Romania urges Sarkozy to stop Gypsy expulsions

Romas of Romania, Roxana Costache, center, Ficareta Dobre, left, and Crina Ion, right, hold water and scrapers to clean car windows on a street in the village of Cenon, near Bordeaux, southwestern France, on Monday. Photo: AP.

Romania’s president says he has asked French President Nicolas Sarkozy himself to stop his country’s expulsions of Romanian Gypsies.

President Traian Basescu said he urged Mr. Sarkozy last week in Brussels to “try and stop the process of expelling Roma.”

France’s deportations of more than 1,000 Gypsies, or Roma, and its destruction of hundreds of their camps in recent weeks has been criticized by the European Union, the United Nations and the Vatican.

Mr. Basescu said Mr. Sarkozy promised to discuss the issue with the Romanian leader when they meet again, likely in coming weeks in Paris. He that denied relations are tense with Mr. Sarkozy, saying- “we have a friendly relationship.”