LATVIA IN AGREEMENT IN OPPOSITION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000573 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2011 TAGS: PBTS PREL OSCE MD RS LG SUBJECT: LATVIA IN AGREEMENT IN OPPOSITION TO TRANSNISTRIA'S PROPOSED INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM REF: STATE 115371 Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey. Reason: 1.4(D) ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ chief delivered reftel demarche July 19 to Vilmers Henins, A/S-level equivalent in the MFA for Russia and the former Soviet states. Latvia has "absolutely the same position" on this issue, he said, and agrees that Moscow is the key to resolving this. Henins expressed concern, however, that recent Russian actions make it appear that Moscow is not actively looking for solutions. He stressed that any union between Transnistria and Russia would be unacceptable. ¶2. (C) Looking more broadly, Henins said Latvia continues to support the five plus two talks and will remain active in the EU border assistance mission. He also thought that some ideas put forward by outgoing OSCE HOM Ambassador Hill merited careful consideration. The larger problem, Henins felt, is that the central European members of the EU cannot get the larger, western European members to agree that the EU should take the kind of active approach on this issue, especially in Moscow, needed to find a long term solution in Moldova. Bailey