AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ROMANIAN FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 001885

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - AARON JENSEN AND DAVID KOSTELANCIK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO EU MD RO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ROMANIAN FOREIGN
MINISTER UNGUREANU


Classified By: Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)


1. (C) Summary: At a year-end meeting with the Ambassador,
Romanian FM Ungureanu said Romania hoped to promote an
informal "gymnich"-type event as a follow-up to this year's
Black Sea Forum. He evinced hope that the three upcoming EU
Presidencies of Germany, Portugal, and Slovenia would
continue to put a focus on Black Sea issues for the next 18
months. Ungureanu also expressed appreciation for USG
support for Romania's bid to host the 2008 NATO Summit,
noting that the preponderance of issues facing
NATO--enlargement, the Black Sea, Western Balkans, and energy
security--all argued for the Romanian venue. Ungureanu was
less forthcoming on Kosovo, arguing that Romania would stick
to its position regarding the territorial integrity of Serbia
and the inviolability of borders. He added, however, that
Romania would not threaten EU solidarity on the issue and
would ultimately vote with the EU majority. A reference to
apparent growing frictions in Romanian-Moldovan relations
provoked a testy reply from Ungureanu, who argued at length
that "the problem is with Chisinau, not here." (Note:
Message reporting Ambassador's meeting with President
Basescu--covering a similar range of issues--will be reported
Septel) End Summary.

Black Sea Matters
--------------


2. (C) Ambassador accompanied by DCM and Polcouns met 12/19
with Foreign Minister Ungureanu. He prefaced the meeting by
congratulating Romanian authorities on joining the European
Union. Ungureanu responded by expressing appreciation for
USG support in advancing Romania's candidacy. On Black Sea
issues, Ambassador underscored that the Black Sea Forum had
succeeded in heightening awareness of Black Sea issues not
just within the region but in Washington as well. When
queried about next steps, Ungureanu said he envisioned an
informal "gymnich" event as a follow-on, noting that he had
launched "lots of hints" in Ankara's direction but Turkey had
yet to step up to the plate. Ungureanu said that Romania
was very interested in helping Turkey meet the requirements
for EU entry, adding that Romania would continue to emphasize
Turkey's strategic importance within EU councils. He added
that the upcoming German EU presidency would help put a
spotlight on Black Sea issues, noting that the three incoming
EU Presidencies--Germany, Portugal, and Slovenia--had agreed
to include Black Sea issues as part of the EU agenda for the
next 18 months.

2008 NATO Summit
--------------


3. (C) Ungureanu also expressed appreciation for US support
for Romania's bid to host the 2008 NATO Summit. He
acknowledged that some soundings showed a majority of
alliance members were leaning towards Portugal's rival bid,
but evinced doubt about the reliability of these soundings,
arguing that a majority of countries were still undecided.
He said many smaller nations were likely to follow the lead
of the larger ones and that Romania had "not lost hope" that
it would host the Summit. In a veiled dig at the NATO SYG,
Ungureanu hinted that de Hoop Scheffer was "playing the
European card" in his campaign for a second term as SYG.
Ungureanu also argued that there were lots of reasons why the
summit should be held in Romania, including the fact that
Lisbon would have its hands full with the EU Presidency in

2008. The preponderance of issues expected to surface in
2008--enlargement, Black Sea matters, the Western Balkans,
the status of Ukraine and Georgia, and energy security
matters--all argued for hosting the summit in the region.
Ambassador noted that he would be in Washington soon and
would pursue the matter there.

Kosovo
--------------


4. (C) Ungureanu was less forthcoming on Kosovo, responding
to the Ambassador's points by stating that Romania had
consistently taken a "principled position" that focussed on
the territorial integrity of Serbia and the inviolability of
borders. He argued that these principles were enshrined in
the Helsinki Final Act, and that Kosovar independence or the
alteration of Serbia's borders could result in "mayhem." He
added that Spain, Greece, and Slovakia shared the Romanian
position in opposing Kosovar independence. He said that he
preferred a "gradual" change in Kosovo's status rather than
an abrupt one, noting that Kosovo was not simply a
transatlantic matter but a global issue, given that both UNSC
Permreps Russia and China needed to be taken into account.

BUCHAREST 00001885 002 OF 002


Ungureanu also rejected Ambassador's assertion that Kosovo
was not a precedent for other regions, arguing that
Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, and other frozen conflicts
would inevitably be affected by the Kosovo status issue.
Ungureanu added that "with full respect" for the USG
position, Romania would continue to air its "caveats" on the
issue. In closing, he said that despite its position on the
issue, Romania would not threaten EU solidarity on the issue,
and would ultimately vote with the EU majority.

Romanian-Moldovan Relations
--------------


5. (C) The Ambassador's reference to apparent growing
friction in Romania's relations with Moldova provoked an edgy
rebuttal from Ungureanu. The Foreign Minister bemoaned
Chisinau's linking progress on bilateral relations to the
signing of a Basic Treaty and a bilateral Border Treaty. He
said that Bucharest rejected the idea of concluding a Basic
Treaty because it "didn't reflect the nature" of current
bilateral relations, adding that Moldovan demands including
recognition that there was a Moldovan language different
from the Romanian language were "Soviet nonsense." Ungureanu
said that Voronin had "come to a bilateral summit prepared to
give us headaches" and hinted that he had been "set up" to do
this by Putin and Lavrov. A suggestion from the Ambassador
for a visit by Ambassador Kirby elicited a skeptical response
from Ungureanu, who said, "don't look for problems here, it's
not a problem of information; the problem is with Chisinau,
not here." Ungureanu insisted that Romania was interested
in helping Moldova "with no arrogance whatsoever" and that
friendly Romanian signals had resulted in "having the door
slammed in our face."


6. (C) Comment: This was not the most constructive meeting
we have had with the Romanian FM. His handling of the Kosovo
equation was predictable, but not particularly helpful.
Ungureanu's prickliness on Moldova was actually at odds with
how the bulk of our interlocutors handle this subject with
us. It surely reflected the fact that it has not been smooth
sailing between Bucharest and Chisinau since this summer.
Ungureanu sounded especially bitter over what he described as
Chisinau's campaign in European capitals to slander
Bucharest. "I am confident," the FM stressed, "we are not
devils, and they are not angels." Over coffee the following
day, State Secretary Adrian Vieritsa urged us not to read too
much into Ungureanu's edgy approach, noting that the Foreign
Minister is from Iasi (the capital of the Romanian region of
Moldova) and may feel more frustrated than many about
Chisinau's latest turn eastward.
TAUBMAN