22.10.

2020 Cable: 09BUCHAREST716_a

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VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER BOC

Date: 2009 October 23, 14:13 (Friday) Canonical ID: 09BUCHAREST716_a
Original Classification: CONFIDENTIAL Current Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Handling Restrictions -- Not Assigned -- Character Count: 8555
Executive Order: -- Not Assigned -- Locator: TEXT ONLINE
TAGS: PGOV - Political Affairs--Government; Internal Concepts: -- Not Assigned -- (/plusd/?q=&qfconcept=--
Governmental Affairs (/plusd/? +Not+Assigned+--#result)
q=&qftags=PGOV#result) | RO - Romania
(/plusd/?q=&qftags=RO#result)
Enclosure: -- Not Assigned -- Type: TE - Telegram (cable)
Office Origin: -- N/A B -- Archive Status: -- Not Assigned --
Office Action: -- N/A B --
From: R B (/ /? Markings: -- Not Assigned --
= =R %23%23B # )
To: G D E P
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D %23%23E P
C # )|N S C
(/ /? = =N S
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= =S S # )|
W H (/ /? = =W
H # )

Classified By: Ambassador Mark A. Gitenstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).

1. (C) SUMMARY. Vice President Joseph Biden met with Interim

Prime Minister Emil Boc on October 22, 2009. The Romanian
Prime Minister and the Vice President discussed the
motivations for the Vice President's trip to Europe and the
reasons why Romania was chosen as the location for the trip's
major policy speech. They also discussed the current
political situation in Romania, Romanian contributions in
Afghanistan, the visa waiver program,
international adoptions and the status of the Romanian
Property Fund. END SUMMARY.

2. (C) On October 22, Vice President Biden met with Interim

Prime Minister Boc at the Prime Minister's office. Biden's
delegation consisted of Ambassador Mark Gitenstein, National
Security Advisor Antony Blinken, Senior Director for European
Affairs, National Security Council Elizabeth
Sherwood-Randall, Senior Director for Defense Policy and
Strategy, National Security Council Barry Pavel, Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Pamela Quanrud, and Special
Advisor for Europe and Russia, Office of the Vice President
Sumona Guha. Boc was joined by the minister of Defense Mihai
Stanisoara, Minister of Economy and Acting Minister of Health
Adriean Videanu, Minister of Justice and Acting Foreign
Minister Catalin Predoiu, the Romanian Ambassador to the

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22.10.2020 Cable: 09BUCHAREST716_a

U.S., Adrian Vierita State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign

Affairs Bogdan Aurescu and State Secretary, Ministry of the
Interior Dan Valentin Fatuloiu.

U.S. Commitment to Europe

3. (C) The Vice President began the discussion by explaining

that he had chosen Romania as the platform for
sending a message to all of Central and Eastern Europe: to
emphasize that the U.S. remains strongly engaged in the
region. He stated that he and President Obama understood
that attempts to "reset" relations with Russia, changes in
the missile defense plan for Europe, and increasing American
commitments to hot spots in the world have led many to
question America's commitment to Central Europe. However, he
categorically denied that the U.S. has taken its eyes off
Europe. Biden stressed that the decision to change the
missile defense plan was not taken to appease Russia, but
rather, to create a more effective system and counteract more
immediate threats. Biden reiterated red lines for Russian
behavior: the U.S. opposes the notion of spheres of
influence and firmly supports each nation,s right to join
the alliances and organizations it chooses, without a Russian
veto. The Vice President recognized that Romania has not
been vocal in questioning U.S. commitment to the region and
noted that he chose to give his speech in Bucharest to show
that countries do not have to complain to get attention as
well as to recognize the efforts of Romania's armed forces in
the Balkans and Afghanistan.

Romanian Contributions to NATO

4. (C) In response to Boc's comment that Romanians are proud

to say that American soldiers are serving under
Romanian command, Biden congratulated Romanian forces and
pointed out that in previous operations in Bosnia, the idea
that American troops might serve under foreign command had
become a domestic political issue. He stated that it is a
testament to the quality and reputation of the Romanian Armed
Forces that no one objected to U.S. troops serving under a
Romanian commander. Biden said that he believes that
Romanian troops are "real warriors, people you can trust to
cover your back" and that Romania's contributions serve as a
force multiplier because Romania, by punching above its
weight, shows larger allies that they could do more in
Afghanistan.

