Wikileaks - CCXXVIII

36651 7/15/2005 13:13 05BUCHAREST1581 Embassy Bucharest CONFIDENTIAL 05STATE120606|05STATE125824 This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001581

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2015 TAGS: OPDC, PARM, PBTS, PHUM, PREL, PGOV, MD, RO, EUN, OSCE SUBJECT: ROMANIAN COMMENTS ON MOLDOVA AND MULTILATERAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSNISTRIA CONFLICT

REF: A. STATE 120606 B. STATE 125824 C. STEWART-TAPLIN E-MAIL 7/14/05

Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF ROBERT S. GILCHRIST FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

1. (C) During the course of an initial call by Charge at the MFA on July 17, Director General for Global Affairs Stelian Stoian specifically raised "very strong" GOR disappointment that it had not been consulted by the U.S. prior to the U.S. approach to EU member capitals, Moscow, Kiev, and Chisinau on the proposed Multilateral Conference on the Transnistria Conflict (refs). Stoian said Romania had received from another unnamed government the points the U.S. had raised. He added that Romania had proven itself as a "constant and reliable partner" on Moldova/Transnistria and that our two governments are "essentially on the same page" on the issue.

2. (C) Charge expressed appreciation for the important role Romania can play in Moldova and expressed continued commitment to maintaining a strong and productive dialogue on the issue. Per ref C instructions, Charge raised with Stoian the U.S. position on the conference and the message we delivered to Chisinau. He underscored our belief that such a conference could potentially serve as an impetus for reinvigorating the dialogue on Transnistria and that the U.S. and EU should have a role in the conference, a view that Stoian said Romania solidly shared. Charge told Stoian that the U.S. told Chisinau that the U.S. would support including the Romanians in the conference. Stoian thanked the Charge for informing Romania that the U.S. had raised this "important element" with Chisinau.

3. (C) When queried about Romania's relationship with the EU on Moldova, Stoian lamented that individual EU member states treat the issue with varying degrees of interest. He also regretted that the EU still does not have a permanent presence in Chisinau. Stoian took note of the fact that since the signing of Romania's EU accession treaty in April, Romania now has observer status in all EU proceedings including on foreign policy. In that capacity, Romania has already worked to try to elevate Moldova as an issue on the EU foreign policy agenda and he said the EU commission and individual members have increasingly consulted Romania on the issue. When asked whether the EU or member states had pushed back on Romania to take a lower profile on Moldova, he said "absolutely not." Again, Stoian underscored the importance of Moldova to Romania and stressed the importance of close consultation, particularly before new initiatives such as the proposed conference. "Our national interests are involved," he stressed. "No one can deny that."

4. (U) Amembassy Bucharest's reporting telegrams are available on the Bucharest SIPRNET Website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/bucharest. TAPLIN