Bucharest, 19 April 1996

Dear Mr. High Commissioner,

It gives me great pleasure to write you again, in answer to your letter of 26 February 1996, concerning the conclusions drawn after your recent visit to Romania, early this year.

As you are well aware, 1996 is an election year in Romania, with local elections scheduled to take place in the first week of June and parliamentary and presidential elections programmed during the fall. In this framework, the Romanian authorities, as well as political parties and other associations and organizations, including those of persons belonging to national minorities, are determined to do their utmost in order to ensure a smooth and democratic unwinding of this electoral process.

In what concerns the Romanian Law on Education, as you have also observed, Mr. High Commissioner, it generally allows a considerable flexibility in its implementation. Indeed, a large part of the practical education regulations have already been finalized and, by the beginning of the 1996/1997 school year, it is expected that the basic framework for the implementation of the law to be in place. Furthermore, given the complexity of this process of adaptation, certain provisions will continue to be applied according to past experience and practice, as is the case of the conditions for university entrance examinations.

As pointed out during your talks in Bucharest, specialists within the Ministry of Education and, generally speaking, the Romanian authorities, are permanently open to the possibility, in keeping with the needs expressed by those directly concerned, to consider ways and means of further improving education conditions in our country. Generally speaking, as you yourself were able to remark during your visits to Romania, Mr. High Commissioner, the Romanian authorities are permanently concerned with making the necessary efforts with a view to ensuring the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including those of persons belonging to national minorities, in agreement with constitutional provisions and the commitments undertaken by Romania in this field.

Expressing once again our deepest consideration for the activity carried out in your capacity as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, please accept, dear Mr. van der Stoel, my very best regards,

Teodor Melascanu

Minister of State,

Minister of Foreign Affairs