Cablegate: Romanian Senate Ratifies Defense Cooperation

VZCZCXRO4983
OO RUEHAST
DE RUEHBM #1015 1711509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201509Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4686
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001015

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE - WILLIAM SILKWORTH

E.O. 12958, AS AMENDED: N/A

TAGS: MOPS MARR MCAP PREL PGOV PTER RO

SUBJECT: ROMANIAN SENATE RATIFIES DEFENSE COOPERATION
AGREEMENT BY LARGE MARGIN

Ref: Bucharest 912 (and previous)

1. (SBU) The Romanian Senate meeting in plenary session voted
June 20 to adopt legislation to ratify the U.S.-Romanian
Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) (Ref). The unofficial
tally, recorded by an EmbOff present for the vote, was 62
"ayes", 3 "nays" and 2 abstentions. In a demonstration of
bipartisan support, MFA State Secretary (and former Embassy
Bucharest FSN) Anton Niculescu and Senate Defense Committee
President George Cristian Maior, a prominent member of the
center-left opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD),
introduced the bill on the Senate floor. During his remarks
introducing the legislation, Maior underscored the PSD's
"unconditional support" for the DCA's ratification.

2. (SBU) The debate lasted about twenty minutes, with only
three senators posing questions, none of which contested
ratification. Although less tha half of Romania's 137
senators participated in he vote, Senate rules established a
quorum basedon the presence of 72 senators at the beginning
f the session. The DCA will become law upon signature by
President Traian Basescu and publication in the "Official
Monitor."

Taubman

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