VZCZCXRO5629
OO RUEHSL
DE RUEHNO #0070/01 0481137
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171137Z FEB 10
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3867
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU IMMEDIATE 0150

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000070 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2020 
TAGS: NATO PGOV PREL MD
SUBJECT: MOLDOVAN FM AND DM VISIT NATO 
 
Classified By: DCM J. Heffern, Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary: Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign 
Minister Leancu and Defense Minister Marinuta visited the 
North Atlantic Council (NAC) on February 10, 2010 and 
reported on the reforms of their new Western-leaning 
government, on their desire for deeper Euro-Atlantic 
integration, and the political and economic plight of 
Moldova.  PermReps welcomed the visit and the reforms 
undertaken by the Moldovan government and encouraged the 
country to undertake a Strategic Defense Review.  FM Leancu 
also made a "plea" to the United States and EU to become more 
deeply engaged in resolving the Transnistria conflict.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Reforms of Western-Leaning Government 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) In his first visit to the NAC since the July 2009 
election of his government (which ended eight years of 
Communist rule), Moldovan FM Leancu provided a broad overview 
of the current political and economic situation in his 
country.  He reported that under the leadership of Prime 
Minister Vladimir Filat, the four-party Alliance for European 
Integration (the "Alliance") had embarked on a path toward 
European integration, reintegration of the country (through a 
settlement of the Transnistria conflict), economic recovery, 
expanded democracy, and strengthened respect for rule of law. 
 Parliament had twice undertaken to elect a President and 
failed to get the supermajority of votes required, he said, 
because of Communists, objections.  However, he added that 
the Acting President will remain in place along with the 
current Alliance-led government and Prime Minister until new 
elections occur, most likely in the fall of 2010.  FM Leancu 
said the Alliance was determined to retain control of the 
government and keep Moldova on its pro-European course. 
However, he added that Moldova was the poorest country in 
Europe and gas prices had just risen "astronomically" in 
January.  He said Moldova was very grateful for the IMF's 
approval of a nearly $600 million standby agreement that will 
help make Moldova more attractive for foreign investment and 
the United States' $262 million Millennium Challenge 
Corporation Compact for agriculture and infrastructure 
projects.  He added he would travel to European capitals in 
the coming weeks to ask for additional financial assistance. 
He said he understood that every budget was "strapped," but 
Moldova's budgetary woes were dire, and if his government was 
unable to improve the daily lives of Moldovans, the 
Communists no doubt would return to power. 
 
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Moldova and NATO 
---------------- 
 
¶3.   (C) The FM noted that the majority of the Moldovan 
population does not support joining NATO (largely because of 
the influence of "foreign media") and that his government 
hoped to work with NATO on a public diplomacy campaign that 
would improve NATO's image in the country.  Leancu noted that 
Moldova had benefited from its work with NATO on its 
Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), but that its 
improvements so far had been only "modest."  He reported that 
his government was working with the NATO International Staff 
on a new draft to update the current IPAP (written in 2006). 
Defense Minister Marinuta reported that defense sector reform 
was a high priority in his Ministry, but that Moldova had not 
yet begun a Strategic Defense Review (which he hoped the 
country would complete by the end of this year).  The United 
States was among numerous Allies which encouraged the Defense 
Minister to undertake the review quickly and the reform 
agenda it would call for.  The Defense Minister also reported 
that since 2008, five of the Moldovan Air Force,s six 
helicopters have been contracted to the UN mission in 
Afghanistan (UNAMA) on civilian charter.  He did not 
anticipate that Moldova would be in a financial position to 
offer troops to any NATO missions in the near future. 
 
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Transnistria 
------------ 
 
¶4.  (C)  FM Leancu noted that Moldova was the location of one 
of Europe,s last frozen conflicts in its Transnistria 
region.  He said his government was very eager to see a more 
active 5 2 process (Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Transnistria, 
and the OSCE   the EU and United States as observers) to 
negotiate a settlement on Transnistria.  Indeed, he "pled" 
for more active engagement from the United States and EU and 
said his country was more interested in a "7" process than a 
5 2.  He added that a settlement must (i) define 
Transnistria,s status within Moldova and its internationally 
 
USNATO 00000070  002 OF 002 
 
 
recognized borders; (ii) provide for the independence, 
sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Moldova; (iii) 
facilitate the transformation of the current Russian 
"peacekeeping" force into an unarmed, multinational civilian 
presence under OSCE auspices; and (iv) further the 
implementation of the withdrawal of Russian forces and 
munitions from Moldova. 
 
¶5.  (C) PermReps warmly welcomed the FM and DM and applauded 
their government's reform agenda.  All agreed that deeper 
Euro-Atlantic integration, political and economic reform, and 
resolution of the Transnistria conflict were essential for 
Moldova's stable future.  Allies offered their support for 
the government's efforts and their hope for deeper 
cooperation between NATO and Moldova. 
HEFFERN