Mihai Razvan Ungureanu
Encyclopedia
Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu is a Romania
n historian, diplomat and politician. He was the foreign minister
of Romania from December 28, 2004 to March 12, 2007. He is a member of the National Liberal Party
, which was part of the Justice and Truth Alliance, whose candidate Traian Băsescu
won a presidential election shortly before Ungureanu became foreign minister.
Central Committee. After finishing his undergraduate studies in history and philosophy at the University of Iaşi in 1992, he went on to the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies
, an affiliated programme of St Cross College
at the University of Oxford
, where he obtained a Master's degree
in 1993. He received a Ph.D.
degree from the University of Iaşi in 2004.
Ungureanu was a professor at the University of Iaşi when he was recruited to the diplomatic service in 1998. He previously served as State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1998–2000), and was a Vienna-based representative of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
(2000–2004). Married with one son, he speaks eight languages.
On February 2, 2007, Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
requested Ungureanu's resignation because Ungureanu had failed to tell the government about the detention of two Romanian workers by coalition forces
in Iraq
, and Ungureanu agreed to resign. On February 4, Ungureanu confirmed this, and he presented his official resignation on February 5. Popescu-Tăriceanu said that Ungureanu would continue to act as foreign minister until the swearing in of a successor. On March 12, President Traian Băsescu
signed a decree removing Ungureanu from his position. That November 27, Băsescu nominated Ungureanu to head the Foreign Intelligence Service
, the directorship of which had been vacant since Claudiu Săftoiu
's March 19 resignation. A joint session of Parliament confirmed Ungureanu in his new position on December 5, with 295 of 318 MPs present voting in favour.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n historian, diplomat and politician. He was the foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
of Romania from December 28, 2004 to March 12, 2007. He is a member of the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
, which was part of the Justice and Truth Alliance, whose candidate Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
won a presidential election shortly before Ungureanu became foreign minister.
Biography
From 1985 to 1989, Ungureanu was an alternate member of the Union of Communist YouthUnion of Communist Youth
The Union of Communist Youth was the Romanian Communist Party's youth organisation, modelled after the Soviet Komsomol. It aimed to cultivate young cadres into the party, as well as to help create the "new man" envisioned by communist ideologues.-History:Founded in 1922, the UTC went underground...
Central Committee. After finishing his undergraduate studies in history and philosophy at the University of Iaşi in 1992, he went on to the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies
Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies
The Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies is an independent institution which is part of the University of Oxford. Its research fellows teach on a variety of Bachelors and Masters degrees in Oriental Studies, and it publishes the Journal of Jewish Studies.-History and Case Statement:The...
, an affiliated programme of St Cross College
St Cross College, Oxford
St Cross College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college, sharing attractive, traditional-style buildings on a central site in St Giles', just south of Pusey Street...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, where he obtained a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1993. He received a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree from the University of Iaşi in 2004.
Ungureanu was a professor at the University of Iaşi when he was recruited to the diplomatic service in 1998. He previously served as State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1998–2000), and was a Vienna-based representative of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was an institution aimed at strengthening peace, democracy, human rights and economy in the countries of South Eastern Europe from 1999-2008. It was replaced by the Regional Co-operation Council in February 2008...
(2000–2004). Married with one son, he speaks eight languages.
On February 2, 2007, Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Calin Popescu-Tariceanu
Călin Constantin Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu is a Romanian politician. He was the Prime Minister of Romania between 29 December 2004 and 22 December 2008...
requested Ungureanu's resignation because Ungureanu had failed to tell the government about the detention of two Romanian workers by coalition forces
Multinational force in Iraq
The Multi-National Force – Iraq was a military command, led by the United States, which was responsible for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Multi-National Force – Iraq replaced the previous force, Combined Joint Task Force 7, on 15 May 2004, and was later itself reorganized into its successor, United...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and Ungureanu agreed to resign. On February 4, Ungureanu confirmed this, and he presented his official resignation on February 5. Popescu-Tăriceanu said that Ungureanu would continue to act as foreign minister until the swearing in of a successor. On March 12, President Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
signed a decree removing Ungureanu from his position. That November 27, Băsescu nominated Ungureanu to head the Foreign Intelligence Service
Serviciul de Informatii Externe
The Foreign Intelligence Service, or Serviciul de Informaţii Externe in Romanian, is, under Law no. 1/1998, "the state body specialized in foreign intelligence concerning the national security and the safeguarding of Romania and its interests"....
, the directorship of which had been vacant since Claudiu Săftoiu
Claudiu Săftoiu
Claudiu Elvis Săftoiu is a Romanian journalist. From December 2004 to October 2006, he was an adviser to President Traian Băsescu on matters of domestic policy; subsequently, until March 2007, he directed the Foreign Intelligence Service .He was married to former presidential adviser and current...
's March 19 resignation. A joint session of Parliament confirmed Ungureanu in his new position on December 5, with 295 of 318 MPs present voting in favour.