118. Letter From Romanian President Ceausescu to President Reagan1
The Romanian people, like all European peoples, is profoundly preoccupied at the possibility of beginning the deployment of new intermediate range missiles in Europe, which would create an especially grave situation, in Europe and in the world, would open the way for an intensification of the arms race, would increase the danger of war, and in the first instance nuclear war, and would put in peril all European peoples and the existence of life itself and of human civilization.
Having in mind your commitments and declarations according to which the United States of America is for the reduction and the elimination of nuclear arms in Europe, I consider that it is necessary to do everything to conclude with success this year the Soviet-American negotiations at Geneva regarding intermediate range missiles,2 which would correspond to the interests and burning aspirations of the European peoples and the American people and would have profound positive implications in actual international life.
Sharing with you my concern with the fact that until now no progress has been registered in the Soviet-American negotiations at Geneva, I appreciate that there is still time, through new efforts, through negotiations carried out in a spirit of cooperation and acting with complete responsibility both by one party and the other, to arrive quickly at a suitable agreement which will assure the halting of the deployment of new rockets and the withdrawal and destruction of those existing, as an intermediate measure on the path of freeing the continent of all nuclear arms. As long as the negotiations are in progress and as long as there exists even a small chance of halting the deployment of the new rockets, it is necessary to do everything for the success of the Soviet-American negotiations at Geneva.
In the case that one will not arrive at an agreement in the framework of these negotiations until the end of this year, Romania considers that it would be necessary to do everything to arrive at an understanding that the NATO decision regarding the deployment of new [Page 322] intermediate range missiles should be put off at least until the end of 1984 or the beginning of 1985. This would give the possibility of continuing negotiations and concluding them with positive results and would demonstrate the desire not only of the U.S. but also of the USSR of responding to the expectations and interests of the European peoples and of the peoples of the world and of peace, trust, and security on the continent. In the period of continuing the negotiations, the USSR would give guarantees, in the sense of prior declarations, that it will halt the deployment of new intermediate range missiles and their modernization and will reduce unilaterally a part of those located in the European zone of the USSR.
In circumstances in which an agreement in this regard is not arrived at, Romania considers that it would be possible to have in mind at least that intermediate range missiles not be deployed on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Democratic Republic of Germany, the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia, and other states as an intermediate measure, until achieving a final understanding regarding intermediate range missiles in Europe.
Romania considers that until the complete freeing of Europe of any form of nuclear weapons, it would have great significance to create a denuclearization zone on the continent. In this spirit, one is inclined to act in support of efforts to create a denuclearized zone in the Balkans, in Northern Europe and in other parts of the continent as an integral part of the process of achieving disarmament and security on the continent.
Romania proposes that the U.S. and the USSR adopt unilateral decisions to freeze military expenditures for the next two years at 1983 levels and in this period to develop negotiations to pass on to reducing military expenditures. Such a measure would have a great political importance, would not affect the security of any of the parts (of Europe), would respond to the interests of the peoples, and would contribute to the climate of international trust and security.
Even in the actual international circumstances, it is still necessary that all times one should show a spirit of initiative and adopt new measures which will lead to the reduction of international tensions, to the halting of the arms race, and in the first instance of nuclear arms, and to the strengthening of policies of peace, detente, and international cooperation.
I express the conviction in the spirit of the appeal that I address to you in the name of the Romanian people and in my own name, sir, that the United States will do everything to conclude successfully the Soviet-American negotiations at Geneva, to halt the escalation of nuclear arms in Europe, to arrive at concrete measures for nuclear disarmament on the continent, which represents a vital desire of all European peoples [Page 323] and of all peoples and would contribute to the relaxation and improvement of the climate of international life.
I use this occasion to express my conviction that acting in the spirit of understandings and documents agreed on at the highest level between our states, the bilateral relations between our two countries and peoples will expand continuously and at the same time, the cooperation in the interest of policies of peace, disarmament, collaboration and respect for the national independence of all peoples will intensify.
With special consideration,
- Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Head of State File, Romania: President Ceausescu (8106944) (2). No classification marking.↩
- The second round of negotiations in Geneva ended on July 14. The third round began on September 6. Documentation regarding the Geneva negotiations is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, INF, 1984–1987.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