Visit of President Ceausescu of Romania Joint Declaration.

The President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, and the President of the Socialist Republic of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu,

Having noted with satisfaction that the political, economic, scientific, cultural and other relations between the two countries have developed significantly in recent years,

Having determined to take further steps to expand bilateral relations and cooperation, to build security and develop cooperation in Europe, to strengthen international peace and security, and to seek solutions for the manifold issues confronting the world,

Agreed on the following Declaration: I. They reaffirmed the commitment to continue the development and expansion of relations between the two countries on the basis of the Joint Statement signed in Washington on December 5, 1973 and of the Joint Statement on Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation between the United States of America and the Socialist Republic of Romania of the same date. These relations are based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and of the Declaration on Principles Guiding Relations Between Participating States of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and consistent with these, particularly on the following interrelated principles:

The right of each state to existence, freedom, independence and national sovereignty;

The equal rights of all states, irrespective of their size, level of development, and political, economic and social systems;

The right of each state freely to choose and develop its political, social, economic and cultural system;

The right of each people to decide its own destiny;

Refraining from the threat or use of force inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations;

Respect for territorial integrity and inviolability of frontiers;

Non-intervention, direct or indirect, for any reason whatever, in the internal affairs of any other state;

Peaceful settlement of international disputes;

Observance of and promotion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including all the conditions required for a free, dignified and prosperous life;

Cooperation among states in order to promote world peace and security and economic and social progress.

II. They stated their joint determination:

1. To continue meetings at the highest level and consultations at other levels, and to encourage interchanges between members of legislatures and representatives of local administration.

2. To promote and facilitate the expansion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, taking into account Romania's present status as a developing country;

3. To promote the reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in conformity with the Agreement on Trade Relations between the two countries, and to seek to increase the volume and diversify the structure of bilateral trade.

4. To seek ways to put existing non-discriminatory trade relations on a more stable and long-term basis, in particular through the renewal of the Agreement on Trade Relations.

5. To encourage the development of cooperation activities, including joint ventures and cooperation in third markets, contacts and interchanges between American firms and Romanian economic organizations, participation in specialized exhibitions in both countries, increased exchange of economic information and data, and other measures for the implementation of the Long-Term Agreement on Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation, signed in 1976; and to support in this respect the activities of the Joint American-Romanian Economic Commission and of the United States-Romanian Economic Council.

6. To cooperate in the settlement of humanitarian issues, including family reunification, in the spirit of mutual understanding and good will.

7. To promote cultural and scientific exchanges under the terms of the Agreement on Cooperation and Exchanges in the Cultural, Educational, Scientific and Technological Fields of 1974, as well as relations and contacts between institutions, organizations and citizens of the two countries, and to encourage tourism, in order to increase mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

III. They also expressed their joint determination:

1. To strengthen and make irreversible the process of detente in Europe and throughout the world.

2. To work for ensuring opportunities for all countries, big or small, to contribute to the settlement of complex world issues on the basis of equality.

3. To promote the settlement of all disputes among states by peaceful means and the elimination of the threat or use force.

4. To contribute actively to the full implementation of all the provisions of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and to promote the multilateral process initiated by the Conference. They agreed that the Belgrade Meeting provided a firm basis for continuation of this process; at the same time, they expressed disappointment that it had not been possible to reach agreement on the numerous useful proposals which had been put forward. They agreed to cooperate closely so that the 1980 Madrid Meeting should take effective steps toward strengthening security and developing cooperation in Europe in the fields of economic cooperation, of cultural exchanges and humanitarian problems, and of military disengagement and disarmament. They also agreed that the development of friendly and neighborly relations among Balkan countries will be a positive contribution to re-enforcing security and expanding cooperation in Europe.

5. To act resolutely for the adoption of a wide range of disarmament measures, including nuclear disarmament, such as halting the build-up of armaments and reducing military budgets, armed forces and armaments, leading ultimately to general and complete disarmament under effective international control. They endorsed a more effective role for the United Nations in dealing with international disarmament issued and underlined their active support for the Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations General Assembly.

6. To work toward a more just and equitable international economic order, which should promote the accelerated economic development of developing countries; and to intensify dialogue and cooperation among all countries, directed toward solving major economic problems, on the basis of the principles of equality, equity and mutual benefit.

7. To encourage efforts aimed at a just, comprehensive and lasting peaceful settlement in the Middle East, based on Israel's withdrawal from territories occupied as a result of the 1967 war, respect for legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and insurance of the independence, territorial integrity and security of all states in the region. To this end, they expressed themselves in favor of negotiations among all the interested parties for solving the Middle East situation, with appropriate representation of the Palestinian people.

8. To support the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples for peace, freedom and independence. They reaffirmed the inalienable right of the peoples of Zimbabwe and Namibia to sovereignty and independent development, and the necessity of ensuring, as soon as possible, the transfer of power to the African majority, in the spirit of pertinent United Nations resolutions. They also expressed deep concern about the South African policy of apartheid and racial discrimination and stood for the abolition of these practices.

9. To strengthen the role of the United Nations in the maintenance and consolidation of world peace, in the development of cooperation among all nations, and in furtherance of the principles of international law in the relations among states, through reforming and restructuring the UN system in order to make it stronger and more effective; and to strengthen cooperation between their two countries within the United Nations and other international organizations and conferences.

IV. The two Presidents expressed their conviction that friendly relations between the United States of America and the Socialist Republic of Romania, based on equality, mutual respect and due consideration for their respective interests, serve the cause of world peace, security and cooperation. They reaffirmed their commitment to expand and deepen, both through diplomatic channels and meetings at all levels, the consultations, contacts and exchanges that have become an important and lasting element of their cooperation.

Done in Washington on the thirteenth of April, 1978.

JIMMY CARTER

President of the United States of America

NICOLAE CEAUSESCU

President of the Socialist Republic of Romania