US President to pay official visit to Romania

President George Bush Jr. of the United States is to pay an official visit to Romania November 23.

According to the Romanian President's press service, the US leader will receive the highest national award for his decisive contribution to global stability and security and for implementing the idea of creating a free and united Europe from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

The press-service communique also notes that both sides intend to discuss the subsequent development of Romanian-US strategic partnership in new conditions, including the struggle against international terrorism.

Bill Clinton, the previous US president, had last visited Romania in the summer of 1997, that is, after Bucharest's abortive attempts to join NATO during the alliance's Madrid summit. At that time, Clinton suggested the idea of strategic partnership to Bucharest as a conciliatory gesture.

For his own part, President Bush will arrive in Bucharest, after attending NATO'S Prague summit, which invited Romania to join NATO.