"These agreements emphasize the strong and diversified relationship that Canada and Romania have developed," said the Prime Minister. "Canada is very pleased to share its expertise with Romania in a number of important areas for the purpose of reinforcing our mutual interests."

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Prime Minister Jean Chrétien witnessed the signing of three Canada-Romania agreements in Ottawa that will enhance cooperation and understanding between the two countries: a Treaty on Mutual Legal Aassistance, a Memorandum of Understanding on Nuclear Energy and a Cooperation Agreement on International Business Development.

The Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters is designed to provide cooperation between police and prosecutors in Canada and Romania in criminal matters. It includes the gathering of evidence and assisting the police in one jurisdiction to carry out investigations in the other jurisdiction. It ensures that evidence gathered in Romania can be used in a Canadian court. The implementation of this treaty is part of the program of expanding international legal cooperation.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Natural Resources Canada and the Ministry of Industry and Trade Romania for Cooperation in the Research and Development of Nuclear Energy and Technology will strengthen links on basic and applied nuclear research and development. Under the Agreement Romania and Canada will regularly review each other's research and development on CANDU reactors. This MOU is complementary to the second CANDU nuclear project under development in Romania. Romanian engineers and scientists have worked with the Canadian CANDU team since the mid-1980's and have developed their nuclear power program on the basis of the CANDU reactor.

The Cooperation Agreement between Eximbank of Romania and Export Development Corporation (EDC) is designed to promote the sale of Canadian goods and services to Romania by strengthening trade contacts, establishing an ongoing relationship between both organizations which includes the exchange of information about potential projects and programs, and providing guidelines for entering into specific financing transactions. The EDC provides a full range of trade financial services, including short- and medium-term credits insurance, medium- and long-term financing, and political risk insurance and guarantees.