ROMANIA READY TO EXCHANGE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS AMENDING THE

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001872 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - AJENSEN DEPT FOR EB/IFD/OIA - MTRACTON, TPHILLIPS DEPT FOR L/T - FHOLLERAN STATE PASS USTR - LMOLNAR USDOC FOR ITA/EUR/CEED/KNAJDI USDOC FOR TCC/4110/BVAUGHAN/MROLLIN USDA FOR ITP/FAS/CBERTSCH SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ETRD KTIA PREL RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA READY TO EXCHANGE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS AMENDING THE BILATERAL INVESTMENT TREATY REF: State 192802 ¶1. Econoff met with Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Office of Community Law Ion Galea on December 5 to discuss formalizing the negotiated additional protocols to the bilateral investment treaty (BIT). Romania signed the additional protocol on September 22, 2003, and Romania's Parliament ratified it by Law 375 on September 28, 2004. ¶2. The Ministry is prepared to schedule a formal exchange of protocols at any time after President Bush signs the instruments of ratification. Post will endeavor to conclude the exchange before January 1, 2007, dependant on the Ambassador's and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ungureanu's availability. The MFA is also willing to conduct the exchange at a Secretary of State (equivalent to Deputy Minister) level. Galea received the proposed text of the protocol and promised to review it. He indicated he may propose some changes to the text, but that they would not affect the substance. TAUBMAN