Cablegate: Romania: Marine Scientific Research Authorizations

VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBM #0753 2671403
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231403Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8733

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000753

DEPT FOR EUR/CE: ASCHIEBE, OES/OA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KRVC TPHY EWWT RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA: MARINE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AUTHORIZATIONS

REF: STATE 94522

Sensitive but Unclassified; not for Internet Distribution.

1. (U) In response to reftel request for information, post's
officer responsible for transportation issues, including handling of
Foreign Ministry authorizations for maritime scientific research, is
Economic Officer Justin D. Berg:
Tel: 40-21-200-3436
Fax: 40-21-200-3478
E-mail: BergJ@state.gov
ETD from post: April 2010.

2. (U) Mr. Berg's back-up is Economic Officer Bernadette E.
Roberts:
Tel: 40-21-200-3418
Fax: 40-21-200-3478
E-mail: RobertsBE@state.gov
ETD from post: August 2009.

3. (SBU) Pursuant to reftel, post contacted Cosmin Onisii, Director
of the North American Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
to request additional information regarding the Government of
Romania's (GOR) procedure for handling vessel authorizations.
Onisii responded that the MFA's Office for Boundaries and Maritime
Delimitation is primarily responsible for this issue but that the
Office's director and staff are currently involved in presenting
Romania's boundary dispute case with Ukraine to the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. Onisii cautioned that this is
an unfamiliar area for the GOR and that it might take some time to
prepare an authoritative response. He also indicated that, to the
best of his knowledge, no formal procedure has been developed by the
GOR for responding to this kind of request.

4. (SBU) Furthermore, Onisii noted that the delimitation of
Romania's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Black Sea is still
pending due to the ongoing boundary dispute with Ukraine. As a
result, the Government of Turkey has refused to open negotiations
with Romania on this subject, indicating that they would prefer to
wait for a final ICJ ruling. Onisii ventured that the question of
vessel authorization for research in Romania's EEZ is likely moot
until such an EEZ is established.

5. (U) Post will follow up with the MFA Office for Boundaries and
Maritime Delimitation and report their response septel.

Taubman

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