ROMANIAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON ENGAGING GEORGIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 000573 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE BILL SILKWORTH E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016 TAGS: NATO MARR PREL CG RO SUBJECT: ROMANIAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON ENGAGING GEORGIA IN NATO'S INTENSIFIED DIALOGUE REF: STATE 51994 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Mark Taplin, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) PolChief delivered ref points April 3 to MFA Director General for Strategic Policy Cristian Istrate, Director General for Non-EU Europe Rasvan Rusu, and NATO Division Director Mihela Maghiar. All three officials affirmed strong Romanian support for NATO to begin an "Intensified Dialogue (ID) on Membership Questions" with Georgia. In December 2004, Romania signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Georgia in support of the latter's integration with Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO. Istrate underscored that Romania remains "solidly committed" to this undertaking and would be willing to "speak out firmly" in support of an ID for Georgia at the April 5 meeting of NATO Permanent Representatives. He promised to raise the demarche points on April 4 with Romania's NATO PermRep and suggested that USNATO touch base directly with the Romanian mission prior to the meeting "if such strong expressed support" by Romania would be useful. TAUBMAN