PM TARICEANU/DEFMIN PROPOSE IRAQ TROOP WITHDRAWAL;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 001058

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS MARR NATO AF IZ RO
SUBJECT: PM TARICEANU/DEFMIN PROPOSE IRAQ TROOP WITHDRAWAL;
PRESIDENT BASESCU REAFFIRMS COMMITMENTS TO IRAQ, GWOT


Classified By: DCM Mark Taplin for Reasons 1.4 (a),(b) and (d)


1. (C) Prime Minister Calin-Popescu Tariceanu unexpectedly
announced June 29 in a press conference that he would
"support the initiative" of Defense Minister Teodor Atanasiu
to request the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT) to
withdraw Romania's troops from Iraq. Tariceanu made his
statement shortly after an extraordinary meeting of the
National Liberal Party's (PNL) senior leadership. (Note.
Tariceanu is PNL President and Atanasiu is a long-standing
PNL operative, as well as Tariceanu ally. End Note.) During
his press conference, Tariceanu stated that Romania would
continue to "assume all of its responsibilities as a NATO
member" and take part in NATO, EU and UN Missions. According
to press reports, Tariceanu cited, as justification for the
proposed withdrawal, "the negative popular impact" of a troop
commitment in Iraq along with the decisions of other European
countries to withdraw their troops from Iraq. Tariceanu
declared that Romania should "reorient itself toward domestic
priorities." Press reports quoted Tariceanu as saying the
decision to withdraw "was discussed with our U.S. and British
partners." In a separate statement to the press, DefMin
Atanasiu declared that a total of 890 troops would eventually
be withdrawn from Iraq. Both the PM and DefMin cited the
significant cost of maintaining troops in Iraq.


2. (C) PNL Senator Adrian Cioroianu, who participated in the
PNL's June 29 "extraordinary meeting," told EmbOff that the
DefMin presented a memorandum to the PNL leadership
recommending a withdrawal from Iraq, but also an increased
contribution in Afghanistan. Cioroianu opined that the
PNL's decision would "not please the U.S." but was in line,
he claimed, with EU policy. He predicted that the CSAT would
support the call for a withdrawal from Iraq. However,
another influential PNL MP, Deputy Cristian Adomnitei, said
he was surprised by the PNL leadership's decision and did not
support it. He noted that he had been unable to attend the
last minute meeting of the PNL leadership. He predicted
that the CSAT would reject the call for a withdrawal from
Iraq. Other PNL members told PolChief the hastily organized
meeting had taken them by surprise.

Basescu: "We will Continue Our Commitment to the GWOT"
-------------- --------------

3. (C) An outraged President Basescu told the Ambassador in
a June 29 phone conversation that the CSAT would reject the
call for a troop withdrawal from Iraq. He underscored that
"a decision like this cannot be made by one party." Basescu
stressed to the Ambassador that Romania would continue its
commitment to the GWOT. He also stated that Tariceanu's
announcement had come as a surprise, as "no one in my
Administration or anyone in the Foreign Ministry was
contacted" before the PM's announcement. According to the
British DCM, Basescu made the same points in a phone
conversation with the British Ambassador. The British DCM
refuted Tariceanu's inference that there had been discussions
about possible withdrawals among coalition partners with HMG
and stated that the UK Embassy would issue a press release to
that effect June 29.


4. (C) Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu told the
Ambassador in a June 29 phone call that he was "not surprised
but I am appalled." He emphasized that the PNL's "decision
was taken without consulting either me or the Ministry."
Ungureanu stressed that Basescu would convene the CSAT on
June 29; he was rushing back to the capital from Iasi to take
part. Ungureanu underscored his opposition to the PNLQ
unilateral action, adding "I'm putting my position on the
line."

Mixed Political Reaction
--------------

5. (C) Democratic Party (PD) President and Cluj Mayor Emil
Boc, a longtime Basescu ally, publicly described the PNL
decision as a "political error...lacking responsibility." He
predicted that the PM's call for a troop withdrawal "will
seriously affect Romania's credibility abroad." Interior
Minister Vasilie Blaga, also a PD member, stated publicly
that he was "surprised about this decision and all I can say
is we will not betray our friends."


6. (C) Senate Defense Committee President and opposition
Social Democratic Party (PSD) member George Cristian Maior
told TV reporters that any decision to withdraw forces from
Iraq should be "prepared and taken only after consultations
with our allies in Iraq." Noting that the PSD had previously
called for a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq, Maior

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characterized the PM's unexpected announcement as a
reflection of political tensions between him and Basescu. In
a separate discussion with PolOff, Maior stated that the PSD
has "always supported a moderate position, based on the
continuity of Romania's commitments." Maior continued that
discussions of a "timetable" could be appropriate but that
"this sudden measure was not in the interests of Romania."
Maior stated that the PNL's surprise announcement was "not
fair" to the President, who had been taken by surprise, but
was aimed at gaining partisan political advantage for the PNL
in light of recent polling figures which show low public
support for Romania's troop presence in Iraq. According to
Maior, both the PM and the DefMin had, as of several hours
after the announcement, still failed to speak with Basescu.


7. (C) Leaders of the small Conservative Party (PC),which
has feuded with its coalition partner Basescu, expressed
support for the PM's announcement. Ethnic Hungarian party
(UDMR) leaders confirmed to EmbOff that PM Tariceanu had
consulted with UDMR President Marko Bela and the UDMR
supported the PNL's call for a withdrawal.


8. (C) Comment. Basescu is President of the Supreme Council
for National Defense (CSAT) and Tariceanu is the Vice
President. The other ten CSAT members are DefMin Atanasiu,
Interior Minister Blaga, FM Ungureanu, CHOD General Eugen
Badalan, National Security Advisor Sergiu Medar, the Justice
Minister, the Minister of Economy and Trade, the Finance
Minister, and the heads of the internal and external
intelligence services. It is highly unlikely that a majority
of CSAT members would support the PM-DefMin call for a
withdrawal. Significantly, CSAT decisions have traditionally
been based on a consensus decision, not majority vote per se,
and members disagreeing with the consensus have abstained.
Many observers and analysts characterize the PM's precipitate
call for a withdrawal from Iraq as a gambit in his escalating
political conflict with Basescu rather than a thought-out
geopolitical strategy, illustrated by the fact that the
President, Foreign Minister and Interior Minister were all
blindsided by the announcement. The Prime Minister's staff
reached out to the Ambassador this afternoon, to suggest a
meeting, emphasizing its wish to put the PM's position "in
the proper perspective" and insisting the news did not
"represent a dramatic situation."
TAUBMAN