Balkans: May 5, 2003

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Ending war is tough even World War II. Russias foreign minister and Romanias foreign minister said that they had approved the text of what is called the Romanian-Russian Basic Treaty. This document has been negotiated for ten years. The treaty is designed to structure Romanian and Russian bilateral relations. RFE noted, however, that the treaty avoids one touchy World War II-era problem. The Soviet Army took a number of Romanian cultural items (loot) and confiscated Romanian government gold stocks. Romania wants the gold back and what cultural items the Russians still hold. That issue will be addressed by a special joint commission, sometime in the future.