nt
Richard M. Nixon to Romania in August 1969 and the long-delayed signing
of the friendship treaty with the Soviet Union in July 1970. By early
1971 the Ceausescu regime again became more assertive of its independent
line in foreign policy.

Principles of Foreign Policy

According to the 1965 Constitution, the foreign policy of the country is
based on strict respect for the principles of national independence and
sovereignty, equality of rights, noninterference in internal affairs,
and interstate relations based on mutual advantage. The Constitution
declares the nation's desire to maintain friendly and fraternal
relations with all socialist states as well as to promote friendship and
cooperation with states of other sociopolitical systems. Participation
in international organizations is directed toward the furthering of
peace and international understanding.

Spokesmen for the regime have repeatedly asserted these principles as
the only acceptable basis for relations between states both within and
outside the world communist movement. In contrast to the Soviet position
that socialism can only be fully realized by transcending national
forms, Romanian policy gives primary emphasis to the distinct
requirements of the nation. At the same time, however, Romania
recognizes the duties of each socialist state toward cooperative and
mutually advantageous relations with all socialist nations and fraternal
communist parties.

In keeping with these principles the PCR has rejected the so-called
Brezhnev Doctrine of limited sovereignty of socialist states. Instead,
regime spokesmen have asserted that within the socialist system all
Marxist-Leninist parties are equal and have the exclusive right to
determine appropriate solutions for their own problems and manage their
own affairs. Romanian policy maintains that relations between socialist
states must be based on equal rights, complete trust, mutual respect,
and fraternal cooperation. In defending the country's policies, PCR
leaders have repeatedly argued that, because the construction of
communism is being carried out under a great variety of conditions,
there will inevitably be different opinions regarding the forms and
procedures employed as well as different points of view regarding
international problems. Such differences, however, should not affect
relations between socialist states or the unity of the socialist
movement.

In response to Soviet calls for socialist sol