Romanian Political/Economic Situation

5. (C) Boc assured the Vice President that, in spite of the

current political situation (reftel), the Romanian
Government is stable and that his cabinet would continue to

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22.10.2020 Cable: 09BUCHAREST716_a

carry out its constitutional duties until a new cabinet is

approved by the Parliament. He admitted that there had been
domestic political disagreements, but underscored that all
Romanian political parties are united in their support of
NATO and the mission in Afghanistan. Biden turned to the
economic situation and asked Boc, point blank, how Romania
was going to be able to meet its IMF obligations. The Prime
Minister replied that this would be difficult, but said that

BUCHAREST 00000716 002 OF 002

the required reforms have been needed for years. In this

sense, pressure from the IMF and European Union might
actually make it easier to build the political consensus
necessary to pass reforms through the Parliament. Despite
this
optimism, Boc did not understate the challenges and noted
that his cabinet fell on a no-confidence vote after trying to
push through IMF-mandated reforms to the pension system.

Business Environment

6. (C) The Prime Minister stated that Romania would like U.S.
support in attracting additional American investment,
proposing that a Romanian-American Business Forum be held in
2010. Biden and Ambassador Gitenstein both supported the
idea of a forum but stated that a lack of transparency and
predictability were the main obstacles to increased
investment in Romania. The Ambassador stated that any
potential investors would speak to firms currently operating
in Romania and that Romania could help to attract more
investment by successfully ending disputes with companies
already invested in the country.

Consular Issues

7. (C) Boc asked what the GOR could do to help achieve the
goal of admittance into the visa waiver program. Biden said
that he would love to see Romania admitted to the program and
suggested that the most effective way to lower the refusal
rate is to educate the population and discourage people from
continuing to reapply after being previously denied.
Gitenstein stated that while the refusal rate is 26%, at
least 10% of the overall refusals are from applicants who
repeatedly reapply in the hope of finding a consular officer
who has a different interpretation of the legal requirements.
State Secretary Aurescu raised the possibility that the U.S.
might consider changing the requirement from the percentage
of refused applications to the percentage of refused
individual applicants but said that the Government would work
to better educate the applicant pool.

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22.10.2020 Cable: 09BUCHAREST716_a

8. (C) The Prime Minister told the Vice President that the
Government has drafted legislation that would allow for more
flexibility on future international adoptions from Romania
but that the legislation could not be moved forward due to
the current political turmoil. Biden thanked the Prime
Minister for any movement toward reopening inter-adoptions
but stressed that the U.S. is most concerned about the
roughly 200 cases that were left
pending when Romania suspended international adoptions five
years ago. Biden underscored the U.S. interest in these
cases and requested status updates on the children involved.
Biden said that the Americans who had applied to adopt the
children still viewed them as their children and were anxious
to discover if they had been adopted by other families or if
they remained in orphanages. Boc did not reply to this
request.

Property Fund

9. (C) Gitenstein asked Boc about the status of the Property

Fund, especially on the reason for the delay in
appointing a new fund manager. Gitenstein complemented the
Romanian Government for having run a fair and transparent
tendering process, but expressed worry that the contract
appointing the Fund's manager had not yet been signed. Boc
responded that the process had been interrupted by the
no-confidence vote and the recent resignation of Enache Jiru,
as the head of the selection commission, but assured the U.S.
delegation that the appointment would move forward once a
new government is in place. Gitenstein asked for Boc's
personal assurance that this delay would not allow for the
dilution of the Fund's shareholdings, which Boc readily gave,
adding that the Romanian Embassy in Washington would be
willing to send a letter to American shareholders on this
point.

10. (U) The Vice President did not have the opportunity to
clear this cable.
GITENSTEIN

References to this document in other cables References in this document to other cables
09BUCHAREST691 (/plusd/cables/09BUCHAREST691.html)
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