The below quote is from my book ‘Romania, for Export Only’
Thursday, 27 July 2006[…]
According to the Bucharest Daily News, President Bush and President Basescu had discussed the possible lifting of the visa obligation for Romanian citizens. President Bush had said the visa regime for Romanian visitors might become a bit more flexible, but he had not given his green light. However, according to some members of the Romanian delegation, the visa obligation would not be lifted as long as the moratorium on international adoptions would remain.
At the time, the US was vehemently denying any linking between the visa waivor for Romanian citizens and the re-opening of intercountry adoptions. However, I had personally heard from some members of the Romanian delegation that travelled to Washington that this was the case. So, I decided to include it in the book.
TAGS: CASC, PREL, OVIP, RO, adoption, Repatriation
SUBJECT: A/S HARTY MEETINGS IN ROMANIA ON ADOPTIONS
Classified By: CONSUL GENERAL BRYAN DALTON FOR REASONS 1.5 B AND D
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
1. (C) In meetings May 10 and 11 with President Basescu, Foreign Minister Ungureanu and other officials of the Government of Romania (GOR), Assistant Secretary Maura Harty found no evidence that the GOR had specific plans or strong commitment to resolve pending cases of international adoption affected by the law in place since January 1 banning adoptions out of Romania. She informed her interlocutors she would have to share that impression with American families whose petitions to adopt Romanian children were affected by the ban. She reiterated to FM Ungureanu the message given by the Secretary during his meeting with her in Washington, that establishing a road map towards eventual inclusion of Romania in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) would depend on progress towards resolving the pending cases.
This was not the first time that the US linked the Romanian intercountry adoptions to other political issues. Earlier Secretary of State Colin Powell had linked the issue to Romania’s accession to NATO. Watch this video – at 5 minutes: