ABSTRACT
In the face of non-violent popular uprisings, most East European Communist regimes abandoned power. Lines of authority between civilian leaders and the army had grown tenuous during the Communist period. Far more than the political lineage of Iliescu and Roman, or even the National Salvation Front (FSN) reluctance to fully dismantle the state’s role in society and the economy, the episodes damaged the FSN’s chances to achieve credibility as a post-Communist government deserving support. Romania’s security environment is complex and any assessment implies heightened concerns. Both the presidency and the foreign ministry tried strenuously to repair Romania’s damaged relations with industrial democracies. In an interview discussing the treaty, Foreign Minister Nastase pointed out the advantages to Romania of retaining close ties with the Soviet Union—the raw materials, and potential market. Romania’s security is clouded by substantial internal weaknesses that diminish the country’s capacities vis-a-vis any threat.
