Office of the Historian

6. Memorandum of Conversation0

Washington, December 12, 1961.

SUBJECT

  • Presentation of Credentials by new Rumanian Minister

PARTICIPANTS

  • The President of the United States
  • Mr. Petre Balaceanu, Rumanian Minister
  • Mr. Angier Biddle Duke, Chief of Protocol
  • Mr. Richard H. Davis, Deputy Asst. Secretary, EUR

The President received the new Rumanian Minister at 12:10 today for presentation of credentials. After a preliminary exchange of amenities, the President noted the economic background of the Minister and in response to a question about Rumanian exports, there ensued a brief exposition by the Minister of Rumania’s trade with the United States and Western Europe.

[Page 11]

The President remarked that we were, of course, interested in trade development but noted that when there is political harmony, trade increases. Unfortunately, existing political tensions were not particularly favorable for the growth of trade. Our controls on strategic goods affected only a small proportion of possible trade and, moreover, many goods which we would not export could be obtained elsewhere. However, as long as controls were part of the law of the land and political tensions particularly in regard to Berlin were high, prospects were not so favorable. He hoped that this would change if it were possible to get a Berlin settlement.

The President asked the Minister whether the Common Market would affect Rumanian trade. The Minister replied that they were not particularly worried about this.

In conclusion, the Minister promised he would devote his best efforts to improve trade with the United States and hoped thereby to contribute to better relations.

  1. Source: Department of State, Presidential Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 66 D 149. Confidential. Approved by the White House on December 20.↩