President. the Senate did speak on the question of Romania last week. The Senate said. in its debate and in its vote. that we do not like Romania. We do not like the emigration policies of Romania. we do not like the human rights policies of Romania. The Senate further said that MFN status. mostfavorednation status of Romania. should be interrupted for at least a period of time. Our understanding was that that period of time would be 6 months. That was the basic vote. In fact. what the amendment did last Friday was set forth certain findings by Congress with respect to human rights violations and emigration restrictions in Romania. Second. what Congress did in this amendment was to set forth objectives. objectives to be accomplished by the amendment and by our policy. The objectives are. and I quote: "One. the termination of the current policies and practice of the Government of Romania under which. A. its citizens are denied the right or opportunity to emigrate. B. more than a nominal tax is imposed on emigration or on the visas or other documents required for emigration. and. C. more than nominal rate of taxes. levies. fines. fees. or other charges are imposed on citizens as a consequence of their desire to emigrate to the countries of the choice. and. two. substantial progress in halting the persecution by the Government of Romania of its citizens on religious and political grounds. and the repression by such Government of Hungarians and other ethnic minorities within Romania." Those were the objectives of the amendment. Then. finally. the amendment sets forth the procedure for reaching those objectives. The procedure is a 6month termination of MFN status and then. after that 6month period of time. the possibility. only the possibility of a reinstatement of MFN status providing that the President makes certain certifications about Romania. further provided that a joint resolution disapproving the Presidents certification is not agreed to.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration visas