US embassy cable - 05BUCHAREST1402

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2015 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PGOV, PREL, AF, RO, NATO, regional organization 
SUBJECT: ROMANIA'S CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR SEEBRIG DEPLOYMENT 
TO AFGHANISTAN 
 
REF: STATE 110073 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF ROBERT GILCHRIST FOR REASONS 1.4 
 B AND D 
 
1.  (C) MFA NATO Division Director Mirela Maghiar told PolOff 
in a June 16 discussion regarding Romanian support for the 
South East Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) that a U.S. contribution 
to SEEBRIG of USD 1 million this year as part of the Global 
Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), would constitute "useful 
and instrumental support for SEEBRIG."  (Reftel) 
Underscoring Romanian support for the Southeast Europe 
Defense Ministerial (SEDM) and SEEBRIG, Maghiar stated that 
Romania has "invested a lot" in SEDM/SEEBRIG and would like 
SEEBRIG to become "an operational force."  She continued that 
the GOR will continue to support SEEBRIG's deployment to 
Afghanistan, "subject to financial limitations."  Noting that 
in early 2006 Romania will "assume coordination of Kabul 
International Airport," she added that Romania's budgetary 
constraints mean that it "can only do so much." 
 
2.  (C) MOD Strategic Affairs Directorate Head Mihaela Matei 
underscored in a June 17 meeting with PolOff Romania's "clear 
commitment" to support a SEEBRIG deployment to Afghanistan. 
Echoing Maghiar's observations, Matei observed that 
"Romania's budget is really stretched" and a SEEBRIG 
deployment "financially might raise some problems...not just 
with Romania but also with other SEEBRIG member states." 
Matei characterized the USG provision of USD 1 million to 
SEEBRIG as "very good news."  She also observed that Romania 
is one of the "very few NATO countries that has kept forces 
in both Afghanistan and Iraq" without withdrawing or reducing 
troop levels. 
 
3.  (C) Comment.  Romanian expressions of concern about 
budgetary limitations and deployment capacity reflect bona 
fide resource restraints.  Our interlocutors clearly 
appreciated likely GPOI support (subject to Congressional 
approval) for SEEBRIG.  Romanian officials have consistently 
told us that they recognize SEDM/SEEBRIG's value as a 
"regional confidence building measure" but would like to see 
SEEBRIG become operational.  End Comment. 
 
4.  (U) Amembassy Bucharest's reporting telegrams are 
available on the Bucharest SIPRNet website: 
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/bucharest 
DELARE