Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CHISINAU172
2008-02-21 12:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Chisinau
Cable title:  

MOLDOVA FACES KOSOVO DILEMMA OVER TRANSNISTRIA ANALOGY:

Tags:  PBTS PNAT PREL PGOV MD 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3717
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHCH #0172 0521218
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211218Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6296
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CHISINAU 000172 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS PNAT PREL PGOV MD
SUBJECT: MOLDOVA FACES KOSOVO DILEMMA OVER TRANSNISTRIA ANALOGY:
PRESIDENT REJECTS RECOGNITION

Sensitive But Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly.

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000172

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS PNAT PREL PGOV MD
SUBJECT: MOLDOVA FACES KOSOVO DILEMMA OVER TRANSNISTRIA ANALOGY:
PRESIDENT REJECTS RECOGNITION

Sensitive But Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary: The Government of Moldova (GOM) and all major
parties reacted to Kosovo's proclamation of independence with
concerns that the analogy of Kosovo might be applied to
Transnistria. Tiraspol authorities gladly accepted Kosovo's
independence and said it should be a precedent for the eventual
recognition of their own independence. Though the GOM's initial
public statement February 18 left open the possibility of an
eventual recognition decision, on February 20 President Voronin shut
that door, saying that Moldova would not recognize Kosovo. End
summary.

GOM: President Voronin Rejects Kosovo Recognition
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) The GOM initially issued a press statement February 18
which expressed concerns about Kosovo's declaration of independence,
but did not unequivocally refuse to recognize it. However, on
February 20 President Voronin told the media that Moldova will not
recognize Kosovo. He rejected the notion of states being created on
an ethnic principle. In its first statements, the GOM defended its
own interests against Transnistrian independence with an appeal to
international law and territorial integrity, while avoiding direct
opposition to U.S. and most EU member-states' support for Kosovo
independence. At the same time, the GOM expressed its concern that
Kosovo could stimulate separatists all over the world.

MD Politicians: Pluralism in Action
--------------


3. (SBU) Moldovan political parties responded disparately to the
issue, and ignored the GOM's stance. The Social-Democrats led by
Eduard Musuc issued an anti-independence clone of the Russian MFA
Statement on Kosovo. The Our Moldova Alliance (AMN) spoke only
about the lack of similarities between Transnistria and Kosovo.
Rejecting Kosovo as a precedent for Transnistrian independence,
Christian Democrat leader Iurie Rosca appealed to national unity,
recalled Transnistrian settlement framework documents adopted by the
Parliament in the summer of 2005, and warned against reaching any
excessively quick solution which could be fatal for Moldova's
independence, sovereignty and prospects for European integration.
The People's Republican Party, known for its pro-Russian positions,
stated that Kosovo's self-proclaimed independence precludes any
solution of the Transnistria conflict within the existing Moldovan
constitution, while other leftist parties demanded that the issue be
addressed immediately by the Supreme Security Council. The
generally pro-Romanian liberal parties made no comments on Kosovo.


Optimistic in Tiraspol
--------------


4. (SBU) Reactions from the Tiraspol "government," were positive,
arguing that Transnistria had an even stronger historical and legal
claim to independence than Kosovo. Supreme Soviet Speaker Shevchuk
suggested that Kosovo is a precedent for settling frozen conflicts
based on the people's will and their right to self-determination.
Thus, he stated, only a referendum can provide a viable solution.
Taking a harder line, Transnistrian "Foreign Minister" Litskai
stated that Transnistria had already developed its own action plan
which would be implemented when Kosovo declared independence; his
remarks echoed a similar statement made by Russian President Putin
at his recent annual press conference.

Comment: The Moldovan Dilemma
--------------


5. (SBU) Comment: Moldova is pressed from two sides. Though
initially it appeared the GOM would refrain from making definitive
statements, President Voronin has now come out strongly against
recognition. While Moldova is unlikely to change its opposition to
Kosovo's independence in the short run, it is possible that its
official view may become more tempered. In particular, Moldova may
slowly become convinced that its interests will best be preserved by
accepting the USG view of the non-precedential nature of Kosovo's
independence. Once again, Christian Democrat leader Rosca, seems to
have used the situation at hand to adopt a posture offering
strategic electoral advantage to his own party. End Comment.

Kirby