Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHISINAU1486
2007-12-18 10:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Chisinau
Cable title:  

LUPU: BALACED AND HELPFUL

Tags:  PREL PGOV MD 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4878
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHCH #1486/01 3521034
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181034Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6032
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHISINAU 001486 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/182017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MD
SUBJECT: LUPU: BALACED AND HELPFUL

Classified By: Ambassador Michae D. Kirby for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHISINAU 001486

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/182017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MD
SUBJECT: LUPU: BALACED AND HELPFUL

Classified By: Ambassador Michae D. Kirby for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Sumary: In a wide-ranging meeting with the
Ambassdor December 17, Parliamentary Speaker Marian Lupu
continued to be very interested in visiting the .S. to meet
Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He promised tohelp get a bilateral
Article 98 agreement signed to take steps to have a new
Moldovan TIP Commitee Chair named, and to help ensure that
the proprty under USG consideration for a new embassy
copound is not sold off at auction. Lupu understood he
Ambassador's points on media freedom and the OM's dismal
record at the European Court of Huma Rights, and will try to
help push for a GOM-Romnian border treaty. The Ambassador
and Speaker greed to continue their dialogue at a private
lunh next week. End Summary.

Possible Visit to th U.S.
--------------


2. (SBU) TheAmbassador began the meeting by raising the ideaof trying to arrange a visit to the U.S. for speakr Lupu to
meet with his counterpart Nancy Pelosi. (Lupu had raised the
idea earlier in the year wth the Ambassador and with a
Codel.) The Ambassdor mentioned that during his last visit
to Washngton in September, he had raised this idea withCongressman Price (D-NC),who had promised to suppot it.
Lupu said it would be a great pleasure andhonor to be able
to make this trip. The Ambassador promised to pursue the
idea further on his next trip to DC in early January.

Some Progress on Article 98
--------------


3. (SBU) Having heard that the Moldovan Parliament was on the
verge of ratifying the Rome Statute, the Ambassador raised
Article 98, and presented the Speaker with a non-paper on our
concerns that Moldova appeared to be moving to join Rome
before signing the Article 98 agreement with us. Speaker
Lupu explained that the Rome Statute had not yet reached the
Parliament. The President, he noted, is responsible for
forwarding it to parliament for ratification, but has not yet
done so. If the request were not sent over in the next few
days, it would be impossible to adopt it before the upcoming
holiday recess started December 28.


4. (C) Lupu further noted that he remembers very well
discussions in April 2007 where a firm decision was made to

sign a bilateral Article 98 agreement with the United States.
He does not see any reasons why this decision should be
changed. He reassured the Ambassador that the Parliament was
merely in standby status right now, and promised to raise the
issue with the President and the Prime Minister. Lupu
understood that there was military assistance at risk, and
agreed that the best solution was for Moldova to first sign
an Article 98 Agreement and then to ratify the Rome Statue.

Moldova Still Needs a TIP Coordinator
--------------


5. (C) The Ambassador explained that Moldova was placed on
Tier Two Watchlist in 2007 because of concerns that the
government is not taking the trafficking issue seriously
enough. If Moldova were placed on Tier Three, the Ambassador
said the USG would be required to limit some assistance
programs. The Ambassador suggested one sign of taking
trafficking more seriously would be catching and prosecuting
some officials involved in trafficking. Another key action
would be to appoint a new Chair of the National
Anti-Trafficking Committee; since Vrabie was appointed
Minister of Defense in July 2007, no one has taken over his
former position on anti-trafficking. (Minister of Interior
Papuc has the job, but according to Moldovan rules a deputy
prime minister must serve as chair.) Lupu expressed surprise
that in all this time no new chair had been named. He
promised to bring this situation to the attention of the
Parliamentary Committee on Security Issues headed by Stoicov,
to ensure that the committee passed the message on to the
government that a new appropriate chair should be named.

