July 31, 2006

Thank you Mr. Veerapong, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Cristina Gheorghe, Chief of Mission for International Organization for Migration, for inviting me here today to help celebrate this remarkable accomplishment. I am also pleased to celebrate this event with Ministry of External Affairs Secretary of State Anton Nicolescu, whose Ministry's efforts were vital in facilitating the travel and entrance of these refugees into Romania.

Romania has worked hard to take her rightful place as a valued member of the international community. When Romania joined NATO it took on the role of defender of freedom and democracy with other democratic nations. Part of that role is to defend and protect those people around the world who share our democratic values and who seek the same freedoms that Romanian citizens enjoy today. A certain sign of Romania's intentions to fulfill her role as a democratic society was the willingness to open your doors to provide temporary refuge to hundreds of Uzbek men, women and children fleeing political persecution in their native land. Now, just a little over a year later, almost all of these refugees have departed to begin new lives in the United States, in Canada, in Australia and in various European countries. I know that the Uzbek refugees will never forget your famous Romanian hospitality and kindness. All of us who assisted in this project will always remember the courage of the Uzbek refugees as they sought freedom.

I am also pleased to acknowledge the Director of the National Refugee Office, Mr. Vasile Dragoi, whose offices were instrumental in the success of this effort. Over the past year, many different governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals worked together to make the Uzbek refugees feel welcome here at the Refugee Center. I especially want to commend the work of the Romanian staff here at the center, led by Colonel Livius Bisca from the National Refugee Office. They worked day and night to provide the refugees with comfortable accommodations, security, and medical care. They were sensitive to the Uzbek culture, honored their differences, and reached out to the people of Timisoara to promote a greater understanding between the Romanian and Uzbek peoples. This wise leadership, plus the dedication of the staff, helped make this project a success. I also want to again thank UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration. Their staff spent countless hours assisting the refugees through their adjustment to rapidly changing circumstances and preparing them for their future transition.

I am pleased that the U.S. Government was able to contribute to the efforts of our friends from UNHCR, IOM, and the Romanian Government. In response to requests from the camp’s children and their teachers, we procured more than a hundred Uzbek and Russian-language textbooks. Also, with the assistance of our partner CHF, we brought in American teachers who had served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Uzbekistan to teach classes at the camp.

When I visited this camp in January, I was impressed by the positive attitude and hard-working nature of the Uzbek refugees. They wanted to rebuild their lives and were eager to do their part to contribute to their own well being and prepare for the future. They studied, cooked, played football, and asked Colonel Bisca to give them work assignments to help maintain the quality of the camp. We learned from the refugees how valuable our freedoms are, and how much must sometimes be sacrificed in the pursuit of freedom. The Uzbeks had sacrificed much as they sought freedom. The citizens here in Timisoara know, as do all Romanians, the price you had to pay for the freedoms you now enjoy. You share with the Uzbeks, and with all of us who believe in democracy, the desire to raise our families in peace.

On behalf of the U.S. government, I thank all the countries that have opened their doors to these political refugees. This has truly been a great international effort. Again, I express our sincere gratitude to citizens of Timisoara, and to the many Romanian citizens and officials who helped make this endeavor a success. Thank you very much.

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31 Iulie 2006

DISCURSUL AMBASADORULUI STATELOR UNITE ALE AMERICII NICHOLAS TAUBMAN

CONFERINTA DE PRESA COMUNA CU OCAZIA INCHEIERII PROCESULUI DE EVACUARE A REFUGIATILOR UZBECI DIN ROMANIA

Timisoara, Romania
31 Iulie 2006

As dori sa multumesc domnului Veerapong, Reprezentantul Inaltului Comisariat ONU pentru Refugiati, si Cristinei Gheorghe, Seful Misiunii Organizatiei Internationale pentru Migratie, pentru invitatia de a fi astazi aici pentru a sarbatori aceasta realizare remarcabila. De asemenea, am placerea de a sarbatori acest eveniment impreuna cu Secretarul de Stat din Ministerul Afacerilor Externe, Anton Nicolescu, ale carui eforturi ministeriale au fost vitale in facilitarea deplasarii si intrarii acestor refugiati in Romania.

Romania s-a straduit sa isi ocupe locul de drept in calitate de membru valoros al comunitatii internationale. Atunci cand Romania s-a alaturat NATO, aceasta si-a asumat rolul de aparator al libertatii si democratiei, impreuna cu alte state democratice. Acest rol presupune, printre altele, apararea si protejarea popoarelor din intreaga lume, care impartasesc valorile noastre democratice si care doresc aceleasi libertati de care cetatenii romani se bucura astazi. Un semn cert al intentiilor Romaniei de a-si indeplini rolul de societate democratica a fost acela al disponibilitatii de a-si deschide portile pentru a acorda adapost temporar pentru sute de uzbeci – barbati, femei si copii care au fugit din tara natala din cauza persecutiei politice. Acum, cu un an mai tarziu, aproape toti acesti refugiati si-au gasit o noua viata in Statele Unite, Canada, Australia si in diferite state europene. Sunt sigur ca refugiatii uzbeci nu vor uita niciodata ospitalitatea si bunatatea pentru care sunt cunoscuti romanii. Toti cei care am sprijinit acest proiect ne vom aminti intotdeauna de curajul refugiatilor uzbeci care doreau libertate.

De asemenea, am placerea de a-l saluta pe Directorul Oficiului National pentru Refugiati, domnul Vasile Dragoi, a carui contributie a fost decisiva pentru succesul acestui efort. In ultimul an, diferite guverne, ONG-uri si persoane fizice au conlucrat pentru ca refugiatii uzbeci sa se simta ca acasa la Centrul pentru Refugiati. As dori sa felicit, in mod deosebit, angajatii romani ai centrului, sub conducerea Colonelului Liviu Bisca de la Oficiul National pentru Refugiati. Acestia au lucrat zi si noapte pentru a le oferi refugiatilor conditii de cazare, siguranta si ingrijiri medicale. De asemenea, au fost sensibili fata de cultura uzbeca, le-au respectat trasaturile caracteristice si au comunicat cu timisorenii pentru a promova o mai buna intelegere intre poporul roman si cel uzbec. Acest spirit de conducere intelept, impreuna cu devotamentul personalului, a contribuit la succesul acestui proiect. Doresc, de asemenea, sa multumesc din nou Inaltului Comisariat al ONU pentru Refugiati si Organizatiei Internationale pentru Migratie. Angajatii acestor institutii au petrecut nenumarate ore in sprijinul refugiatilor, prin adaptarea acestora la conditiile mereu in schimbare si prin pregatirea lor pentru viitoarea tranzitie.

Sunt incantat ca Guvernul Statelor Unite a putut contribui la aceste eforturi ale prietenilor nostri de la Inaltul Comisariat, OIM si Guvernul Romaniei. La cererile copiilor si profesorilor din tabara, am oferit peste o suta de manuale in limbile uzbeca si rusa. Mai mult, cu sprijinul partenerului nostru CHF, am adus profesori americani care au activat in Uzbekistan in calitate de voluntari ai Corpului Pacii, care sa predea in cadrul taberei.

Cand am vizitat aceasta tabara in ianuarie, am fost impresionat de atitudinea pozitiva si natura muncitoare a refugiatilor uzbeci. Acestia au dorit sa-si reconstruiasca viata si au fost dornici sa contribuie la propria bunastare si sa se pregateasca pentru viitor. Au studiat, au gatit, au jucat fotbal si i-au cerut Colonelului Bisca sa le dea sarcini de lucru pentru a ajuta la intretinerea taberei. Am invatat de la ei cat de pretioase sunt libertatile de care ne bucuram si cat de mult trebuie, uneori, sacrificat in cautarea libertatii. Uzbecii au facut numeroase sacrificii in dorinta lor de libertate. Timisorenii, si romanii in general, cunosc pretul pe care a trebuit sa-l platiti pentru libertatile de care va bucurati astazi. Dumneavoastra impartasiti cu uzbecii si cu noi toti, cei care credem in democratie, dorinta de a ne creste familiile in pace.

In numele Guvernului Statelor Unite, doresc sa multumesc tuturor statelor care si-au deschis portile pentru acesti refugiati politici. Acesta a fost, cu adevarat, un efort international extraordinar. Doresc din nou sa imi exprim recunostinta sincera timisorenilor si numerosilor cetateni si oficiali romani care au facut ca aceasta misiune sa fie un succes. Va multumesc foarte mult.