SPEECH DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION

OF THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF

FRIENDSHIP, COOPERATION AND MUTUAL

ASSISTANCE BETWEEN THE SOVIET UNION

AND THE RUMANIAN PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC

February 4, 1948

Mr. Prime Minister, Gentlemen.
The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual As-
sistance which has just been signed is a significant mile-
stone in the hisitory of the relations between the peoples
of the Soviet Union and Rumania. The Soviet-Rumanian
Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Assistance has become
possible now that all disputable frontier issues have been
eliminated between our states, now that Rumania has
joined the ranks of the democratic states and, like the
Soviet Union, is imbued with the desire to consolidate
peace and good-neighlbourly cooperation. In our country
everyone seesi in this another success of the Stalin foreign
policy -and an important contribution to tfre strength of the
international forces of peaice and democracy.
Gone are the times when the enemies of peace and prog-
ress hampered the establishment of friendly relations be-
tween the neighbour states—the Soviet Union and Ruma-
nia—and, against the will and interests of the Rumanian
people, endeavoured to transform Rumania into a hotbed
of anti-Soviet, intrigue. The time has come-' when, as a
556