VZCZCXRO3717
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHCH #0172 0521218
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211218Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6296
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS PNAT PREL PGOV MD
SUBJECT:  MOLDOVA FACES KOSOVO DILEMMA OVER TRANSNISTRIA ANALOGY: 
PRESIDENT REJECTS RECOGNITION 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please Protect Accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Government of Moldova (GOM) and all major 
parties reacted to Kosovo's proclamation of independence with 
concerns that the analogy of Kosovo might be applied to 
Transnistria.  Tiraspol authorities gladly accepted Kosovo's 
independence and said it should be a precedent for the eventual 
recognition of their own independence.  Though the GOM's initial 
public statement February 18 left open the possibility of an 
eventual recognition decision, on February 20 President Voronin shut 
that door, saying that Moldova would not recognize Kosovo.  End 
summary. 
 
GOM: President Voronin Rejects Kosovo Recognition 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The GOM initially issued a press statement February 18 
which expressed concerns about Kosovo's declaration of independence, 
but did not unequivocally refuse to recognize it.  However, on 
February 20 President Voronin told the media that Moldova will not 
recognize Kosovo.  He rejected the notion of states being created on 
an ethnic principle.  In its first statements, the GOM defended its 
own interests against Transnistrian independence with an appeal to 
international law and territorial integrity, while avoiding direct 
opposition to U.S. and most EU member-states' support for Kosovo 
independence.  At the same time, the GOM expressed its concern that 
Kosovo could stimulate separatists all over the world. 
 
MD Politicians: Pluralism in Action 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Moldovan political parties responded disparately to the 
issue, and ignored the GOM's stance.  The Social-Democrats led by 
Eduard Musuc issued an anti-independence clone of the Russian MFA 
Statement on Kosovo.  The Our Moldova Alliance (AMN) spoke only 
about the lack of similarities between Transnistria and Kosovo. 
Rejecting Kosovo as a precedent for Transnistrian independence, 
Christian Democrat leader Iurie Rosca appealed to national unity, 
recalled Transnistrian settlement framework documents adopted by the 
Parliament in the summer of 2005, and warned against reaching any 
excessively quick solution which could be fatal for Moldova's 
independence, sovereignty and prospects for European integration. 
The People's Republican Party, known for its pro-Russian positions, 
stated that Kosovo's self-proclaimed independence precludes any 
solution of the Transnistria conflict within the existing Moldovan 
constitution, while other leftist parties demanded that the issue be 
addressed immediately by the Supreme Security Council.  The 
generally pro-Romanian liberal parties made no comments on Kosovo. 
 
 
Optimistic in Tiraspol 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Reactions from the Tiraspol "government," were positive, 
arguing that Transnistria had an even stronger historical and legal 
claim to independence than Kosovo.  Supreme Soviet Speaker Shevchuk 
suggested that Kosovo is a precedent for settling frozen conflicts 
based on the people's will and their right to self-determination. 
Thus, he stated, only a referendum can provide a viable solution. 
Taking a harder line, Transnistrian "Foreign Minister" Litskai 
stated that Transnistria had already developed its own action plan 
which would be implemented when Kosovo declared independence; his 
remarks echoed a similar statement made by Russian President Putin 
at his recent annual press conference. 
 
Comment: The Moldovan Dilemma 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Moldova is pressed from two sides.  Though 
initially it appeared the GOM would refrain from making definitive 
statements, President Voronin has now come out strongly against 
recognition.  While Moldova is unlikely to change its opposition to 
Kosovo's independence in the short run, it is possible that its 
official view may become more tempered.  In particular, Moldova may 
slowly become convinced that its interests will best be preserved by 
accepting the USG view of the non-precedential nature of Kosovo's 
independence.  Once again, Christian Democrat leader Rosca, seems to 
have used the situation at hand to adopt a posture offering 
strategic electoral advantage to his own party.  End Comment. 
 
Kirby