ROMANIA: GLOBAL INITIATIVE REMAINS A PRIORITY

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000259 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE AARON SCHEIBE AND ISN/WMDT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM KNNP RS NL PREL PTER MNUC KGIC RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA: GLOBAL INITIATIVE REMAINS A PRIORITY REF: STATE 035549 ¶1. (SBU) Poloff accompanied Russian and Dutch counterparts on April 15 to discuss the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) 2009 Plenary meeting in The Hague (reftel) with the MFA's Nineta Barbulescu, Director for Assymetric Threats and OSCE Affairs and Emilia Mazuru, GICNT Desk Officer. Barbulescu expressed appreciation for the agenda and noted that the issue raised in the demarche would be discussed within Romania,s interagency process since it is likely that representation to The Hague would come from not only the MFA but also Interior, the National Commission for Control of Nuclear Activities (CNCAN),and the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI),and possibly others. She cautioned that the interagency meeting would need to factor into its decision on Romania's attendance at The Hague meeting the current budget situation. Barbulescu did affirm that GICNT is a priority for Romania. ¶2. (SBU) Barbulescu noted that Romania would look closely into future activities, including the possibility of a seminar with a regional focus. She also thought it would be good to draw in customs officials to participate more actively into the GICNT. In terms of topics that she said could be of interest -- just brainstorming, she added -- the Prepcom for the NPT and an assessment of controls installed since the A.Q. Kahn scandal. We all agreed to return for a more detailed reaction to the demarche after the Easter holiday and after the Romanian interagency consultative process had run its course (probably the first week of May). BONNER