Romanian Needed A Defense Council Decision To Pull Troops From Iraq, Not A Memorandum

Geoana said he required, during the ruling coalition meeting Tuesday morning, the amendment of the governing protocol to eliminate the provision granting the position of vice-president of the High Defense Council to the Senate chairman.

The social democrat leader also replied to democrat liberal leaders who said they would not consider his request, because it was made on election day.

"Today is no longer election day. I submitted an official request to amend the Partnership. I am not interested in endorsing the president’s actions in matters of foreign policy or security. Our decision is final and will be put into practice,” Geoana said.

Asked whether the memorandum signed by Romania and the Iraqi government, which extended the stay of Romanian troops in Iraq until July 31, 2009, didn’t imply that troops would pull out after that date, Geoana said the pullout decision should have been made formally by the Defense Council.

On Sunday, Geoana said he will withdraw from the position of vice-president of the Defense Council and will require the elimination of the provision granting that position to the Senate chairman.

Geoana said he refuses to endorse the actions in which President Traian Basescu uses the Romanian state, the Romanian army and Romanian diplomacy to obtain political benefits and advantages for the party he backs. Geoana also said procedure was breached when making the decision to pull out Romanian troops from Iraq.

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