VZCZCXRO4878
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHCH #1486/01 3521034
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181034Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6032
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHISINAU 001486 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/182017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MD
SUBJECT: LUPU:  BALACED AND HELPFUL 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michae D. Kirby for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Sumary:  In a wide-ranging meeting with the 
Ambassdor December 17, Parliamentary Speaker Marian Lupu 
continued to be very interested in visiting the .S. to meet 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  He promised tohelp get a bilateral 
Article 98 agreement signed to take steps to have a new 
Moldovan TIP Commitee Chair named, and to help ensure that 
the proprty under USG consideration for a new embassy 
copound is not sold off at auction.  Lupu understood he 
Ambassador's points on media freedom and the OM's dismal 
record at the European Court of Huma Rights, and will try to 
help push for a GOM-Romnian border treaty.  The Ambassador 
and Speaker greed to continue their dialogue at a private 
lunh next week.  End Summary. 
 
Possible Visit to th U.S. 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) TheAmbassador began the meeting by raising the ideaof trying to arrange a visit to the U.S. for speakr Lupu to 
meet with his counterpart Nancy Pelosi. (Lupu had raised the 
idea earlier in the year wth the Ambassador and with a 
Codel.)  The Ambassdor mentioned that during his last visit 
to Washngton in September, he had raised this idea withCongressman Price (D-NC), who had promised to suppot it. 
Lupu said it would be a great pleasure andhonor to be able 
to make this trip.  The Ambassador promised to pursue the 
idea further on his next trip to DC in early January. 
 
Some Progress on Article 98 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Having heard that the Moldovan Parliament was on the 
verge of ratifying the Rome Statute, the Ambassador raised 
Article 98, and presented the Speaker with a non-paper on our 
concerns that Moldova appeared to be moving to join Rome 
before signing the Article 98 agreement with us.  Speaker 
Lupu explained that the Rome Statute had not yet reached the 
Parliament.  The President, he noted, is responsible for 
forwarding it to parliament for ratification, but has not yet 
done so.  If the request were not sent over in the next few 
days, it would be impossible to adopt it before the upcoming 
holiday recess started December 28. 
 
¶4. (C) Lupu further noted that he remembers very well 
discussions in April 2007 where a firm decision was made to 
sign a bilateral Article 98 agreement with the United States. 
 He does not see any reasons why this decision should be 
changed.  He reassured the Ambassador that the Parliament was 
merely in standby status right now, and promised to raise the 
issue with the President and the Prime Minister.  Lupu 
understood that there was military assistance at risk, and 
agreed that the best solution was for Moldova to first sign 
an Article 98 Agreement and then to ratify the Rome Statue. 
 
Moldova Still Needs a TIP Coordinator 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) The Ambassador explained that Moldova was placed on 
Tier Two Watchlist in 2007 because of concerns that the 
government is not taking the trafficking issue seriously 
enough.  If Moldova were placed on Tier Three, the Ambassador 
said the USG would be required to limit some assistance 
programs.  The Ambassador suggested one sign of taking 
trafficking more seriously would be catching and prosecuting 
some officials involved in trafficking.  Another key action 
would be to appoint a new Chair of the National 
Anti-Trafficking Committee; since Vrabie was appointed 
Minister of Defense in July 2007, no one has taken over his 
former position on anti-trafficking.  (Minister of Interior 
Papuc has the job, but according to Moldovan rules a deputy 
prime minister must serve as chair.)  Lupu expressed surprise 
that in all this time no new chair had been named.  He 
promised to bring this situation to the attention of the 
Parliamentary Committee on Security Issues headed by Stoicov, 
to ensure that the committee passed the message on to the 
government that a new appropriate chair should be named. 
 
Don't Auction Off the Potential NEC Site 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Ambassador mentioned the USG interest in finding a 
site for a new Embassy building.  President Voronin had 
suggested a Ministry of Defense site near MoldExpo, which is 
of adequate size (7-1/2 hectares) and centrally located.  The 
Ambassador said the USG is looking seriously at that site, 
but noted that our process takes time.  When President 
Voronin told the Ambassador about the site he said the 
government planned to ask parliament for permission to 
auction off the site.  The Ambassador assured Speaker Lupu 
 
CHISINAU 00001486  002 OF 003 
 
 
that if we indeed wanted the site the USG would pay an 
appropriate price for it, but stressed that the USG could not 
purchase it at an auction.  The Ambassador requested that the 
parliament slow down any request to pass a bill calling for 
an auction of the site.  The Speaker promised to check into 
the legal situation affecting the property. 
 