Don't Auction Off the Potential NEC Site
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador mentioned the USG interest in finding a
site for a new Embassy building. President Voronin had
suggested a Ministry of Defense site near MoldExpo, which is
of adequate size (7-1/2 hectares) and centrally located. The
Ambassador said the USG is looking seriously at that site,
but noted that our process takes time. When President
Voronin told the Ambassador about the site he said the
government planned to ask parliament for permission to
auction off the site. The Ambassador assured Speaker Lupu

CHISINAU 00001486 002 OF 003


that if we indeed wanted the site the USG would pay an
appropriate price for it, but stressed that the USG could not
purchase it at an auction. The Ambassador requested that the
parliament slow down any request to pass a bill calling for
an auction of the site. The Speaker promised to check into
the legal situation affecting the property.

Keep Media Free, but Learn to be More Pro-Active
-------------- ---


7. (C) The Ambassador raised several disturbing recent media
freedom issues and reminded Lupu that in the run-up to the
March 2009 elections the world will be looking at press
freedom in Moldova. Lupu acknowledged that media problems do
exist. The Ambassador stressed that the USG does not care
which party wins the election; we want Moldova to win. For
that to happen, the Ambassador stated, the elections must be
conducted fairly. The Ambassador also stressed how closely
the elections would be watched by the EU as free and fair
elections are a precondition for EU candidacy.


8. (SBU) Rather than trying to control the media, the GOM
should learn more about putting out its message, and allowing
the media to report freely. The Ambassador, therefore,
suggested a program which would bring four Moldovan press
spokesmen to the U.S. on an Open World program.
Spokespersons for the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and
Minister of Foreign Affairs would have the opportunity to
learn how our spokespersons work during a ten-day visit to
the United States. There they would learn how to be more
pro-active in telling the government's story. While in DC
they could perhaps spend time at the White House, Congress
and State Department to see how U.S. press spokespersons
work. Lupu said that such a trip could be a very useful
experience and was enthusiastic about the idea of sending his
own press spokeswoman on such a trip.

Moldova Still Interested in Border Treaty with Romania
-------------- --------------


9. (C) The Ambassador noted that Moldova won no "style
points" in world opinion for its recent expulsion of two
Romanian diplomats and for giving them only 24 hours to leave
Moldova. Lupu agreed, saying that in his personal opinion
this step was not a correct one. He hypothesized that some
of the GOM's anger stemmed from recent Romanian comments
referring to the "so-called Republic of Moldova" at a meeting
of representatives of the Romanian and Russian Orthodox
Churches in Bulgaria. Lupu noted that despite political
tiffs between Moldova and Romania, the day after the
expulsions Foreign Minister Stratan said that Moldova is
still interested in signing border and friendship treaties
with Romania. On an encouraging note, the Ambassador
suggested that progress on the Border Treaty would send a
positive signal about Moldova's European vector. Lupu
agreed, suggesting that any problems about the question of
two languages could be handled via the Bulgarian-Macedonian
solution saying that "The Treaty is made in the official
languages of both countries." Lupu noted that rather than
focusing on statements of political radicals, it would be
more productive to work constructively with balanced leaders
such as PM Tareceanu.

Moldova's Losses at European Court of Human Rights
-------------- --------------


10. (C) Noting Moldova's dismal record at the European Court
of Human Rights, the Ambassador suggested that the GOM needs
to work to improve its record. As each loss costs the GOM
20-50 thousand Euro, it is in Moldova's interest, he said, to
work at improving its record. Lupu noted that he was
particularly worried about the next case about ownership
which would be coming up in Strassbourg soon. Lupu stated
that laws on reform of the judiciary system would enter into
force on the first of January. Hopefully, he added, these
reforms might improve the GOM profile in Strassbourg.

Comment:
--------------


11. (C) Lupu is a moderate and balanced leader who listens
carefully to our concerns with an open mind, and understands
the issues. Though it is not yet clear if he will stay with
the PCRM or move out on his own, it is clear that he is a
leader who gets it. With his youth, excellent English and
French, he presents a very progressive face on PCRM
leadership. He would very much like to be President
Voronin's successor after 2009. It is not clear, however,
that he has much support within the PCRM. For now, we will
be glad to see him deliver the progress he promised on
Article 98, on having a TIP chair appointed, and on helping

CHISINAU 00001486 003 OF 003


us to obtain our NEC site. The Ambassador has already raised
these points with the Prime Minister, and plans to raise them
later this week with the Foreign Minister. End Comment.
KIRBY