e only one to agree to the
establishment of formal diplomatic ties at that time. Political
observers saw the move as a means for Romania to dramatically
demonstrate independence from the Soviet Union and, as well, a means of
avoiding COMECON integration pressures by increasing trade and the
possibility of obtaining economic aid from the West.

The establishment of diplomatic ties with West Germany did not alter the
PCR position on the existence of two German states. Each country, at the
time the diplomatic exchange was made public, simply reasserted its own
positions: the West German government reiterated its right and
obligation to speak for the entire German people, and the Bucharest
government asserted that one of the fundamental realities of the
post-World War II era "is the existence of two German states." Although
Romania reaffirmed the existence of East Germany as a separate state, it
did not make recognition of the East German regime by West Germany a
precondition for the establishment of diplomatic relations with the West
German government.

The East German regime was highly critical of the Romanian establishment
of relations with West Germany, and there followed a serious decline in
Romanian-East German relations. PCR leaders responded to East German
criticisms by declaring that "the foreign policy of a socialist state is
laid down by the party and the government of the country in question and
they need render account only to their people."

In the period since 1967 relations with West Germany have continued
without major difficulties. Although the Ceausescu regime has not
hesitated to criticize elements of German policy with which it does not
agree, the two governments have sought to minimize differences in
ideology and in foreign and domestic policies in the interest of
maintaining good relations. In economic exchanges between the two
countries Romania has had a continuous balance of trade deficit, a
situation that both countries were attempting to correct. In mid-1970
Prime Minister Maurer paid an official visit to Bonn, becoming the first
Eastern European head of government to do so. In May 1971 the West
German government reciprocated, President Gustav Heinemann making a
state visit to Romania.

The United States

Relations with the United States were initiated on a limited scale in
the early 1960s, and ambassadors were exchanged in 1964, but relations
declined with the increasing United States rol