Keep Media Free, but Learn to be More Pro-Active 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶7. (C) The Ambassador raised several disturbing recent media 
freedom issues and reminded Lupu that in the run-up to the 
March 2009 elections the world will be looking at press 
freedom in Moldova.  Lupu acknowledged that media problems do 
exist.  The Ambassador stressed that the USG does not care 
which party wins the election; we want Moldova to win.  For 
that to happen, the Ambassador stated, the elections must be 
conducted fairly.  The Ambassador also stressed how closely 
the elections would be watched by the EU as free and fair 
elections are a precondition for EU candidacy. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Rather than trying to control the media, the GOM 
should learn more about putting out its message, and allowing 
the media to report freely.  The Ambassador, therefore, 
suggested a program which would bring four Moldovan press 
spokesmen to the U.S. on an Open World program. 
Spokespersons for the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and 
Minister of Foreign Affairs would have the opportunity to 
learn how our spokespersons work during a ten-day visit to 
the United States.  There they would learn how to be more 
pro-active in telling the government's story.  While in DC 
they could perhaps spend time at the White House, Congress 
and State Department to see how U.S. press spokespersons 
work.  Lupu said that such a trip could be a very useful 
experience and was enthusiastic about the idea of sending his 
own press spokeswoman on such a trip. 
 
Moldova Still Interested in Border Treaty with Romania 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶9. (C) The Ambassador noted that Moldova won no "style 
points" in world opinion for its recent expulsion of two 
Romanian diplomats and for giving them only 24 hours to leave 
Moldova.  Lupu agreed, saying that in his personal opinion 
this step was not a correct one.  He hypothesized that some 
of the GOM's anger stemmed from recent Romanian comments 
referring to the "so-called Republic of Moldova" at a meeting 
of representatives of the Romanian and Russian Orthodox 
Churches in Bulgaria.  Lupu noted that despite political 
tiffs between Moldova and Romania, the day after the 
expulsions Foreign Minister Stratan said that Moldova is 
still interested in signing border and friendship treaties 
with Romania.  On an encouraging note, the Ambassador 
suggested that progress on the Border Treaty would send a 
positive signal about Moldova's European vector.  Lupu 
agreed, suggesting that any problems about the question of 
two languages could be handled via the Bulgarian-Macedonian 
solution saying that "The Treaty is made in the official 
languages of both countries."  Lupu noted that rather than 
focusing on statements of political radicals, it would be 
more productive to work constructively with balanced leaders 
such as PM Tareceanu. 
 
Moldova's Losses at European Court of Human Rights 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶10. (C) Noting Moldova's dismal record at the European Court 
of Human Rights, the Ambassador suggested that the GOM needs 
to work to improve its record.  As each loss costs the GOM 
20-50 thousand Euro, it is in Moldova's interest, he said, to 
work at improving its record.  Lupu noted that he was 
particularly worried about the next case about ownership 
which would be coming up in Strassbourg soon.  Lupu stated 
that laws on reform of the judiciary system would enter into 
force on the first of January.   Hopefully, he added, these 
reforms might improve the GOM profile in Strassbourg. 
 
Comment: 
------- 
 
¶11. (C) Lupu is a moderate and balanced leader who listens 
carefully to our concerns with an open mind, and understands 
the issues.  Though it is not yet clear if he will stay with 
the PCRM or move out on his own, it is clear that he is a 
leader who gets it.  With his youth, excellent English and 
French, he presents a very progressive face on PCRM 
leadership.  He would very much like to be President 
Voronin's successor after 2009.  It is not clear, however, 
that he has much support within the PCRM.  For now, we will 
be glad to see him deliver the progress he promised on 
Article 98, on having a TIP chair appointed, and on helping 
 
CHISINAU 00001486  003 OF 003 
 
 
us to obtain our NEC site.  The Ambassador has already raised 
these points with the Prime Minister, and plans to raise them 
later this week with the Foreign Minister.  End Comment. 
KIRBY