TRANSNISTRIA: ESTONIA IN FULL SUPPORT OF

UNCLAS TALLINN 000671 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OSCE PBTS PREL RS MD EN SUBJECT: TRANSNISTRIA: ESTONIA IN FULL SUPPORT OF U.S. POSITION REF STATE 115371 ¶1. (SBU) On July 19 Poloff delivered reftel points to Jaan Hein, outgoing MFA Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and newly appointed Estonian Ambassador to Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, on Transnistria's proposed independence referendum. Hein told us that the GOE is in full agreement with the U.S. position, but as a statement from Estonia would not "fly high on anybody's radar screens in Moscow," Hein said the GOE was putting its efforts in making the EU's common position as robust and clear as possible. ¶2. (SBU) In a separate meeting on July 20, MFA Director General for Political Affairs Aivo Orav told us that Estonia and other likeminded members were requesting a statement from the EU Presidency with a demarche to be delivered to Moscow. Orav indicated that Estonia is concerned that some EU members were pressing for a joint EU-Russia peacekeeping force in Transnistria. Orav commented that this proposal was reminiscent of "Molotov- Ribbentrop", and only rewarded Russia without prising any concessions from Moscow. "First let them withdraw from Moldova," argued Orav, "and then we should discuss this possibility." WOS