AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH NEW FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 000412

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/FO, EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL RO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH NEW FOREIGN
MINISTER ADRIAN CIOROIANU


Classified By: Ambassador Nicholas Taubman for 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a get-acquainted meeting with the
Ambassador, new Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu stressed
that continuity of policy and close ties with the United
States would be the hallmark of his tenure. He assured the
Ambassador that Romania was "not in a hurry" to withdraw all
forces from Iraq, and would decide on next steps only after
close consultation. He added that his other priorities
included making the right type of appointment for a new
Romanian Ambassador to the United States; hosting the 2008
NATO Summit; and obtaining a favorable USG response to
Romania's request to be included in the Visa Waiver program.
Cioroianu also evinced the hope that he would be able to
insulate his foreign policy agenda from the ongoing political
turmoil. Cioroianu said he hoped for an early meeting with
the Secretary, either on the margins of the Oslo NATO
Ministerial or in a separate meeting in Washington. End
Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador accompanied by DCM and Polcouns met with
incoming Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu 4/11. FM
Cioroianu prefaced the meeting by thanking Ambassador for the
early opportunity to get acquainted, noting that his
generation had "special feelings" towards the United States
and the American people. He said he wanted to provide his
assurances from the outset that he would do his "utmost" to
reinforce Romania's close ties to the United States. He
added that EU entry gave Romania even more value in promoting
closer transatlantic dialogue. Cioroianu also expressed the
hope for an early meeting with the Secretary of State, either
on the margins of the Oslo NATO Ministerial, or perhaps
during a separate visit to Washington.


3. (C) Going quickly through his checklist, Cioroianu
acknowledged the impact of continued political turmoil on
governance, noting that a "tough" problem had been continued
unfilled senior vacancies, including the position of Romanian
Ambassador in the United States. He said that his first
priority would be to speed up the appointment process. The
Foreign Minister also expressed appreciation for continued
USG support for Romania's bid to host the 2008 NATO Summit,
noting that the US role was "crucial". On Iraq, Cioroianu
reported that he had discussed the matter formally with Prime
Minister Tariceanu and informally with President Basescu,
adding that a Romanian withdrawal plan and schedule would be
made only after consultations with Allies including the US.
Finally, Cioroianu mentioned the Visa Waiver Program, noting
that the issue was an important priority and that Romania
wanted to "work closely" with the USG to get a visa waiver in
the future.


4. (C) Ambassador replied that he had enjoyed an excellent
relationship with Cioroianu's predecessor and hoped to
continue this in the future. He underscored that USG policy
in Romania since the early nineties had been to build
democratic institutions and to assist Romania's hopes to join
NATO, the EU and other international institutions. He added
that Romania has been one of our closest allies, and evinced
the hope that certain foreign policy equities--including the
bilateral relationship, NATO, and the transatlantic
link--would be "walled off" from the ongoing political
turmoil. In this respect, the USG appreciated the positive
messages about the importance of the trans-Atlantic agenda
from the President, Prime Minister, and opposition PSD chief
Geoana on the anniversary of the April 4 signing of the North
Atlantic Treaty. Ambassador also expressed appreciation for
Romanian contributions to Coalition efforts in Iraq and to
ISAF in Afghanistan.


5. (C) M Cioroianu also assured the Ambassador that Romani
was "not in a hurry" to withdraw all forces fro Iraq. He
said that he regretted the fact that he press commentary and
seculation on the issue had preceded the actual bilateral
discussions on the matter. (note: Cioroianu added as an
aside that "perhaps Tariceanu had made a mistake by demanding
the return of the troops last summer..") He concluded,
"we'll find asolution together to this."


6. (C) When asked b Ambassador about his priorities going
forward, ioroianu reiterated that finding a "good
represetative" to fill the vacant Ambassadorial slot inWashington was his top priority. He added that despite the
criticism about the new Tariceanu cabinet in the local press,
the reshuffle should be seen as a signal that the Romanian
government is "back in business." (note: he remarked
subsequently that Romania had "lost 3 months" due to the
political turmoil.) He said that he wanted to assure the
Ambassador that there was "absolutely no change" in the
fundamental policy direction of the new cabinet, and that the

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government would continue the reforms and anti-corruption
agenda of its predecessor. Cioroianu added that while he
regretted the bad relations between the President and Prime
Minister, his desire was to ensure that foreign policy would
remain insulated from the political debate.


7. (C) Comment: This was an initial get-acquainted meeting.
We and our senior Foreign Ministry interlocutors had pressed
for an early meeting, arguing that it was important that the
Ambassador see the new Foreign Minister early on in his
tenure for maximum impact. They have stressed informally
that they have been impressed with Cioroianu who, while not a
career diplomat, nevertheless has been a quick study with the
right instincts, open to working closely with the career
diplomatic staff in the Ministry. They have also already
hinted that he has been so far a "steady" presence compared
to his more mercurial predecessor. End Comment.


Biographic Note
--------------


8. (SBU) PNL vice-president and Senator Adrian Cioroianu's
nomination by Calin Popescu-Tariceanu to serve as Foreign
Minister in a reshuffled cabinet was approved by Parliament
on April 3, 2007. Cioroianu's previous nomination to the
same post in early February was vetoed by President Basescu,
providing further fuel for the ongoing war between the
President and Prime Minister. President Basescu at that time
expressed reservations regarding Cioroianu,s inexperience in
foreign affairs and his concerns that he would not continue
the foreign policy lines initiated by outgoing minister Mihai
Razvan Ungureanu."


9. (SBU) Cioroianu is also a relative newcomer to politics.
He was recruited as a political advisor of then-PNL President
Theodor Stolojan in August 2002. Cioroianu successfully ran
for a seat in the Romanian Senate in November 2004. Between
September 2005 and December 2006 he served as an observer to
the European Parliament. Since January 2007 and before his
appointment as FM, he served as a member of the European
Parliament (he served on its Foreign Affairs Committee). In
January Cioroianu was elected the second deputy leader of the
Bureau of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
(ALDE),the third largest group in the EP, of which the PNL
is a member.


10. (SBU) While initially close to Theodor Stolojan,
Cioroianu refused to switch parties to join the breakaway
Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) afer Stolojan was expelled
from the PNL in late 2006. A sign of Cioroianu's rising star
in the PNL was his successful challenge against then-Foreign
Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu for a Vice Presidency slot in
the PNL in late 2006. Cioroianu's victory signaled
Ungureanu's fall from grace (and his estrangement from Prime
Minister Tariceanu) for leaning too closely to a pro-Basescu
stance, including on the question of a continued Romanian
troop presence in Iraq. Cioroianu was short listed twice for
the Minister of Culture position (in December 2004 and in the
Summer of 2005).


11. (SBU) Adrian Cioroianu is a historian by training, with
a degree from the University of Bucharest (1993) and a PhD
from the University of Laval, Quebec (2002). Cioroianu is an
associate professor at the University of Bucharest, Faculty
of History. He wrote books on Romanian communism and the
late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. He is a columnist for
Dilema Veche, an intellectual weekly journal established by
Andrei Plesu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs (1997-1999)
and Presidential advisor (2005). He is also on the board of
Sfera Politicii, a monthly political science magazine.
Cioroianu is a regular guest on the cultural and political
talk-show TV circuit. Cioroianu is divorced from his first
wife with whom he has an 8-year old son. His current partner
is the opera singer Alexandra Coman. He was born on January
5, 1967, in Craiova. Cioroianu has been a contact of the
Embassy since 2005 and was nominated for--but did not avail
himself of--an IV program grant in 2005. End Biographic Note.

TAUBMAN