US embassy cable - 05BUCHAREST1592

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001592 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - JANE MESSENGER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL, RO, UNSC 
SUBJECT: UNSC REFORM:  ROMANIA STILL UNDECIDED, UNDER 
PRESSURE FROM "ALL SIDES" 
 
REF: A. STATE 128670 
 
     B. STATE 132429 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF ROBERT S. GILCHRIST FOR REASONS 
1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (SBU) Charge presented ref A points July 8 to Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, underscoring the 
importance of UNSC reform to the U.S. as well as our concern 
with the flawed proposal expected to be tabled soon by the 
G-4.  Ungureanu pledged that the MFA would provide the 
Embassy with its response after it had a chance to review the 
points.  Charge and PolChief again raised the issue July 14 
with MFA Director General for Global Affairs Stelian Stoian. 
The latter said that Romania is "still deliberating" over the 
issue. 
 
2. (SBU) On July 18, PolChief again discussed UNSC reform 
with Stoian, presenting ref B points urging Romania to oppose 
the G-4 resolution and to press for a delay in any vote on 
UNSC reform or expansion.  Stoian said that Romania is still 
considering its position, which will ultimately be decided by 
President Traian Basescu. 
 
3. (C) Stoian added that weighing particularly heavy on 
Romania's ultimate decision will be Romania's relations with 
key-EU member states.  In April, Romania signed an accession 
treaty with the EU that provides for membership in 2007, with 
the possibility of a delay by one year if Romania fails to 
meet criteria.  Over the next year and a half, EU member 
country parliaments will be ratifying the treaty.  Stoian 
said Romania will be "treading carefully" to avoid a 
potentially lethal rejection by "even one parliament." 
Stoian confided that Romania had received numerous demarches 
and approaches from "a wide range of governments," including 
a joint demarche by the G-4 on July 14.  At that meeting, the 
German Ambassador told MFA State Secretary Baconschi -- the 
de facto number two at the Ministry -- that Germany would 
view Romania's position on UNSC reform as a "key indicator of 
the level of bilateral relations." 
 
4. (U) Amembassy Bucharest's reporting telegrams are 
available on the Bucharest SIPRNET Website: 
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/bucharest 
TAPLIN