RUSSIA WANTS TO SEND OBSERVER TO BLACK SEA FORUM

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 005742 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2016 TAGS: PREL NATO MARR MOPS RO RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA WANTS TO SEND OBSERVER TO BLACK SEA FORUM REF: STATE 79658 Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Kirk Augustine. For Reasons 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) We discussed reftel May 25 with MFA Romanian Section Chief Igor Inyushkin. He agreed that the U.S. and Russia shared common interests in the Black Sea region and appreciated Washington's endorsement of existing regional institutions, underlining Russia's hope that Moscow would be able to reinvigorate the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization during its chairmanship. Inyushkin reserved comment on BLACKSEAFOR and other questions on security cooperation. ¶2. (C) Turning to the Black Sea Forum, Inyushkin said Russia was likely to send its Ambassador in Bucharest to attend the Forum as an observer. Moscow still had questions about the Forum's value and regarded it as essentially duplicative of existing groups, but wanted to make sure it understood what the Forum was trying to accomplish before making any final decisions about Russia's role in the organization. Inyushkin was not sure whether the Romanians would accept observers at the Forum's initial meeting. BURNS