Ambassador Presses Senior Presidential

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DEPT FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE

E.O. 12958: Declassify 01/13/1919
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR MD
SUBJECT: Ambassador Presses Senior Presidential
Advisor on NDI Visa and Registration--Again

Refs: A. Chisinau 0015 B. 08 Chisinau 1235

Classified by Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry under
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a January 13 meeting,
Ambassador Chaudhry once again pressed senior
presidential advisor Sergiu Stati to renew the
work and residence permit of National Democratic
Institute (NDI) Country Director Alex Grigorievs.
Repeating his December 8 reply (ref B),Stati said
the issue would be solved in a couple of days. In
the latest meeting, Stati gave stronger support
for democratic elections and NDI democracy-
building activities, but hinted at concerns about
outside interference and the "personal activities
of the NDI leader." End summary.

Presidential Advisor's Thanks for USG Support
--------------


2. (C) Stati opened the meeting with thanks to the
USG for actively supporting Moldova's democratic
and economic reform and development. He stated
that the Government of Moldova (GOM) was convinced
that any organization (including NDI and IRI)
supported by the U.S. Government would operate
within the limits of Moldovan laws and in the best
interests of the country. He noted that he had
nothing against the NDI, and wanted NDI and IRI to
continue to operate in the country. Stati even
expressed hope that the USG would continue to
support the development of democratic institutions
in Moldova, and would point out problems with the
democratic process when needed. The Ambassador
stressed that Moldova and the United States are
partners and friends, and need to be able to trust
each other's words and promises. Stati said that
he understood.

Still No Renewal of NDI Director's Residency
--------------


3. (C) The Ambassador told Stati that he was
delighted to hear of GOM support for
democratically run elections and NDI activities,
but stressed that actual events were in conflict
with the claims. The Ambassador instanced GOM
pressure on PRO TV and freedom of assembly, and
questioned why decade-old cases were being
resurrected against opposition politicians. In
particular, the Ambassador noted his--and
Washington's--concern that the unfinished business
of NDI's registration, and NDI Country Director
Alex Grigorievs's work and residence permit,
continued to linger. The failure to resolve the
issue was particularly puzzling, the Ambassador
noted, in light of President Voronin's December 22
promise to the Ambassador that the issue would be
solved (ref A). Voronin made the promise after
the Ambassador assured him that he would hold NDI
accountable if it strayed from its party-neutral
mandate of democracy-building in Moldova.


4. (C) Stati declared that he would raise the
issue of Grigorievs's visa with the President. He
expressed confidence that, based on the clear
assurances of NDI neutrality provided by the
Ambassador, he would obtain the President's
approval to positively resolve the residence
permit issue. Stati expressed his surprise that
the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) had refused to
register the NDI, and said that he would also call
the Minister of Justice to discuss its refusal of
registration to NDI. (Note: The MOJ refused
registration in August 2008 on the grounds that
there was already another organization in Moldova
called the National Democratic Institute. The MOJ
again refused registration in December because,
inter alia, the new name--National Democratic
Institute of Moldova--did not correspond to NDI's
title in the United States. End note.)


5. (C) Stati repeated several times his belief
that NDI was doing good work in Moldova, but
ignored the Ambassador's question, "Why does the
PCRM create a bad impression for nothing, if it's
the best organized party in Moldova?" In response
to the Ambassador's recommendation that the PCRM
take advantage of NDI training, Stati replied that

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the PCRM had actually benefitted from NDI training
before the 2005 parliamentary elections. Stati
also said that Grigorievs had stated in 2005 that
the PCRM had taken over all the seminars and it
was time for them to take advantage of NDI
training. This was Stati's only direct criticism
of Grigorievs. At the beginning of the meeting,
Stati said that he and the Ambassador needed to
"discuss the personal activities of the NDI
leader," and later raised the issue of outside
interference in elections. When the Ambassador
asked for details, Stati declared that it was
premature to discuss the issue, since the election
campaign had not yet begun. The Ambassador again
assured Stati that the NDI and IRI would operate
strictly within the guidelines of their mandate to
develop democracy and democratic institutions in
an impartial manner. That answer seemed
satisfactory to Stati, as it did to Voronin on
December 22.

Comment
--------------


6. (C) Stati was either out of the loop regarding
Voronin's promises and other GOM activities, or
was not telling everything he knew. He was
clearly embarrassed at the number of hours that
the Ambassador was spending on what ought to be a
simple issue. His earnest assurances that all
would be well with Grigorievs and the NDI rang
hollow in light of the delays that have occurred.
Stati's hint that Grigorievs was interfering in
Moldova's politics may, worryingly, indicate the
core beliefs of President Voronin and some of his
close advisors.

Chaudhry