Cablegate: Request for Information On Security

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCH #0081 0431318
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121318Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8861

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000081

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB AND PM/RSAT FOR CPETRONE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PM MD
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON SECURITY
DIALOGUES: CHISINAU RESPONSE

REF: STATE 112900

1. The United States and Moldova conduct Bilateral
Defense Consultations every two years with the
location traditionally rotating between the United
States and Moldova. As part of the U.S.
Department of Defense's bilateral relationship
with Moldova, these consultations are designed to
review the bilateral defense relationship and
chart future areas for cooperation. The first
defense consultations that we are aware of took
place in 1997. The agreement to conduct bilateral
defense consultations appears to have been an
informal one between the two countries, as neither
the Embassy's Defense Attach Office nor the
Moldovan Ministry of Defense has any record of a
formal agreement.

2. The last Bilateral Defense Consultations took
place January 11-12 in Washington, D.C. The
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Russia/Ukraine and Eurasia, Dr. Celeste Wallander,
chaired the event. Other senior U.S. attendees
were Major General Ingram, the North Carolina
National Guard Adjutant General, Brigadier General
Ramirez, the United States European Command Deputy
J5, and Ambassador Chaudhry. The Moldovan
delegation consisted of six individuals from the
Ministry of Defense and two from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. The head of the Moldovan
delegation was Minister of Defense Vitalie
Marinuta.

3. The next Bilateral Defense Consultations are
tentatively planned for late 2011 in North
Carolina. If the event occurs as planned, it
would be hosted by the North Carolina National
Guard Adjutant General.

CHAUDHRY

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