INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Romania Likely to Co-Sponsor Holocaust

Published: Thu 26 Jul 2007 11:15 AM
VZCZCXYZ0034
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBM #0863 2071115
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261115Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0295
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7064
UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000863
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO; PARIS PLEASE PASS TO UNESCO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNESCO PREL RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA LIKELY TO CO-SPONSOR HOLOCAUST
REMEMBERANCE RESOLUTION AT UNESCO
REF: STATE 99959
1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points on July 25, to
Daniel Tanase and Edward Iosiper, respectively the MFA
Director and Deputy Director for Middle East and Africa
Affairs. They said that the draft resolution was completely
compatible with Romania's own national policy regarding the
Holocaust, including the fact that since 2003, it is a crime
in Romania to deny the Holocaust took place. They noted that
Romania already has put in place its own Holocaust
educational programs, including a memorial site, school
programs, and a dedicated museum, among other activities.
They recognized that the UNESCO effort may help with Iran,
and reported that they had called in the Iranian ambassador
recently to ask Tehran to be more moderate in its rhetoric
and not to make inflammatory remarks especially concerning
the Holocaust. While the mandate for co-sponsorship will
have to be vetted through the interagency committee, they
fully expected Romania to co-sponsor the draft.
2. (SBU) Comment: Tanase is a member of the GOR Holocaust
Task Force and Iosiper is the Ambassador-designate to Israel.
TAUBMAN
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