ROMANIA: INTENSIFYING AND DIVERSIFYING RELATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001317 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE A. JENSEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2017 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL IZ RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA: INTENSIFYING AND DIVERSIFYING RELATIONS WITH IRAQ REF: A. STATE 159862 ¶B. BUCHAREST 1244 ¶C. STATE 150164 ¶D. BUCHAREST 876 Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Tanoue; Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered Ref A points on November 28, to MFA Director for Middle East and Africa Daniel Tanase. Tanase expressed appreciation for the demarche and said the GOR would look forward to the December 6 NSC Iraq Forum for further discussion. Tanase described the GOR policy towards Iraq as moving towards intensifying and diversifying relations. The GOR will be inviting to Baghdad periodically senior Iraqi officials from several key ministries (education, health, transportation, foreign affairs, etc.) as part of a government-to-government exchange program. There will also be an effort to increase commercial ties. The budget for this will come out of the MFA's development assistance account. Tanase also noted that, since Romania was "in from the beginning," its military forces in Iraq will remain "to the end" provided that the Iraqi government asks Romania to remain. The precise "legal" configuration will depend on further consultations with coalition partners. ¶2. (C) Comment: As reported previously, the GOR calculates that the Iraq deployments have had a multiplier effect on its own defense transformation. The experience garnered by Romanian troops in Iraq, will be useful in other overseas deployments. End Comment. TAUBMAN