Ambassador
romania
About Jim
Jim served from 1998-2001 as US Ambassador to Romania. Focusing on promoting peace, democracy, and prosperity, he worked closely with American citizens and businesses, the US military, America’s allies, and Romanians. During his term, the US stopped ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia, Romania became more democratic and prosperous, and American investment and exports to Romania increased.
Other Perspectives
on Jim's service as US Ambassador
A Republican View
”Jim served with distinction as U.S. Ambassador to Romania. He stood up for American values and made our nation proud.”
David Funderburk (R), Ronald Reagan’s appointee as US Ambassador to Romania, and Republican former US Congressman from North Carolina
A view from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which unanimously confirmed Jim
”As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I worked with Jim Rosapepe during his public service as United States Ambassador to Romania. He served as a strong, hard-working, innovative leader in a post that brought significant challenges to the job. In a region marked by ethnic conflict, Ambassador Rosapepe fought for tolerance and worked for peace – values our country has stood for over the years.”
Former Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, (D-MD)
Why President Clinton appointed him
”He’s someone who the president and others at the White House have known for some time as a very strong leader in the Maryland House…,” White House spokesman Barry Toiv said. ”It’s really the totality of the work he’s done and the skills that he has shown that brought him to our attention.”
Washington Post, November 28, 1997.
View from the ground in Romania
”As a United States representative to the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, I had the opportunity to visit our embassy in Bucharest. From my discussions with top Romanian officials, it was clear to me that Ambassador Rosapepe was respected as a hardworking and effective advocate of American interests”
U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer, House Minotrity Whip
A view from the White House
”As our Ambassador, Jim was a hard-charging advocate for President Clinton’s foreign policy agenda. No one should be surprised that he ruffled some bureaucratic feathers. The bottom line is that he successfully served President Clinton and did a great job.”
John D. Podesta, Former White House Chief of Staff
”I visited Romania when Jim Rosapepe served as our Ambassador. He played a key role in accomplishing the return of one of my constituent’s property that had been taken by the Nazis during World War II and held by the communists. In every case, it was not just that he handled it well. People involved in Romania had nothing but compliments to say about his aggressiveness.”
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, (D-MD)
The Book
In 2009, Jim and his wife, Sheilah Kast, wrote a travel literature book about Romania, Dracula Is Dead, which also discusses more about Jim’s work as Ambassador.
“
An imposing quote to assure you that your vote is going to good places”
Jim Rosapepe