MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT VORONIN TERMS KOZAK PLAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 005441 SIPDIS STATE PASS TO AMB. PERINA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2013 TAGS: PREL PBTS MD RS IT EUN SUBJECT: MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT VORONIN TERMS KOZAK PLAN "UNACCEPTABLE" REF: A) STATE 327443 B) STATE 323562 C) STATE 325555 CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN REASON:1.5 (B)(D). ¶1. (C) ACCORDING TO MFA DESK OFFICER FOR MOLDOVA LORENZO ORTONA, MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT VORONIN INFORMED BOTH PRESIDENT CIAMPI AND PM BERLUSCONI THAT HE FOUND THE "KOZAK" DOCUMENT UNACCEPTABLE. VORONIN MADE CLEAR TO HIS ITALIAN INTERLOCUTORS DURING HIS NOVEMBER 27 VISIT TO ROME THAT NEGOTIATIONS TO SETTLE THE TRANSNISTRIAN CONFLICT MUST RETURN TO THE LONG-STANDING "FIVE PARTIES" (OSCE, RUSSIA, UKRAINE, MOLDOVA, TRANSNISTRIA) MEDIATION PROCESS UNDER THE OSCE COORDINATION UMBRELLA. ¶2. (C) VORONIN TOLD BERLUSCONI THAT HE VIEWED THE PLAN AS A GOOD INITIATIVE BY RUSSIA IN LOOKING FOR CREATIVE FORMULAS TO MOVE THE PROCESS FORWARD. HOWEVER, VORONIN AGREED WITH POINTS IN REFTELS HIGHLIGHTING THE NONTRANSPARENT MANNER IN WHICH THE AGREEMENT WAS BROKERED. FURTHER, MOLDOVANS COULD NEVER LIVE WITH MOSCOW'S SIDEBAR TO THE AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED UP TO 2000 RUSSIAN TROOPS TO REMAIN IN TRANSNISTRIA UNTIL 2020. ¶3. (C) VORONIN MINCED NO WORDS WHEN REFERRING TO THE TIRASPOL AUTHORITIES. TRANSNISTRIA IS A "STALINIST REGIME" UNDER THE CONTROL OF A "MAFIA-LIKE CRIMINAL POLITICAL SYSTEM." THE KEY TO BREAKING THE IMPASSE IS MOSCOW, VORONIN EMPHASIZED. RUSSIA MUST USE ITS INFLUENCE OVER TRANSNISTRIAN AUTHORITIES TO AGREE TO A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT AND FOLLOW UP WITH A COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF MILITARY FORCES AND WEAPONS AS CALLED FOR UNDER THE CFE ISTANBUL ACCORD. MOLDOVA IS COUNTING ON THE OSCE, AND EVENTUALLY THE EU, TO HELP END THIS STALEMATE AND ASSIST CHISINAU TO REBUILD ITS ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURES. ¶4. (SBU) ORTONA SAID THAT BERLUSCONI HAD ASSURED VORONIN THAT MOLDOVANS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE CONSIDERED FAIRLY FOR NORMALIZED STATUS AS ITALY IMPLEMENTS 2002 IMMIGRATION REFORM LEGISLATION (THE "BOSSI-FINI" LAW). VORONIN WAS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT ITALY WOULD INCREASE, FROM 500 IN 2003 TO 700 IN 2004, THE NUMBER OF MOLDOVANS GRANTED LEGAL STATUS TO WORK IN ITALY. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME05441 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL