ROMANIAN COMMENTS ON MOLDOVA AND MULTILATERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001581

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2015
TAGS: OPDC PARM PBTS PHUM PREL PGOV MD RO EUN OSCE
SUBJECT: ROMANIAN COMMENTS ON MOLDOVA AND MULTILATERAL
CONFERENCE ON TRANSNISTRIA CONFLICT

REF: A. STATE 120606

B. STATE 125824

C. STEWART-TAPLIN E-MAIL 7/14/05

Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF ROBERT S. GILCHRIST FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) During the course of an initial call by Charge at the
MFA on July 17, Director General for Global Affairs Stelian
Stoian specifically raised "very strong" GOR disappointment
that it had not been consulted by the U.S. prior to the U.S.
approach to EU member capitals, Moscow, Kiev, and Chisinau on
the proposed Multilateral Conference on the Transnistria
Conflict (refs). Stoian said Romania had received from
another unnamed government the points the U.S. had raised.
He added that Romania had proven itself as a "constant and
reliable partner" on Moldova/Transnistria and that our two
governments are "essentially on the same page" on the issue.


2. (C) Charge expressed appreciation for the important role
Romania can play in Moldova and expressed continued
commitment to maintaining a strong and productive dialogue on
the issue. Per ref C instructions, Charge raised with Stoian
the U.S. position on the conference and the message we
delivered to Chisinau. He underscored our belief that such a
conference could potentially serve as an impetus for
reinvigorating the dialogue on Transnistria and that the U.S.
and EU should have a role in the conference, a view that
Stoian said Romania solidly shared. Charge told Stoian that
the U.S. told Chisinau that the U.S. would support including
the Romanians in the conference. Stoian thanked the Charge
for informing Romania that the U.S. had raised this
"important element" with Chisinau.


3. (C) When queried about Romania's relationship with the EU
on Moldova, Stoian lamented that individual EU member states
treat the issue with varying degrees of interest. He also
regretted that the EU still does not have a permanent
presence in Chisinau. Stoian took note of the fact that
since the signing of Romania's EU accession treaty in April,
Romania now has observer status in all EU proceedings
including on foreign policy. In that capacity, Romania has
already worked to try to elevate Moldova as an issue on the
EU foreign policy agenda and he said the EU commission and
individual members have increasingly consulted Romania on the
issue. When asked whether the EU or member states had pushed
back on Romania to take a lower profile on Moldova, he said
"absolutely not." Again, Stoian underscored the importance
of Moldova to Romania and stressed the importance of close
consultation, particularly before new initiatives such as the
proposed conference. "Our national interests are involved,"
he stressed. "No one can deny that."


4. (U) Amembassy Bucharest's reporting telegrams are
available on the Bucharest SIPRNET Website:
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/bucharest.
TAPLIN