*EPF302 12/15/2004
White House Report, December 15: OAS, Romania
(Choice of new OAS secretary-general called "important decision") (390)

OAS NEEDS STRONG VISIONARY SECRETARY-GENERAL

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said the Bush administration would like to see a "strong visionary" leader become the next secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS).

Speaking at the White House December 15, McClellan said the choice of the new secretary general is "an important decision that will help set the direction of this organization for the next five years."

According to press reports, former Salvadoran President Francisco Flores and Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez are among those who have been proposed as candidates for the position, which has been vacant since October when former Costa Rican President Miguel ��ngel Rodríguez resigned.

However, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said December 7 that the United States continues to support "a consensus candidate from Central America, preferably a former president."

McClellan said President Bush discussed the matter in November with Mexican President Vicente Fox at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation APEC forum in Chile.

The press secretary said the Americas are facing "some big challenges" as the region works to consolidate democracy and promote economic growth and opportunity, as well as fight crime, terrorism and drug trafficking.

"Our view is that we need a strong visionary secretary-general who can make the OAS a vital part of our efforts to meet those challenges, and we continue to consult with fellow members of the OAS to help identify that candidate to meet those challenges," he said.

BUSH CONGRATULATES ROMANIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT

President Bush telephoned Romanian President-elect Traian Basescu December 15 to congratulate him on his December 12 election.

According to Press Secretary McClellan, Bush told the new Romanian leader that he hopes to continue close bilateral cooperation and he "expressed appreciation for Romania's contribution to security in Europe and the world."

The two leaders also discussed the importance of strengthening transatlantic ties and working together on regional issues.

According to press reports, Basescu's victory ends a decade of rule by successors to the former Romanian communist regime. During his campaign, the president-elect pledged to fight corruption, prepare Romania for European Union membership by 2007, and forge closer ties to the United States and the United Kingdom.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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