BURNS-KARASIN LETTER ON MOLDOVA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 002775

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017
TAGS: PREL PBTS MARR MD RS
SUBJECT: BURNS-KARASIN LETTER ON MOLDOVA

REF: A) STATE 79597 B) CHISINAU 698

Classified By: PolMilCouns Alice G. Wells. Reason: 1.4 (b, d)


1. (C) On June 8 we sent Ref A Burns-Karasin letter to the
MFA under cover of a diplomatic note. We also met with
Ambassador at Large Nesterushkin to deliver a courtesy copy.


2. (C) Nesterushkin's first reaction was to criticize the
U.S. for "leaking" the document; he said the EU had praised
the plan, and the Transnistrians had rejected it, before
Karasin got a chance to look at it. We replied that there
was no secret about our intent to put forward proposals on
the PKF; the Transnistrians were reflexively rejecting
something they had not seen. Russia should focus on the
letter's content, an invitation to a serious dialog.


3. (C) Nesterushkin's next tack was to say that in view of
the constant tensions between Transnistria and Moldova -- he
cited the Moldovan attempt to hold a municipal election in a
left-bank village (Ref B) -- it would be dangerous to meddle
with the PKF structure. We replied that the incident in
question was hardly the precursor to a major conflict;
Nesterushkin replied, "You Americans never take anything
seriously."


4. (C) Comment: Given recent developments -- including
Moldova's demandeur status as Sova and Tkaciuk seek Russian
support for their package -- Russia will be seeking more
control over the process, not less. We are picking up hints
that Russia is trying to persuade Moldova to ditch the five
plus two process in favor of "direct negotiations," i.e.,
Russian-brokered talks without the U.S., EU, OSCE or Ukraine.
This might explain why Russia has recently started
distancing itself from Transnistrian leader Smirnov -- the
promise of a new interlocutor might sweeten the deal for
Voronin.
BURNS