RUSSIA UNCONCERNED ABOUT DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 008915


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV VE RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA UNCONCERNED ABOUT DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA

REF: STATE 117165

Classified By: MINISTER-COUNSELOR FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS
KIRK AUGUSTINE. REASONS: 1.4(B/D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOR shares none of the concerns
outlined in reftel regarding current political trends in
Venezuela. Unless events in Caracas take a major turn for
the worse, the GOR is unlikely to do anything that might
jeopardize this incipient -- if still marginal --
relationship. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On July 20, poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA
Latin America specialist Dmitriy Yakushev, leaving talking
points behind as a non-paper. When asked about his
government's views on the threats to democracy in Venezuela,
Yakushev focused on last year's presidential recall
referendum, asserting it had passed muster with both the
Organization of American States and the Carter Center. He
said Chavez continued to govern within the provisions of the
current constitution and according to "democratic norms."


3. (C) With respect to Venezuela's military expansion and
arms purchases, Yakushev said that the GOR views Venezuela's
creation of a 2.5 million man militia as an internal matter,
adding wryly that President Chavez has stated that he fears a
U.S. invasion and that the contemplated militia was intended
only to defend the country against external aggression.
Turning to Venezuela's arms acquisitions, he said Russia was
entirely within its rights to sell Venezuela 100,000
Kalashnikov rifles, noting that Venezuela was neither a
current participant in an armed conflict, nor subject to a UN
arms embargo. He insisted that the deal was transparent and
said Venezuela's neighbors did not seem particularly
concerned. He did not mention other possible arms deals
between the two countries.


4. (C) Yakushev said he was unaware of any evidence
supporting the contention that the GOV permits foreign
terrorist groups to operate within its territory or that it
is supporting efforts to destabilize its neighbors. He said
the GOR was not unduly concerned about setbacks to the GOV's
counter-narcotics policies.


5. (C) There are currently no concrete plans, Yakushev said,
for a high-level visit by officials of either country to the
other. (Note: Chavez last visited Putin in Moscow in
November 2004, his third visit to Moscow since 2001. End
note.) However, the two governments have been discussing the
possibility of scheduling later this year a session of their
inter-governmental commission on economic and commercial
relations, which is headed by a Russian Deputy PM and
Venezuela's Vice President. Such a meeting remains tentative.


6. (C) COMMENT: The GOR sees Venezuela as a cash-flush and
eager customer for Russian munitions, a possible partner for
Russian companies in the development of energy resources, and
an additional voice intoning the mantra of a "multi-polar
world." Seen through a Russian prism, trends in Caracas do
not represent a cause for concern. Unless the situation in
Caracas deteriorates to such an extent that maintaining close
relations with Chavez carries significant international
opprobrium, our concerns about developments there will likely
fall on deaf ears in Moscow.


VERSHBOW