Romania Wants Favored U.S. Trade Status Again : East Europe: Bucharest seeks to restore economic ties that were cut by Ceausescu.

The new government said Tuesday that it will seek most-favored-nation trading status with the United States as well as restoration of other privileges and ties.

Ousted dictator Nicolae Ceausescu renounced the U.S. trade agreement in February, 1988, when it appeared that the U.S. Congress would not renew it because of human rights abuses by Ceausescu’s regime.

The Foreign Ministry said it is “empowered to nullify the abusive and unilateral Feb. 29, 1988, declaration of the former regime, which gave up the granting by the U.S.A. of the most-favored-nation clause.”

The ministry said a decision Monday to lift all travel restrictions on Romanians paved the way for Romania and the United States to resume the trade privileges, which exempted from some customs duties Romanian products arriving in the United States.

Washington granted the privileges to Romania in 1975 when Ceausescu was courted by the United States as a Communist maverick. They were tied to human rights, including free travel and emigration under the 35-nation Helsinki accords.

Washington increasingly grew critical of Ceausescu’s suppression of free speech, religious practice and political organization. In breaking the accord, the dictator said the U.S. pressure on him to honor human rights pledges violated the principles of foreign relations.

The Romanians sell wooden furniture, small engines, leather, textiles, gasoline and aluminum products to the United States.

The governing National Salvation Front has also asked for diplomatic ties with the European Community and membership in international satellite organizations.

Meanwhile, two more Romanian police officers were jailed Tuesday for violently opposing the uprising that toppled Ceausescu, and the army took over Bucharest’s main prison after quelling three days of riots.

An official in the central city of Sibiu said by telephone that Capt. Vanga Liviu and Lt. Marcu Aurel were sentenced to 12 1/2 years each for killing two civilians and wounding 11 at the height of the December uprising.

It was the second day of hearings before a special military tribunal in Sibiu of people accused of violent opposition to the popular revolt.

An army major at Bucharest’s main prison told Reuters news service that the jail was under military control and that about 10 inmates had been injured in the mayhem.

The prison is at Jilava, about 10 miles south of the capital.

About 100 petty criminals were due to be released Tuesday under an amnesty granted by the country’s new rulers after the ouster and execution of Ceausescu last month.