AUSTRIA HOSTS CONFERENCE ON MOLDOVA'S EUROPEAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 002121

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/UMB, AND EUR/SNEC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PBTS AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA HOSTS CONFERENCE ON MOLDOVA'S EUROPEAN
OPTIONS


Summary
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1. On June 22, the Austrian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic
Academy hosted a conference on "Moldova's European Options."
Two Moldovan ministers, European political analysts, and
diplomatic representatives discussed Moldova's relations with
the EU and the Transnistrian conflict. Moldovan Foreign
Minister Andrei Stratan reiterated the GoM's commitment to
further European integration, but claimed the unresolved
Transnistrian conflict remained the biggest impediment.
Thomas Mayr-Harting, the Austrian MFA's Political Director,
announced that Austria would emphasize internal security
issues, such as border security and combating organized crime
and human trafficking, during its EU Presidency the first
half of 2006. Moldovan Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova
argued for a reinvigorated format for the Transnistrian
negotiations to include the USG and EU. End Summary.


Moldovan Foreign Minister's Perspective
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2. During his presentation to the conference on June 22,
Moldovan Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan underlined Moldova's
unwavering commitment to a European course. Stratan noted
that President Vladimir Voronin had reinforced this message
during his June 7 meeting with EU Highrep Javier Solana and
his June 8 address to the European Parliament. According to
Stratan, there was a strong political consensus within
Moldova to forge ahead with European integration. Stratan
pointed to the unresolved Transnistrian conflict as the
biggest impediment to Moldova's integration into European
institutions. However, he added that improved bilateral
relations with Romania and Ukraine had given new impetus to
the Transnistrian settlement process. Stratan acknowledged
that trafficking in people remained a major problem, but he
noted the problem had two sides -- the source country and the
destination country.


An Austrian Perspective
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3. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Political Director in the Austrian
MFA, noted that Austria had strong historical ties to
Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe. He said Austria
would continue to strengthen relations with nations in the
region, such as Moldova. Mayr-Harting emphasized that the
GoA had recently designated Moldova as a priority country for
development assistance in Eastern Europe. Mayr-Harting
announced the GoA would highlight internal security issues
during its EU Presidency in the first half of 2006. This
would include enhanced border security, combating organized
crime and measures to stem trafficking in persons.
Mayr-Harting agreed with FM Stratan's observation that source
and destination countries needed to collaborate closely in
the fight against human trafficking.


The European Commission's Perspective
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4. Judith Gebetsroithner, an Austrian diplomat seconded to
External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner's
office, rebutted criticism that it was unfair for the EU's
European Neighborhood Policy to group European countries,
such as Moldova and Ukraine, with North African countries.
She said individual countries could determine the pace and
intensity of contacts with the EU, including implementation
of EU Action Plans. That said, she acknowledged that Moldova
and Ukraine "are in a different category than Egypt or
Morocco."


5. Gebetsroithner cautioned that the Transnistrian question
was not the only issue Moldova needed to address in the
context of European integration. She urged the GoM to
fulfill conditions to resume an IMF program, which would send
an unequivocal message that the GoM is committed to a free
market economy. Gebetsroithner urged further progress on
judicial reform and on freedom of the press. On
Transnistria, Gebetsroithner said that Russian participation
would be key to any settlement, and she urged the GoM to
engage all parties in negotiations, and "not simply issue
declarations in the Moldovan Parliament."


Moldovan Reintegration Minister on Transnistrian Conflict
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6. Moldovan Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova characterized
the current OSCE-led negotiating format on Transnistria as
inefficient. Sova said that over the past 15 years, Moldovan
negotiators had put forward various plans and approaches,
but, unfortunately, the Transnistrian authorities were either
not interested in moving toward a settlement, or were not
"free" to do so. In this situation, the GoM had supported
the formal inclusion of the USG and EU in the negotiating
process to "create a better balance of powers."


7. Sova said the final resolution of the Transnistrian
conflict included three key elements: demilitarization of the
Transnistrian region; democratization of the separatist
region; and the establishment of effective border monitoring
along the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian
border. Sova added that there were three components
associated with the demilitarization of Transnistria. First,
Russia must unconditionally fulfill its Istanbul commitments
to withdraw its troops and armaments from Moldovan territory.
Second, the current peacekeeping operation, based on a 1992
Moldovan-Russian agreement, was outmoded. An international,
OSCE-mandated mission of military and civilian observers
should replace the current peacekeeping operation. Finally,
any Transnistrian settlement should ensure the
demilitarization and disbandment of the "Transnistrian army."


8. According to Sova, effective control and monitoring of
the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border
was essential to stop trafficking in persons, drugs, goods,
and arms in the region. This trafficking had a deleterious
effect on the Moldovan economy and it was a threat to
regional stability. Sova noted that Moldovan President
Voronin and Ukrainian President Yushchenko had jointly
written to EC President Barroso and EU Highrep Solana
requesting EU assistance in establishing international
customs control and monitoring of the border.
Brown