Possible Alliance Government Signals Desire to Lift

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000629

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PBTS KDEM MD RO
SUBJECT: Possible Alliance Government Signals Desire to Lift
Romanian Visa Regime

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly.

REF: Chisinau 627


1. (SBU) Summary: The four-party non-Communist coalition,
which likely will form Moldova's next Government, has stated
its intent to reverse a foreign-policy blunder made in
April, when the present Government imposed a visa regime on
Romanian citizens. Removing these sharply criticized visa
requirements would significantly improve Moldova's relations
with both Romania and the European Union. End Summary.


2. (SBU) During an August 8 press conference announcing
formation of the four-party Alliance for European
Integration, the non-Communist parties promised that (if, as
is now widely expected, the Party of Communists cedes eight
MPs and allows the election of a president) their
coalition's first foreign-policy act would be to lift the
visa regime against Romania (Reftel). PLDM leader Vlad
Filat said that the issue would be considered at one of the
first Parliamentary sittings. (Note: The coalition leaders
said that another measure which they would take soon after
coming to power would be the signing of an Agreement on
Local Traffic through the Romanian border. End note.)

Singling out Romania
--------------


3. (SBU) The visa regime had been introduced as an
unfortunate consequence of the April events. Within days
after April 5 elections and mob violence on the night of
April 7-8, the Government of Moldova (GOM) accused Romania
of attempting a coup; accused then Romanian Ambassador Filip
Teodorescu of involvement in organizing the protests;
declared Teodorescu persona non grata; and imposed a visa
requirement on Romanian citizens Q the only EU citizens
facing such an imposition.


4. (SBU) These moves, and particular the visa requirement,
were met with a strong reaction from the EU. On April 23,
EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-
Waldner declared the visa regime "regrettable and
unacceptable," and on May 5, the European Parliament
condemned Moldova's "unfounded accusations" against Romania
and "deplored" the visa regime. In June, EU foreign
ministers offered talks on Association Status, but only "as
soon as circumstances permit," which many understood as a
reference to the visa regime. Such comments from EU
officials have provoked concerns in Moldova that the EU
might withhold its budgetary support for the country -- the
European Neighborhood Partnership Initiative is providing
209.7 million Euros from 2007 to 2010, or even suspend its
membership in the Eastern Partnership.

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


5. (SBU) Lifting the visa regime would be a very positive
first foreign policy step for the new Government. First, it
would immediately improve Moldova's bilateral relationship
with Romania, which in turn could enhance Romania's
willingness to sign the long-pending Border Treaty and
Political Treaty. Second, it would set the stage for
enhanced relations with the European Union by providing an
opening for the EU to move forward with renewed Association
Status talks; in addition, it would likely loosen EU
assistance purse strings for Moldova.

CHAUDHRY