GWOT ASSESSMENT: POST FEEDBACK FROM EMBASSY

S E C R E T BUCHAREST 000881

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH
ALSO FOR EUR/PGI JODY BUCKNEBERT AND DS/T/ATA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2015
TAGS: PTER PREL RO
SUBJECT: GWOT ASSESSMENT: POST FEEDBACK FROM EMBASSY
BUCHAREST

REF: STATE 60796

Classified By: CHARGE' D'AFFAIRES A.I. THOMAS L. DELARE FOR REASONS 1.4
B, C AND D


1. (S) Embassy Bucharest welcomes this opportunity to
provide input on strategies to advance GWOT objectives in
Romania and the region. Romania is a staunch ally in the
GWOT; its public manifestations of support include the
presence of about 1350 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and
strong support for U.S. anti-terror initiatives in the UN and
other international bodies. USG intelligence agencies enjoy
an excellent level of cooperation with their Romanian
counterparts and Romania's political leaders and intelligence
services have demonstrated a commitment to fighting terrorism
at home and abroad. Furthermore, the Romanian entities
responsible for developing and implementing counterterrorism
strategies welcome U.S. input and guidance. The GOR has also
taken recent steps to improve the legal framework designed to
deal with terrorist incidents.


2. (S) Nonetheless, the recent kidnapping in Iraq of three
Romanian journalists and the ongoing hostage situation have
revealed that Romania lacks adequate institutional mechanisms
to ensure a rapid and accurate flow of sensitive information
between the Romanian intelligence services and from them to
political leaders, including the President and his senior
advisers. Romania's domestic counterterrorism capacity also
suffers from uneven levels of training between various
elements that are potential "first responders" to a terrorist
attack, a stovepipe management style that unnecessarily
restricts information flow in both ordinary management
situations and crises, and an inefficient decision making
process within the Interior Ministry. These limitations
partly reflect the fact that Romania is a relatively poor
country with limited resources to devote to counterterrorism
initiatives. They also belie an institutional framework and
management style derived from ungainly and opaque
communist-era models.


3. (S) Given these concerns, Post notes that the State
Department sponsored Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program
has been demonstrably successful in a number of regions,
including Latin America. Embassy Bucharest strongly
recommends that an ATA team visit Romania and conduct a
comprehensive assessment of Romanian counterterrorism
capacities and limitations. Following this assessment, Post
recommends implementation of an ATA program developed for
Romania, targeting both operational elements (including
"first responders") and institutional development of entities
charged with counterterrorism operations. Additionally, Post
recommends using the full tool kit of public diplomacy
programs to support institution building, including within
the presidency and the bureaucracy.
DELARE