OSCE BRUSSELS MINISTERIAL: U/S BURNS' MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USOSCE 000009

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NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2017
TAGS: MOPS OSCE PBTS PGOV PREL RO AF
SUBJECT: OSCE BRUSSELS MINISTERIAL: U/S BURNS' MEETING WITH
ROMANIAN FM UNGUREANU


Classified By: Charge' Kyle Scott for reasons 1.5 (D) and (E).

SUMMARY
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1. (C) During a cordial meeting on the margins of the OSCE
Ministerial, Romanian FM Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu and Under
Secretary Burns affirmed the importance of increasing the

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pool of European countries contributing troops to NATO combat
operations in Afghanistan. Romanian FM noted that at the
NATO Riga summit, he had urged other major EU member states,
including Germany, to answer the call for more troops. For
its part, Bucharest was prepared to send an additional two
battalions. U/S Burns reiterated strong U.S. support for
Romania,s bid to host the 2008 NATO summit and advised
Ungureanu on the elements of an effective lobbying strategy.
Ungureanu also raised the President,s initiative on the U.S.
Visa Waiver Program, an outstanding MOD request for technical
details regarding U.S. basing arrangements, and the candidacy
of the current Romanian OSCE Ambassador for the OSCE post of
High Commissioner for National Minorities opening in summer

2007. U/S Burns obtained FM Ungureanu,s agreement to work
closely with the U.S. on its proposal for an OSCE 2007
conference on anti-Semitism. U/S Burns offered to stay in
close touch with Romania on Iraq policy following the
December 6 release of the Baker-Hamilton Report. Finally, U/S
Burns considered the possibility of visiting Bucharest in
early 2007. END SUMMARY


AFGHANISTAN: EUROPEAN TROOP LEVELS
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2. (C) In a friendly and candid thirty-minute meeting with
the Romanian Foreign Minister Ungureanu on the margins of the
OSCE Ministerial Conference in Brussels, Under Secretary
Burns opened by expressing U.S. appreciation for the
important contribution Romania was making to international
efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both sides reaffirmed the
importance of increasing the number of European countries
contributing troops to combat operations in Afghanistan. U/S
Burns pointed out that it was unacceptable for only five or
six NATO members to shoulder 98 percent of the troop
casualties in the war effort. Both agreed that European NATO
allies needed to step up and do more now. Ungureanu noted
that at the November 28 Riga NATO summit, he had directly
lobbied German FM Steinmeier and NATO Secretary-General De
Hoop Scheffer on this point. For its part, Romania would be
prepared to provide two additional battalions, one of which
had been reserved for Kosovo contingency purposes. U/S Burns
stressed the importance of higher troop levels in the three
key southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul to
combat the Taliban.

NATO: 2008 SUMMIT BID
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3. (C) FM Ungureanu expressed disappointment at the outcome
of the Riga summit on the question of Romania,s bid to host
the 2008 NATO summit. It was "paradoxical" that Romania had
received backing from France, but not from five of its
usually reliable European supporters: UK, Italy, Spain, and
Germany. He raised various factors that supported the case
Romania,s bid, including the European political calendar
(Portugal, as EU President in the second half of 2007 could
be preoccupied with two planned EU summits),and the positive
effect on PfP and MAP countries of seeing one of the newest
NATO memberS host a NATO summit in 2008.


4. (C) U/S Burns reassured Ungureanu that the U.S. firmly
supported Romania,s bid and expected that the competition
between Portugal and Romania would be resolved through
behind-the-scenes diplomacy rather than through an open vote.
He counseled patience and an effective lobbying strategy
including the need for Romania,s NATO Permrep to work with
NATO Secgen de Hoop Scheffer. Portugal would likely need to
receive some kind of Ungureanu consolation prize for losing
the bid two times in a row. Ungureanu thanked U/S Burns for
U.S. support and counsel, noted that he personally planned to
tour European capitals on this issue.


VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
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5. (SBU) Ungureanu expressed gratitude for President Bush,s
recent initiative on the Visa Waiver Program and special
appreciation for Ambassador Taubman,s personal confirmation

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on December 1 that the President,s announcement constituted
a political "commitment" and not merely a "declaration" of
intent. While pointing out that Congress must approve any
VWP expansion, U/S Burns assured Ungureanu that the U.S. was
committed to working with Romania as part of the President,s
major effort to accelerate U.S. Congressional approval of the
Visa Waiver Programs for our Central European allies.


MILITARY BASING: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
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6. (C/NF) Ungureanu conveyed a Romanian Ministry of Defense
(MoD) request for the United States to provide a formal
statement proposing the technical requirements for U.S.
basing on Romanian territory. According to the MoD, such a
proposal was necessary for the GOR to begin bilateral
negotiations. U/S Burns said he would look into the matter.


OSCE MATTERS
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7. (C) Ungureanu briefly introduced his OSCE Ambassador Liviu
Bota in order to notify U/S Burns of his intention to
nominate him as Romania,s candidate to replace the outgoing
OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities. In response,
U/S Burns praised Bota,s reputation and the GOR,s effort to
put its best candidates forward for top multilateral
positions. He promised to consult with Ambassador Finley on
any previous U.S. commitments with respect to that particular
OSCE post. Ungureanu said Romania intended to start
campaigning for Bota,s candidacy early, but discreetly.


8. (C) Highlighting strong U.S. Congressional support, U/S
Burns expressed U.S. interest in working closely with the
Romania on its proposal to host a 2007 OSCE conference on
combating anti-Semitism. Ungureanu noted that the conference
would be more complicated to arrange than that held a few
years ago in Cordoba, Spain. In any case, Bucharest looked
forward to consulting directly with the U.S. on its proposal
for a conference on or about May 7.

IRAQ: NEXT STEPS
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9. (C) Under Secretary Burns reviewed the December 2-3
timetable for the roll-out of the Baker-Hamilton Report on
Iraq and offered to stay in touch with Ungureanu on possible
next steps. The key question was how to deploy troops most
effectively and support the development of the Iraqi Army.
In recognition of Romania,s importance as an ally and
contributor in Iraq, we hoped to seek out Romania,s ideas
and counsel on these matters. Ungureanu welcomed the
opportunity.

2007 Visit
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10. (U) U/S Burns expressed interest in accepting FM
Ungureanu's invitation to visit to Bucharest, perhaps in
early 2007.


11. (U) This message has been cleared by P.
SCOTT