DASD Wallander Discusses Defense Reform

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHISINAU 001002

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MD
SUBJECT: DASD Wallander Discusses Defense Reform
with Acting President Ghimpu

Classified by: Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a December 11 meeting with
DASD Celeste Wallander, Acting President Ghimpu
welcomed continued U.S. defense-reform assistance,
and blamed the Russians and the previous Communist
government for a number of problems facing
Moldova. In particular, he mentioned the presence
of Russian troops in Transnistria; the unresolved
Transnistrian dispute; and the lamentable state of
the Moldovan Army ("destroyed by the Communists").
End summary.

The Reset and USG Support on Transnistria
--------------


2. (C) Ghimpu stressed the Moldovan governments
focus on finding a way to resolve the Transnistria
issue, which he noted was "set up" in 1990 on
Moscow's orders. It will be difficult, although
as he mentioned to President Medvedev, the process
cannot last forever. Seventeen years of dialogue
had produced little and more traction was needed
to resolve the conflict. Ghimpu thanked DASD
Wallander for U.S. support on the Transnistrian
issue in the five-plus-two process, which was
critical. Wallander said the U.S. understood
Moldovan frustration with the slow pace of talks,
and stated that the "reset" of relations with
Russia had improved the atmosphere with Moscow,
which we hoped would benefit discussions over
Transnistria. At the same time, she said, the USG
does not accept the concept of spheres of
influence, and is finding that there are those in
the Russian leadership who do not view the region
in such terms. To Ghimpu's apparent agreement,
she rejected zero-sum-game thinking, and stated
that USG involvement in Moldova was not anti-
Russian.

USG Support for Three Lanes of Military Reform
-------------- -


3. (C) DASD Wallander noted USG support for the
Moldovan military in three lanes: overall reform
of the Ministry of Defense; NATO interoperability
(which, she stressed, does not presume
membership); and bilateral cooperation efforts.
She commended Minster of Defense Marinuta for his
vision and concrete plan for improving the
Moldovan Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces, and
interest in accelerating much needed reforms.
Wallander noted Marinuta's statement in a meeting
earlier that day that all such decisions were to
be made by Moldova's political leadership. She
also noted that the Department of Defense looked
forward to hosting Minister Marinuta at the
biennial Bilateral Defense Consultations in
Washington, January 11-12. The BDC would
establish the strategic direction of U.S.-Moldovan
defense relations and offers the U.S. and Moldova
an opportunity to shape military engagement in
2010-11.

Ghimpu on PCRM Destruction of Army; NATO; and
Afghanistan
-------------- --------------
--------------


4. (C) Ghimpu lamented the poor state of the
Moldovan Armed Forces, noting that "the
Communists" (PCRM) had destroyed the Army, doing
little except for feeding and clothing the army
over the last eight years. The previous
government gave the Academy of Sciences twice the
budget as the military. The Communists had
unfortunately portrayed NATO as a "frightening
conspiracy," pointing to polls showing that, while
over 60 percent of Moldovans favor EU integration,
fewer than 30 percent favor NATO membership.
There was a need to portray NATO as an umbrella
that maintains peace. Moldova is in the process
of reinvigorating its IPAP efforts and will work
with NATO on implementing necessary reforms.


5. (C) Ghimpu turned to the issue of Moldova's
contribution to international operations. He
noted that the Moldovan military had assisted in
Iraq, and the government was in discussions about

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possible future contributions. This could
possibly include Afghanistan, although there had
been no decisions made about any contributions.
Ghimpu noted that the Army would serve if given
the order, but that many of its members were
untrained 18-year olds. (Note: After the
meeting, the head of the NATO Department at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European
Integration told us that an Afghanistan deployment
could be exploited by the PCRM as a replay of the
involuntary deployment of Moldovan conscripts in
the Soviet military to Afghanistan in the 1980s.
End note.)


6. (C) Thanking DASD Wallander for U.S.
assistance, Ghimpu singled out the National
Democratic Institute and the International
Republican Institute for providing training in
party-building, and a "reform mentality." He said
he appreciated the MCC's USD 262 million grant for
roads and irrigation repair, while noting that
people in Moldova also needed "to have their
Soviet thinking repaired."


7. (C) Ghimpu turned to the constitutional reforms
needed to change the parliamentary requirement for
electing a president from the present three-fifths
(61 votes) to a simple majority (51 or 52,
depending on who is counting) of the 101 MPs.
(Note: the ruling four-party Alliance for
European Integration holds 53 seats. End note.)
Although he stated that the reforms were necessary
for the well-being of the country, irrespective of
who was in power, he concluded that failure to
reform would leave the PCRM with permanent power
to block the election of a president.

Comment:
--------------


8. (C) Ghimpu did not stray from his usual talking
points: strong appreciation of USG support, and a
reflexive anti-Russian and anti-Communist stance.
Ghimpu used the press conference following the
meeting to put in a plug for the idea of Moldova's
signing a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the
United States.


9. (U) This message was cleared by Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense Wallander.

CHAUDHRY