Wikileaks - CCXXXI
36777 7/18/2005 13:07 05BUCHAREST1592 Embassy Bucharest CONFIDENTIAL 05STATE128670 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 001592
SIPDIS
STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - JANE MESSENGER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2015 TAGS: PREL, RO, UNSC SUBJECT: UNSC REFORM: ROMANIA STILL UNDECIDED, UNDER PRESSURE FROM "ALL SIDES"
REF: A. STATE 128670
B. STATE 132429
Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF ROBERT S. GILCHRIST FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (SBU) Charge presented ref A points July 8 to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, underscoring the importance of UNSC reform to the U.S. as well as our concern with the flawed proposal expected to be tabled soon by the G-4. Ungureanu pledged that the MFA would provide the Embassy with its response after it had a chance to review the points. Charge and PolChief again raised the issue July 14 with MFA Director General for Global Affairs Stelian Stoian. The latter said that Romania is "still deliberating" over the issue.
2. (SBU) On July 18, PolChief again discussed UNSC reform with Stoian, presenting ref B points urging Romania to oppose the G-4 resolution and to press for a delay in any vote on UNSC reform or expansion. Stoian said that Romania is still considering its position, which will ultimately be decided by President Traian Basescu.
3. (C) Stoian added that weighing particularly heavy on Romania's ultimate decision will be Romania's relations with key-EU member states. In April, Romania signed an accession treaty with the EU that provides for membership in 2007, with the possibility of a delay by one year if Romania fails to meet criteria. Over the next year and a half, EU member country parliaments will be ratifying the treaty. Stoian said Romania will be "treading carefully" to avoid a potentially lethal rejection by "even one parliament." Stoian confided that Romania had received numerous demarches and approaches from "a wide range of governments," including a joint demarche by the G-4 on July 14. At that meeting, the German Ambassador told MFA State Secretary Baconschi -- the de facto number two at the Ministry -- that Germany would view Romania's position on UNSC reform as a "key indicator of the level of bilateral relations."
4. (U) Amembassy Bucharest's reporting telegrams are available on the Bucharest SIPRNET Website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/bucharest TAPLIN
