VZCZCXRO2039
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHBM #1509 2701550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271550Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5258
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001509 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/NCE AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EU RO
SUBJECT: QUIET PRIDE AND FLEETING COMITY AFTER EC 
MONITORING REPORT CONFIRMS ROMANIAN EU MEMBERSHIP IN 2007 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  In a rare display of comity between increasingly 
fractious coalition partners, President Traian Basescu and 
Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu abandoned earlier 
plans for separate press events, opting instead for a joint 
press appearance at Cotroceni Palace to announce a positive 
EC Monitoring Report on Romanian EU entry in 2007.  (In fact, 
Basescu made the extraordinary protocol gesture of offering 
the Prime Minister the floor first at their press 
conference.)  In his comments, President Basescu declared 
that the report heralded the accomplishment of one of his 
main goals since taking office.  He said there was consensus 
between his office and the Government that there would be no 
fundamental changes immediately after accession.  Basescu 
warned that membership in the EU would not automatically 
produce prosperity, but rather the prospect of prosperity. 
He urged Romanian  authorities not to unduly raise hopes for 
immediate improvement in national well-being.  Noting the 27 
"yellow flags" in the EC Monitoring report, Basescu said 
there were many areas where the government's performance 
remained mediocre.  Finally, Basescu acknowledged the 
contributions of the current and previous governments in 
gaining entry into NATO and the EU, adding that these 
objectives were met because Bucharest had consistently 
remained oriented towards the West. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Prime Minister Tariceanu underscored that Romanians 
should be proud of their accomplishment, as the country was 
joining the EU on the strength of its own merits rather than 
the political backing of others.   Tariceanu echoed President 
Basescu in warning that while the EC report represented the 
fulfillment of the drive to join the EU in 2007, it would be 
a mistake to believe that all of Romania's problems would be 
solved on January 1.  He also underscored that Romania would 
be treated the same as other EU members after accession. 
Tariceanu insisted that there were no unique safeguard 
clauses that applied only to Romania, but rather a mechanism 
for cooperation and verification that was consonant with the 
European Commission's role as custodian of the treaties. 
Tariceanu said that necessary reforms included decentralizing 
public administration, developing public infrastructure and 
the educational and health systems, and enhancing the 
government's ability to absorb EU funds, which he said could 
amount to over Euros 30 billion over the next five years. 
In closing, PM Tariceanu underscored the need for continued 
political, economic, and social stability in order to carry 
out reforms, noting that EU integration was not the exclusive 
monopoly of the government, or of any political party or 
public institution. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Opposition reactions were generally muted.  PSD 
president Mircea Geoana for his part welcomed the EC 
monitoring report, which he said was the successful outcome 
of the past decade's "long march" in the direction of 
Brussels, initiated by his party when it was in power.   In a 
dig at the ruling PD-PNL alliance, Geoana added that he 
believed that the it was no longer a functional "engine," 
adding that the PSD was now prepared to retake the reins of 
power and put forward a concrete post-accession strategy for 
Romania.  True to form, right-wing PRM President CV Tudor 
described the EC report as a "farce", marking Romania's new 
status as a colony of the EU's "sublime porte." 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment: Local political parties generally reacted 
with equal measures of equanimity and quiet pride to the 
September 27 EC report, as a green light for Romania, however 
caveated by continuing safeguards, had long been expected. 
While earlier reports suggested that the Presidential and 
Prime Ministerial offices were vying for separate prime-time 
slots to announce the EC decision, it appears that cooler 
heads ultimately prevailed in presenting a united front at 
the press conference.  In a more celebratory mood than usual, 
the Democrats and the Liberals had the magnanimity to 
acknowledge the contributions of preceding Romanian 
governments in gaining entry to the EU, most notably the 
Iliescu/Nastase Social Democratic administration.  While the 
Bucharest political elites are already jostling and 
scratching for position in what will be Romania's first year 
as a full-fledged EU member, it was encouraging to see that 
for at least one day, the hatchets could be buried.  Alas, 
they will not be in the ground for long.  End Comment. 
 
Taubman