Wikileaks - MCCCXXIII

201863 4/10/2009 13:06 09BUCHAREST244 Embassy Bucharest CONFIDENTIAL VZCZCXRO5384 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHBM #0244/01 1001306 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 101306Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9418 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU PRIORITY 1360 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 000244

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CE AND EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2019 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MO, RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA AND MOLDOVA: FOREIGN MINISTER ASKS ALLIES AND PARTNERS FOR SUPPORT

Classified By: Charge d'affaires, a.i. Jeri Guthrie-Corn; Reasons 1.4(b ) and (d)

1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu convoked NATO and EU Ambassadors on April 9 to request more robust public expressions of support for Romania in the wake of the expulsion of the Romanian Ambassador and Press Attache from Moldova. The intent of Diaconescu's appeal was not to elicit reactions to the internal situation in Moldova or to specific bilateral issues between Moldova and Romania, but rather to focus (especially EU) attention on the undiplomatic handling of a fellow EU and NATO member state, especially in light of the imposition of visa restrictions only on ethnic Romanians in violation of EU-Moldovan arrangements. Diaconescu noted that Romania has yet to receive a detailed explanation for the expulsions beyond allegations that Romania was somehow involved in instigating the violence; an accusation that Romania vehemently rejects. Diaconescu expressed concerns for Romanian citizens in Moldova who were victims of a "manhunt." Diaconescu pledged Romania will not reciprocate Moldovan provocation and will continue to press for calm, an end to violence, respect for the rule of law, and political dialogue. End Summary. 2. (C) FM Diaconescu called the sudden meeting of NATO and EU ambassadors to have an exchange of views and for Romania to present its side of the story. He repeated several times throughout the 90-minute meeting that Romania rejected the post-election violence in Moldova, and advocated that "political outcomes must rely on political means" calling for calm dialogue. He underscored the importance for Moldova to join the EU in spite of Chisinau's reservations about the "Eastern Partnership." Romania, he said, would continue to offer its full support for Moldova's EU aspirations. Diaconescu noted that the situation with Moldova has changed for Romania, even though Romania will maintain its policy to continue support for Moldova's integration with the rest of Europe. He said the MFA first learned about the expulsion of its ambassador in Chisinau from media reports. In addition, from media reports at 2100 hours the MFA learned that Moldova was imposing a visa requirement on Romanian citizens (which went into effect that midnight). Finally he said there were many accusations directed at Romania from not just Voronin; Diaconescu rejected "these accusations and provocation" as an unacceptable attempt to assign Romania responsibility for Moldova's domestic problems. Diaconescu reported that Romania was "confronted by systematic disinformation." He was receiving reports of a "manhunt" by plain-clothes security agents looking for Moldovan students who had studied in Romania. Diaconescu underscored, "we reject the violence and the implications." He was concerned for the targeting of young people, and noted Romania would remain open to discuss these allegations with Moldova, but that the MFA had been spurned in its request for an explanation from the Moldovan embassy in Bucharest. 3. (C) Diaconescu was surprised by the "mild attitude" from Romania's partners to the treatment of the ambassador from a fellow EU member state, and to the developments occurring on the border of the EU and NATO. He said this situation cannot be allowed to grow. He described Moldova's expulsion of the Romanian ambassador as unprecedented for an EU member state and a challenge to the "fundamental basis of our values; none of us should remain silent." He clarified he was not speaking about the elections, and emphasized that Romania has no interest in interfering in Moldova's internal situation, but he described the attitude taken by Chisinau as "brutal." Pointing out that Romania accepted the electoral decisions and furthermore understood through exit polling and earlier public opinion surveys that the communists were going to win the election, Diaconescu asked, "so why attack Romania?" He reported that Romania requested via note verbale names of Romanian citizens who may have been arrested but Moldova has not responded. (Note Moldovan press reports had noted a large percentage of foreigners had been detained during the skirmish with security forces. End note.) He said more could be done by EU and NATO member states to draw attention to these concerns in view of this situation. 4. (C) Fundamentally, Diaconescu noted, Voronin's actions "fundamentally changes nothing in our (Romania's) attitude towards Moldova and its relations with the EU. On the other hand, there is the issue regarding the free movement of people and violations with Moldova,s agreement with the EU. (Note: A Romanian television crew was "extradicted" from Chisinau to Budapest upon its arrival before the visa restrictions were put into effect. End note) In response to a question from the UK ambassador, Diaconescu said capitals should convey a call to the end of violence, react to the visa regime imposed selectively on Romanian citizens in violation of the agreement with the EU, and -- though difficult perhaps -- support for the Romanian ambassador and

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a call for Moldova to return to normal relations with Romania. Romania has no interest in involving the EU into the debate, but was asking for some solidarity. 5. (C) COMMENT: It was clear that Diaconescu was frustrated that EU member states were being timid in their assessments of Moldovan accusations against Romania. The implication is that the absence of support from individual EU member states indicates some European countries may lend credibility to Voronin's charges. The EU,s mild response will only weaken Romania's efforts to build more confidence in its still relatively new role as an EU member, and risks emboldening Voronin to escalate the rhetoric against Romania, regardless of the larger consequences. End Comment. GUTHRIE-CORN