NESCU]; Romania Mare Party
(Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Civic Alliance
Party or PAC [Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman]; Liberal Party '93 or PL-93
[Dinu PATRICIU]; National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention or
PNL-CD [Nicolae CERVENI]; Socialist Party or PS [Tudor MOHORA]
note: to increase their voting strength several of the above-mentioned
parties united under umbrella organizations: PNTCD, PNL, and PNL-CD
form the bulk of the Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; PD
and PSDR form the Union of Social Democrats or USD [Petre ROMAN]; and
PAC and PL-93 form the National Liberal Alliance or ANL [Nicolae
MANOLESCU]; PSM, PS, ANL, and numerous other small parties failed to
gain representation in the most recent election

Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and
professional associations

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE,
CEI, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS
(observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851
FAX : [1] (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES
embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315,
APO AE 09213-1315
telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42
FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95
branch office: Cluj-Napoca

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in
the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra
and Chad

Economy

Economy - overview: Romania, one of the poorer countries in Central
and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism with a largely
obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the
country's needs. Over the past seven years, economic restructuring has
lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently,
economic performance is declining, with slowing GDP g