e in the Republic of
Vietnam (South Vietnam). After the opening of the Paris peace talks and
particularly after the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia that same
year, relations between the two states improved significantly. Trade
relations remained minimal, however, partly because of United States
legal restrictions on trade with Eastern European countries.

The improved relations between the two nations were demonstrated by the
visit of President Nixon to Romania in August 1969, marking the first
visit of a United States head of state to a communist country since the
1945 Yalta Conference. Press reports indicated that the president
received an enthusiastic welcome from the Romanian people and that in
meetings with Ceausescu a wide range of international problems were
discussed.

At the close of the visit President Nixon reaffirmed that the United
States "respects the sovereignty and equal rights of all countries,
large and small, as well as their right to preserve their own national
character." The two heads of state agreed upon the reciprocal
establishment of libraries, the opening of negotiations for the
conclusion of a consular convention, and the development and
diversification of economic ties.

The presidential visit was reciprocated by Ceausescu in October 1970
when the Romanian leader traveled to New York to attend the twenty-fifth
anniversary session of the UN General Assembly. Ceausescu followed the
UN visit with a two-week coast-to-coast tour of the United States and
talks at the White House with President Nixon. The Nixon administration
moved to increase economic relations with Romania, and in early 1972
legislation was pending in the United States Congress to grant that
country most-favored-nation status (see ch. 14).

Other States

As part of its campaign to improve relations among the Balkan states and
in keeping with its policy of establishing relations with all states
regardless of their political systems, the Ceausescu regime initiated
efforts to ameliorate its relations with Greece and Turkey. The
development of ties with Turkey has progressed without serious setback
throughout the period of Ceausescu's rule, but Greco-Romanian relations
have fluctuated. Although the regime has followed a policy of
noninterference in the internal affairs of another state, it left the
Romanian embassy in Athens without an ambassador for a year after the
1967 Greek military coup. In July 1968 the Romanian g