Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MOSCOW12752
2006-12-01 15:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:  

RUSSIAN POSITION ON CFE, ISTANBUL COMMITMENTS

Tags:  MARR OSCE PREL RS 
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VZCZCXRO4019
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUEHMO #2752 3351502
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 011502Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5616
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 012752 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2016
TAGS: MARR OSCE PREL RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN POSITION ON CFE, ISTANBUL COMMITMENTS
UNCHANGED

REF: USOSCE 481

Classified By: DCM Daniel A. Russell. Reasons 1.4 (B/D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 012752

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2016
TAGS: MARR OSCE PREL RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN POSITION ON CFE, ISTANBUL COMMITMENTS
UNCHANGED

REF: USOSCE 481

Classified By: DCM Daniel A. Russell. Reasons 1.4 (B/D).


1. (C) The Chief of the Conventional Arms Control Division
in the Foreign Ministry's Department of Security Affairs and
Disarmament, Anton Mazur, told us 28 November that we could
expect "little or no change" in the GOR's approach to
Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) issues at next week's
OSCE Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels. The veteran
Mazur, with almost 20 years experience on conventional arms
control issues, said Moscow's position would reflect
essentially the same position it took at the Third CFE review
conference in June. In particular, Mazur echoed recent public
statements by Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko and
other senior officials that Russia had already met all of its
1999 Istanbul commitments.


2. (C) Mazur questioned the relevance of CFE, which he said
no longer served Russia's interests, adding that Moscow was
currently assessing the Treaty's role within a broader
analysis of the OSCE. He declined to say when the official
review would be completed and disputed media reports that
Moscow might withdraw from the Treaty. Nonetheless, Mazur
characterized the future of CFE as "gloomy."


3. (C) With respect to two confidence- and security-building
measures (CSBMs) papers on transit and deployment of forces,
which Russia had initially proposed in the OSCE Forum for
Security Cooperation, Mazur complained that other States
Parties (mainly NATO Allies) had not responded more
positively to these overtures. The two CSBMs were designed
to mitigate political concerns and were neither overly
intrusive nor aimed at undermining the operational security
of troop movements. He brushed aside arguments that, if
approved, the proposals would have granted benefits
associated with the unratified Adapted CFE Treaty. Mazur
said it was unfortunate that NATO had been asked to comment
on the papers since "some" of the Allies tended to take a
harsher view of Russian intentions.


4. (C) On broader OSCE issues, Mazur said there was little
chance that Moscow would be able to agree to language on the
situations in Georgia and Moldova, making the possibility of
issuing a Ministerial Declaration "highly unlikely."


5. (C) COMMENT: Mazur's comments are not new and, as he
told us at the outset of our conversation, "we know your
position, and you know ours." Although his arms control
brief covers only a portion of the OSCE agenda, his remarks
on Russia's Istanbul commitments and the situation in Georgia
and Moldova suggest that Russia will not be in a compromising
mood at next week's ministerial.
BURNS