BASESCU ANNOUNCES IRAQI TROOP REDUCTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001375

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL PGOV IZ RO
SUBJECT: BASESCU ANNOUNCES IRAQI TROOP REDUCTION

Classified By: DCM Mark A. Taplin for Reasons 1.4 (A),(B) and (D)


1. (U) Summary. On the evening of August 30, President
Basescu announced that Romania would reduce its troop
presence in Iraq over the next two months, as Iraqi forces
take control of areas currently under the command of
coalition forces. He emphasized in his public remarks that
this was not a withdrawal, but a decision to reduce, and that
the decision was taken following close consultations with the
Iraqi authorities and Romania's partners. End Summary.


2. (C) Basescu,s remarks were made to Romanian ambassadors
gathered in Bucharest for their annual conference. Basescu
told Charge at a subsequent reception that he decided to
announce the reduction following Iraq,s announcement that
the Dhi-Qar district would come under Iraqi authority and
consultations with the British.


3. (C) National Security Advisor Medar on the morning of
August 31 called Charge to provide more detail on what
Basescu had told the Romanian chiefs of mission the previous
evening. Medar said Basescu made the announcement in terms
that were "flexible", per discussions with UK officials and
Deputy NSA J.D. Crouch. The Romanian president emphasized
that subject to continuing consultation with coalition
partners and the GOI, Romanian troops would be available for
redeployment. Basescu made the point that a reduction would
certainly take place, but underscored that it was consistent
with the earlier reduction of Romanian troop levels from over
800 to the current level of 628. The process would continue,
according to Medar's account, "according to the strategic
situation in Iraq."


4. (C) As background, Medar said the cue for the timing of
Basescu,s announcement was UK Defense Minister Browne,s
August 25 statement in Iraq that Dhi Qar would be the second
of four provinces under UK command in southern Iraq to be
handed over to the government. Medar reemphasized that the
Romanian troops would be ready for redeployment, and
Bucharest would continue to consult closely with Washington.
He and Charge agreed that early Romanian media reports had
mostly drawn the right conclusion, ie. that the announcement
represented a reduction and not a withdrawal.


5. (C) Comment: Basescu's announcement will help take some
steam out of the attempt by Defense Minister Atanasiu and his
Liberal party allies to promote a pull-out from Iraq
wholesale. Basescu can play up the move as that of a good
and trustworthy ally and partner. It is noteworthy that
despite some media commentary to the contrary, Basescu went
out of his way with the Romanian ambassadors -- as well as
the foreign envoys assembled at the evening reception -- to
stress that the strategic direction and priorities for
Romanian foreign policy are the same now as they have been,
and would not change "until the end of my presidency." "No
changes," he exclaimed, concluding his remarks for the
diplomatic corps in English. This clearly included the same
strong commitment to NATO and our strategic partnership.
End Comment.
Taubman