MOLDOVAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CHISINAU 000419 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/UMB E.O. 12958: Declassify 06/02/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV KV MD SUBJECT: MOLDOVAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROMISES TO RAISE ISSUE OF KOSOVO RCC AND SEECP PARTICIPATION AGAIN REF: STATE 53787 Classified by Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry under 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador Chaudhry met Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Stratan on May 28 to deliver reftel demarche on Moldova's non- acceptance of travel documents issued by the Government of Kosovo (GOK),thus preventing GOK delegates from participating in the June 4 Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the June 5 SEECP Summit. Ambassador Chaudhry made the demarche as part of a coordinated effort by the United States, German, French, Italian and British embassies in Chisinau. ¶2. (C) FM Stratan replied that the Government of Moldova (GOM) was unable to allow GOK representatives to enter Moldova because permission would violate the Moldovan Parliament's decision not to recognize Kosovo, and would give Transnistrian leaders "opportunity to talk." (Note: Stratan was referring to Transnistrian attempts to draw an analogy between the recognition of Kosovo and Transnistria's own desire for recognition. End note.) Stratan stressed that the Transnistrian issue was particularly sensitive given "all that is coming from Romania." (Note: Stratan was referring generally to the mud-slinging match between the presidents of Romania and Moldova, which has given support to Transnistrian arguments that Romania is seeking to reunite with Moldova, a move that would end forever any chance that Transnistria would accept a settlement that reintegrated the region back into Moldova. End note.) ¶3. (C) Ambassador Chaudhry noted Stratan's concerns, and argued that he was not asking Moldova to recognize Kosovo--only to permit entry of GOK delegates. The Ambassador argued further that, while Kosovo is recognized by many countries, Transnistria is recognized by no one, not even Russia. Further, he continued, Transnistria is an internal affair of the Republic of Moldova. In response, Stratan replied that he would approach his colleagues in GOM leadership and raise the issue once more. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) With the GOM in an acting capacity at the highest levels, and the parliamentary election of a president still on hold, it is doubtful that the GOM will respond favorably to the demarche request, despite the strong arguments made in its favor. CHAUDHRY