Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BUCHAREST52
2008-01-22 14:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bucharest
Cable title:
DEFENSE MINISTER: A "CHANGE OF FOCUS" FOR ROMANIA
how-toVZCZCXRO7824 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHBM #0052 0221411 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221411Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7802 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 000052
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE A. JENSEN AND NEA/I S. EPSTEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR IZ RO
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER: A "CHANGE OF FOCUS" FOR ROMANIA
IN IRAQ?
REF: BUCHAREST 0041
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Mark A. Taplin; Reasons 1.4(b) a
nd (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 000052
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE A. JENSEN AND NEA/I S. EPSTEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR IZ RO
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER: A "CHANGE OF FOCUS" FOR ROMANIA
IN IRAQ?
REF: BUCHAREST 0041
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Mark A. Taplin; Reasons 1.4(b) a
nd (d)
1. (U) Defense Minister (and acting Justice Minister) Teodor
Melescanu on January 18, predicted that Romania would begin
this year "the process of disengagement from the Iraqi
theater." Romania, he said, would use the period after the
April NATO Summit to begin a consultation process with the
"international coalition allies on changing the focus and
working out a withdrawal calendar."
2. (U) Melescanu's remarks were made to reporters during the
departure ceremony for Iraq of the Iasi-based "Black Wolves"
151st Battalion. Melescanu described his proposal as a shift
that would provide for increased attention to "training,
organizing and preparing the Iraqi armed forces," including
through the continued use of military advisors. He hoped
that Romania would be able to participate in Iraqi military
procurement and modernization programs, and to focus less on
what he labeled "direct missions." He affirmed that the
eventual withdrawal of Romanian forces would depend on a
calendar to be developed with allies by the beginning of 2009.
3. (C) Comment: Melescanu's remarks are unsurprising, in view
of past efforts by the Tariceanu government to call into
question Romania's continued military presence in Iraq.
Other political figures, such as Chamber of Deputies
President Bogdan Olteanu and Social Democrat opposition
leader (and former Foreign Minister) Mircea Geoana, have also
expressed a view that Romania needs to have a calendar for an
Iraq withdrawal. To what extent these views reflect wider
thinking within the national security establishment in
Bucharest, and especially at the Presidential palace, remains
to be seen. Strikingly, Ministry of Defense State Secretary
Dobritoiu did not reference at all the Minister's Friday
remarks during a meeting on January 22 with Embassy
officials. Nor was the value of the Iraqi missions lost
among uniformed officers if the comments from the 151st
Battalion Commander, Lt.Col. Dan Cislariu, are indicative.
At the Iasi ceremony, Cislariu described the Iraqi Mission as
"an extremely valuable experience," adding "we are serving a
righteous cause" against global terrorism. End Comment.
TAUBMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE A. JENSEN AND NEA/I S. EPSTEIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR IZ RO
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER: A "CHANGE OF FOCUS" FOR ROMANIA
IN IRAQ?
REF: BUCHAREST 0041
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Mark A. Taplin; Reasons 1.4(b) a
nd (d)
1. (U) Defense Minister (and acting Justice Minister) Teodor
Melescanu on January 18, predicted that Romania would begin
this year "the process of disengagement from the Iraqi
theater." Romania, he said, would use the period after the
April NATO Summit to begin a consultation process with the
"international coalition allies on changing the focus and
working out a withdrawal calendar."
2. (U) Melescanu's remarks were made to reporters during the
departure ceremony for Iraq of the Iasi-based "Black Wolves"
151st Battalion. Melescanu described his proposal as a shift
that would provide for increased attention to "training,
organizing and preparing the Iraqi armed forces," including
through the continued use of military advisors. He hoped
that Romania would be able to participate in Iraqi military
procurement and modernization programs, and to focus less on
what he labeled "direct missions." He affirmed that the
eventual withdrawal of Romanian forces would depend on a
calendar to be developed with allies by the beginning of 2009.
3. (C) Comment: Melescanu's remarks are unsurprising, in view
of past efforts by the Tariceanu government to call into
question Romania's continued military presence in Iraq.
Other political figures, such as Chamber of Deputies
President Bogdan Olteanu and Social Democrat opposition
leader (and former Foreign Minister) Mircea Geoana, have also
expressed a view that Romania needs to have a calendar for an
Iraq withdrawal. To what extent these views reflect wider
thinking within the national security establishment in
Bucharest, and especially at the Presidential palace, remains
to be seen. Strikingly, Ministry of Defense State Secretary
Dobritoiu did not reference at all the Minister's Friday
remarks during a meeting on January 22 with Embassy
officials. Nor was the value of the Iraqi missions lost
among uniformed officers if the comments from the 151st
Battalion Commander, Lt.Col. Dan Cislariu, are indicative.
At the Iasi ceremony, Cislariu described the Iraqi Mission as
"an extremely valuable experience," adding "we are serving a
righteous cause" against global terrorism. End Comment.
TAUBMAN