MEETING WITH ION PATAN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN TRADE OF ROMANIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 4, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
7302
WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
MEETING WITH ION PATAN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN TRADE OF ROMANIA
Tuesday, November 4, 1975
12 :3 0 p. m. (10 minute s )
The Oval Office
From: Henry A. Kissinger
State Dept. review completed
1. PURPOSE
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade Patan
(puhTSAHN) serves as co-chairman (with Secretary Morton) of
the US-Romanian Economic Commission, which is holding its
second session in Washington this week. Your purpose in this
meeting will be to underscore the importance you attach to the
further development of US-Romanian economic relations in the
context of continuing improvements in our bilateral relations.
The meeting will permit you to note the important role played by
the US-Romanian Economic Commission in this process.
II. BACKGROUND, PARTICIPANTS & PRESS ARRANGEMENTS
A. Background: During the second session of the Commission,
the Romanian side has been particularly interested in discussing
increased U. S. investment in Romania, joint ventures, business
facilitation, and financial and banking cooperation. Patan
reportedly has been instructed by President Ceausescu to obtain
inclusion of Romania in the U. S. system of tariff preferences for
developing countries (Generalized Schedule Preferences -- GSP).
You discussed this briefly with President Ceausescu during your
visit to Romania this August. The United States is prepared to
accede to this Romanian request if Patan will provide assurances
regarding the protection of U. S. interests through fair com-
pensation in cases of Romanian nationalization of property.
CONFIDENTIAL (GDS)
Subject to GDS of E. O. 11652
Automatically declassified on
December 31, 1981.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
CONFIDENTIAL,
Implementation of the trade agreement during your visit
has provided new impetus to the improvement in trade relations
between the United States and Romania in recent years. Two
way trade grew from $79. 8 million in 1970 to $407. 6 million in
1974 -- with our exports more than double our imports. However,
so far in 1975 there has been about a 30 percent decline in trade
-_ attributable primarily to the artificially high level in 1974
resulting from several large sales of U. S. products (such as
aircraft) to Romania and unusually large purchases by the U. S.
of Romanian petroleum products.
Your meeting with Patan will reciprocate President Ceausescu's
meeting with then-Secretary of Commerce Dent at the first
session of the Commission last year. Patan is a key figure in
the Romanian government, serving not only as Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade, but also as a ranking
member of the ruling Political Executive Committee. During
his visit, his first to the United States, Patan will meet also
with Secretary Butz, Ambassador Dent, the Chairman of the
Export-Import Bank and Deputy Secretary of State Ingersoll. He
will be the guest of honor at a Congressional. breakfast on
November 4.
B. Participants: Deputy Prime Minister Patan, Romanian Ambassador
Bogdan, Secretary Morton and Henry A. Kissinger.
C. Press Arrangements: The meeting will be announced and there
will be a press photo session.
HI. TALKING POINTS
1. It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to the White House on your
first visit to the United States. I hope your stay has been as
pleasant and productive as I found my visit to Romania this summer.
2. Please give President Ceausescu my best regards.
3. We are meeting at a time when our bilateral relations are at a
new plateau with implementation of the bilateral trade agreement
and my very positive meeting with President Ceausescu in August.
CONFIDENTIAL (GDS)
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
CONFIDENTIAL
4. Our relations continue to expand and improve. This is to be
welcomed and this will continue to be the policy of my government.
5. The Trade Agreement in particular underscores our interest
in expanding mutually beneficial relations. We are hopeful that
its implementation will open the way to steady growth in mutually
beneficial trade between our two countries.
6. I am informed of and have high regard for the work of the US-
Romanian Economic Commission. The Commission has an
important role to play in resolving differences and considering
the opportunities for the further expansion of our economic
relations.
CONFIDENTIAL (GDS)
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/15: LOC-HAK-283-1-2-4