US embassy cable - 05VIENNA2121

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 002121 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/UMB, AND EUR/SNEC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PBTS, AU 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA HOSTS CONFERENCE ON MOLDOVA'S EUROPEAN 
OPTIONS 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
1.  On June 22, the Austrian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic 
Academy hosted a conference on "Moldova's European Options." 
Two Moldovan ministers, European political analysts, and 
diplomatic representatives discussed Moldova's relations with 
the EU and the Transnistrian conflict.  Moldovan Foreign 
Minister Andrei Stratan reiterated the GoM's commitment to 
further European integration, but claimed the unresolved 
Transnistrian conflict remained the biggest impediment. 
Thomas Mayr-Harting, the Austrian MFA's Political Director, 
announced that Austria would emphasize internal security 
issues, such as border security and combating organized crime 
and human trafficking, during its EU Presidency the first 
half of 2006.  Moldovan Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova 
argued for a reinvigorated format for the Transnistrian 
negotiations to include the USG and EU.  End Summary. 
 
 
Moldovan Foreign Minister's Perspective 
--------------------------------------- 
2.  During his presentation to the conference on June 22, 
Moldovan Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan underlined Moldova's 
unwavering commitment to a European course.  Stratan noted 
that President Vladimir Voronin had reinforced this message 
during his June 7 meeting with EU Highrep Javier Solana and 
his June 8 address to the European Parliament.  According to 
Stratan, there was a strong political consensus within 
Moldova to forge ahead with European integration.  Stratan 
pointed to the unresolved Transnistrian conflict as the 
biggest impediment to Moldova's integration into European 
institutions.  However, he added that improved bilateral 
relations with Romania and Ukraine had given new impetus to 
the Transnistrian settlement process.  Stratan acknowledged 
that trafficking in people remained a major problem, but he 
noted the problem had two sides -- the source country and the 
destination country. 
 
 
An Austrian Perspective 
----------------------- 
3.  Thomas Mayr-Harting, Political Director in the Austrian 
MFA, noted that Austria had strong historical ties to 
Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe.  He said Austria 
would continue to strengthen relations with nations in the 
region, such as Moldova.  Mayr-Harting emphasized that the 
GoA had recently designated Moldova as a priority country for 
development assistance in Eastern Europe.  Mayr-Harting 
announced the GoA would highlight internal security issues 
during its EU Presidency in the first half of 2006.  This 
would include enhanced border security, combating organized 
crime and measures to stem trafficking in persons. 
Mayr-Harting agreed with FM Stratan's observation that source 
and destination countries needed to collaborate closely in 
the fight against human trafficking. 
 
 
The European Commission's Perspective 
------------------------------------- 
4.  Judith Gebetsroithner, an Austrian diplomat seconded to 
External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner's 
office, rebutted criticism that it was unfair for the EU's 
European Neighborhood Policy to group European countries, 
such as Moldova and Ukraine, with North African countries. 
She said individual countries could determine the pace and 
intensity of contacts with the EU, including implementation 
of EU Action Plans.  That said, she acknowledged that Moldova 
and Ukraine "are in a different category than Egypt or 
Morocco." 
 
5.  Gebetsroithner cautioned that the Transnistrian question 
was not the only issue Moldova needed to address in the 
context of European integration.  She urged the GoM to 
fulfill conditions to resume an IMF program, which would send 
an unequivocal message that the GoM is committed to a free 
market economy.  Gebetsroithner urged further progress on 
judicial reform and on freedom of the press.  On 
Transnistria, Gebetsroithner said that Russian participation 
would be key to any settlement, and she urged the GoM to 
engage all parties in negotiations, and "not simply issue 
declarations in the Moldovan Parliament." 
 
 
Moldovan Reintegration Minister on Transnistrian Conflict 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
6.  Moldovan Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova characterized 
the current OSCE-led negotiating format on Transnistria as 
inefficient.  Sova said that over the past 15 years, Moldovan 
negotiators had put forward various plans and approaches, 
but, unfortunately, the Transnistrian authorities were either 
not interested in moving toward a settlement, or were not 
"free" to do so.  In this situation, the GoM had supported 
the formal inclusion of the USG and EU in the negotiating 
process to "create a better balance of powers." 
 
7.  Sova said the final resolution of the Transnistrian 
conflict included three key elements: demilitarization of the 
Transnistrian region; democratization of the separatist 
region; and the establishment of effective border monitoring 
along the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian 
border.  Sova added that there were three components 
associated with the demilitarization of Transnistria.  First, 
Russia must unconditionally fulfill its Istanbul commitments 
to withdraw its troops and armaments from Moldovan territory. 
 Second, the current peacekeeping operation, based on a 1992 
Moldovan-Russian agreement, was outmoded.  An international, 
OSCE-mandated mission of military and civilian observers 
should replace the current peacekeeping operation.  Finally, 
any Transnistrian settlement should ensure the 
demilitarization and disbandment of the "Transnistrian army." 
 
8.  According to Sova, effective control and monitoring of 
the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border 
was essential to stop trafficking in persons, drugs, goods, 
and arms in the region.  This trafficking had a deleterious 
effect on the Moldovan economy and it was a threat to 
regional stability.  Sova noted that Moldovan President 
Voronin and Ukrainian President Yushchenko had jointly 
written to EC President Barroso and EU Highrep Solana 
requesting EU assistance in establishing international 
customs control and monitoring of the border. 
Brown