ROMANIA RECEIVED GAERC DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 000309 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2016 TAGS: KPAL PREL RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA RECEIVED GAERC DEMARCHE REF: SECSTATE 25937 Classified By: Political Chief Robert Gilchrist for Reasons 1.4 B and D (C) PolOff delivered reftel GAERC demarche to Livia Rusu, MFA Director for EU External Relations on February 21. She appreciated our points as she said that Romania has not yet finalized its talking points for the GAERC. She offered few insights on the different points. On Kosovo, she said the EU's way forward - a Thessaloniki plus agenda - was on the EU Commission's website. On Bosnia, she said Romania shares the U.S. feeling. On Hamas, she mentioned Solana's tour of the region and discussions with Mahmood Abas. She also noted that the GAERC would discuss EU reaction to the cartoons. On Congo, Rusu said that the working groups would discuss support for a UN Mission during their meetings this week. On Iran, she mentioned that the EU's position thus far was to ask Iran to give access to IAEA inspectors. She was not optimistic that the EU would even begin to consider possible sanctions that it could eventually raise should Iran refuse to alter its course. She noted the irony that Iran has now boycotted Denmark, rather than vice-versa. TAUBMAN