Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BUCHAREST175
2005-01-20 15:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bucharest
Cable title:  

PRESIDENT BASESCU OUTLINES FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM RO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 000175 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM RO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BASESCU OUTLINES FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES

REF: BUCHAREST 153

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 000175

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM RO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BASESCU OUTLINES FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES

REF: BUCHAREST 153

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) Summary. President Basescu's first major foreign policy
address, delivered to Romania's diplomatic corps on January 18,
set benchmarks for an active foreign policy agenda during his
first term. Tackling corruption, continuing progress toward EU
accession and strengthening Romania's strategic partnership with
the U.S. and secondarily, the U.K. were singled out as top
priorities. Basescu devoted special attention to Romania's role
in bolstering stability and security in the Black Sea region and
the Western Balkans. He also pledged to maintain Romania's
military commitments to NATO operations and in Iraq.
Strengthening Romania's unique relationship with neighboring
Moldova, while developing more cooperative relations with Ukraine
and a more "pragmatic" relationship with Russia also were
highlighted as top priorities for the new administration. End
Summary.

European Union Accession 2007: Full Steam Ahead
-------------- --

2. (SBU) President Basescu delivered his first major foreign
policy address to Bucharest's diplomatic corps on January 18,
accompanied by his foreign policy advisors, Prime Minister Calin
Popescu Tariceanu, and former Liberal-Democratic (PNL-PD) alliance
presidential candidate Teodor Stolojan. The well-polished and
characteristically forthright address touched on key themes from
the PNL-PD alliance electoral campaign, while also signaling
Basescu's energetic approach to Romanian foreign policy.
Characterizing 2005 as a "decisive" year, Basescu reiterated his
support for Romania's anticipated 2007 accession to the European
Union, while pledging to tackle the country's rampant corruption
as a matter of national security. He also voiced his desire for a
"strong Romania," complete with economic and social reform and
modernization, "inside a strong Europe."


3. (SBU) Basescu highlighted Romania's future position along the
EU's easternmost border, calling for Romania to serve as a "pillar
of stability and security in and between the Black Sea region and
the Western Balkans." According to Basescu, Romania will seek to
attract Western investment in regional infrastructure, energy,
communications and trade projects. Characterizing recent

political developments in Georgia and Ukraine as positive, Basescu
pledged to build new regional "bridges of cooperation" in
political, economic, and security spheres, while also working to
"anchor" Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine and Georgia to
Europe.

Romanian-Moldovan Relations Receive Top Billing
-------------- --

4. (SBU) Basescu bluntly stated that Moldova's "European future"
was a "moral obligation" of Romania. As such, he outlined the
Moldovan-Romanian relationship as a top priority for his
presidential mandate. He pledged Romania's support for Moldova's
path to EU integration and greater social and economic stability.
Basescu directly addressed Romania's stake in resolving the
Transnistria conflict, urging observance of the OSCE Istanbul
commitments on Transnistria and calling for a more active EU and
U.S. role in resolving the conflict. Taking a more nationalistic
tone, he also alluded to the need to protect Romanian language,
culture and traditions within Moldova while emphasizing the need
to bring stability to Moldova, a critical area lying at both
Romania's eastern border and the future border of the EU. While
urging the development of more cooperative relations with Ukraine,
Basescu called for developing a more pragmatic relationship,
especially in the economic field, with Russia.

Transatlantic Ties: NATO, U.S. and U.K.
--------------

5. (SBU) A hallmark of his presidential campaign, Basescu again
singled out the strategic U.S.-Romanian relationship as a
benchmark of Romania's foreign policy. Basescu urged an intense
dialogue with the U.S. and praised U.S. support for Romania's
political, economic, military and administrative reform. Basescu
defined Romania's ongoing commitment to the global war on terror,
full participation in NATO, adherence to "common democratic
values", pursuit of enhanced economic relations, and future
cooperation on the "Greater Black Sea projects" as key pillars of
the U.S.-Romanian strategic partnership.


6. (SBU) Basescu described Romania's partnership with European
states as the cornerstone of the country's successful European
integration. Within that rubric, Basescu highlighted a desire to
further develop a privileged Romanian-U.K. relationship, evidenced
by his statement that he will pay his first official visit to the
United Kingdom by the end of January.

Minorities and Human Rights
--------------

7. (SBU) Basescu took a step back from the foreign policy focus
of his address to voice support for minority rights within
Romania, while dismissing the possibility of "autonomy on ethnic
grounds," a proposal often raised by some in Romania's more
radical ethnic Hungarian community. In sharp contrast to the
occasional anti-Semitic statements and actions of former President
Iliescu, Basescu flatly stated that he would "be intransigent with
any kind of extremist, xenophobic or ant-Semitic manifestation."
He further pledged to support the work of the International
Commission on the Holocaust in Romania (Wiesel Commission) and to
advance Holocaust education initiatives. Employment and
educational opportunities for the Roma community also were
outlined along with his support for "genuine public-private
partnerships" in developing Romania's foreign policy, especially
regarding Romania's European integration.

Ongoing Commitment to Iraq
--------------

8. (SBU) Basescu pledged to fulfill Romania's commitments
alongside coalition partners in Iraq and voiced the GOR's support
for Iraqi reconstruction and rehabilitation projects. With
Romania's position as a non-permanent member on the UN Security
Council, Basescu characterized Romania as a "responsible and
predictable partner" while calling for a "new consensus on global
security."


9. (SBU) Comment: Basescu's first major foreign policy address
outlined a vigorous agenda, especially in regional affairs,
including Moldova and Ukraine. His continued emphasis on strong
relations with the U.S. and U.K. tracks with what he has said
repeatedly during and after his presidential campaign. Romanians
are now watching to see how Basescu matches his broad vision on
foreign policy and other issues with concrete steps, as the
government prepares to appoint officials to the roughly sixty
senior sub-ministerial positions key in implementing the new
government's plan. End Comment.


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

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