Wikileaks - DCCCXCIV
132073 11/29/2007 13:58 07BUCHAREST1317 Embassy Bucharest CONFIDENTIAL 07STATE159862 VZCZCXRO8889 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHBM #1317 3331358 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291358Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7661 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001317
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE A. JENSEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2017 TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, IZ, RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA: INTENSIFYING AND DIVERSIFYING RELATIONS WITH IRAQ
REF: A. STATE 159862
B. BUCHAREST 1244 C. STATE 150164 D. BUCHAREST 876
Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Tanoue; Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Poloff delivered Ref A points on November 28, to MFA Director for Middle East and Africa Daniel Tanase. Tanase expressed appreciation for the demarche and said the GOR would look forward to the December 6 NSC Iraq Forum for further discussion. Tanase described the GOR policy towards Iraq as moving towards intensifying and diversifying relations. The GOR will be inviting to Baghdad periodically senior Iraqi officials from several key ministries (education, health, transportation, foreign affairs, etc.) as part of a government-to-government exchange program. There will also be an effort to increase commercial ties. The budget for this will come out of the MFA's development assistance account. Tanase also noted that, since Romania was "in from the beginning," its military forces in Iraq will remain "to the end" provided that the Iraqi government asks Romania to remain. The precise "legal" configuration will depend on further consultations with coalition partners.
2. (C) Comment: As reported previously, the GOR calculates that the Iraq deployments have had a multiplier effect on its own defense transformation. The experience garnered by Romanian troops in Iraq, will be useful in other overseas deployments. End Comment. TAUBMAN
