought this situation to the attention of US Under Secretary Strobe Talbot and his staff during a meeting at the State Department several moths ago. Unfamiliar with the situation, they provided assurance they would focus on it. Discussions are on-going. Results will be reported in a later newsletter.

CORA and Moldova needs your help. Please contact CORA to determine if we can mobilize pressure to help Moldova.

CORA was pleased to present former US Diplomat, Jonathan Rickert, and CORA's president, Armand Scala, with plaques recognizing their service to Romania and its people. Awards were presented at the 1999 Annual CORA Conference.

Diplomat Rickert served a total of 7 years in Romania and has become a trusted fiend of the Romanian people. He began his career in Romania as a Political Officer. His final assignment there was as Deputy Chief of Mission.

Armand Scala, President and founder of CORA, was recognized for his years of dedicated service to the organization.

The 33^rd Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC, June 23-July 4, 1998 will feature Romania. The Festival is an unprecedented and historic opportunity for Romania to show off its people, culture, and history to a million visitors, and millions more reached by media coverage.

At the Festival, Romanian musical performances, crafts workshops, illustrations of folklore, community celebrations, and discussions will show contemporary cultural traditions in both rural and urban areas and will demonstrate that Romania has a vital, living culture.

The Festival will help shape public perceptions and knowledge of Romania in Washington, DC and the US more generally. Media coverage will enhance tourism promotion efforts. Romanian crafts, traditional food items, books, and recordings will be sold at the Festival, opening up new markets. The Festival may also lead to educational materials and programs, documentary films, and recordings useful for both educational and civic purposes. Other consequences may include enhanced relations between Americans and Romanians in the arts, sciences, and business.

The Festival's program is coordinated in Romania by the Romanian Cultural Foundation in cooperation with the Peasant Museum, ASTRA Museum in Sibiu, the Institute of Ethnology, the University of Bucharest, Aid to Artisans and other organizations.

The Festival's talents will be brought to the US from Romania. It was suggested at the CORA meeting that special groups of Romanian artists be invited to repeat their presentations in American cities with large Romanian communities following their presentations on the Mall. Such a program would enhance Romania's image here and bring a bit of the National Mall to other parts of the US.

There is a need for the names of Romanian-American wholesalers of food products and supplies to supply Romanian restaurateurs who will be coming from Romania. Financial support is also needed to help brig these talented people here for the Festival.

September 2,9, and 30 - Central and East European Coalition Meetings
September 16 - White House, State Arrival Ceremony to welcome
Octomber 8 - White House, Met with National Security Council Advisors
Octomber 8-11 - CORA 4th Annual Conference
Octomber 15 - Meeting of the International Committee on "Romania at the Smithsonian"
Octomber 21 - Central and East European Coalition Meeting
Octomber22 - Meeting of the International Committee on "Romania at the Smithsonian"

In 1993, as a result of remarks which suggested a reforming of the former Soviet Union, a group of ethnic American organizations met and formed the Central and East European Coalition (CEEC). Now consisting of 19 national ethnic Americans organizations, whose members' origins stem from Central and Eastern Europe, this group meets every Wednesday morning in Washington, DC. Collectively, these organizations represent some 23 million Americans. This group is a highly respected and powerful voice in Washington. CORA is one of its founding members.

NATO expansion and increased foreign assistance are two of the primary issues on which this group is focused.

In addition to Romanians, the ethnic groups represented by the Coalition include Armenians, Byelorussians, Bulgarians, Czechs, Estonians, Georgians, Hungarians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Slovaks, and Ukrainians.

In addition to membership in the Central and East European Coalition, CORA is a member of the US Committee to Expand NATO, the US Global Leadership Council, the Victims of Communism Memorial Committee, and the Romanian American Chamber of Commerce. CORA's President serves as a Commissioner on the Romanian-American Action Commission with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and as a committee member of the International Council for Romania at the Smithsonian.

No subject has unified the Romanian-American community as the issue of Romania's entry into NATO, and no one individual has helped to bring the Romanian-American community together as effectively as the President of Romania, Constantinescu. I dare say, even in Romania, the issue of NATO membership has unified political adversaries, where other issues have failed.

It is important that people of Romania and Romanian-Americans know that Romania's failure to be invited into NATO in the first round of enlargement was not primarily because of its economics, politics, corruption, incompetence, etc., (if or where it exists), but that the United States' government feared that the inclusion of more than three nations would cause the US Senate to reject the Madrid decision.

The reasons for the fear were based on the following: How would the US Senate justify such a great commitment when the costs to the US were estimated by the White House as approximately $30 billion over 12 years while, at the same time, Congress estimated the costs at $110 billion? That is an enormous difference of opinion. And, what about the Russian reaction? Many in Congress heard Russia's dissatisfaction with the possibility of NATO enlargement. After all, Russia is still feared as a real nuclear power and threat. Finally, the definition of what the new NATO will be has not been made clear to the Congress of the US. President Clinton did what he had to do to insure the enlargement of NATO and not to fail in that endeavor. So, Romania and Slovenia were not invited.

Where do we go from here? The Congress has made it very clear to our administration that it is watching very closely, the detailed progress made by Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. The implication is that when they are satisfied with the progress of these countries, then, and only then, will they entertain further expansion.

In June, the Congress Of Romanian Americans and representatives from 18 other organizations met with Under Secretary of State, Strobe Talbot. We made it very clear to him that we expect further enlargement of NATO sooner, rather than later. We made it clear also that we wanted President Clinton, in his meeting with President Yeltsin, to discuss further NATO enlargement. This subjects must not die, and Romania's inclusion must be lobbied every day in every city and every state, not only in Washington.

The White House and the Under Secretary of State assured us that they are working with the Romanian government. The impression left with us is that Romania is being treated almost as if it were an invited country, through the Strategic Partnership. We hope this is true. We have been told that foreign assistance to Romania will be increased instead of decreased.

CORA is a member organization of the Central and East European Coalition. This organization represents over 22 million Americans of Central and East European origin and is, at this time, lobbying for Romania's inclusion in NATO. This is not enough. Romanian-Americans need to communicate with one another so we can reach this common goal.

Our government, including those in it who do not support NATO expansion, follow the developments in Romania. Improving conditions there is clearly necessary. The best lobby for Romania's inclusion in NATO is a joining of voices of Romanian-Americans with strong support from US businesses who are happy with their involvement in Romania. However, US business interests in Romania are far from significant and conditions for US business development there are far from satisfactory. This situation does little to support Romania's inclusion in NATO.

Romania must work hard to win an invitation to become a part of NATO in April of 1999 and Romanian-Americans must do everything possible to help them achieve this goal.