UNITED RUSSIA APPROVES PARTY PLATFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 012857 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2016 TAGS: PINR PGOV KDCM RS SUBJECT: UNITED RUSSIA APPROVES PARTY PLATFORM Classified By: Ambassador William J. Burns for reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: United Russia (YR) approved its party platform and action plan for the next ten years at its convention in Yekaterinburg on December 2. Party luminaries followed a tight script, staked United Russia's claim to the political center with a populist tilt, and rallied its members for the upcoming campaign season. The speakers repeatedly stressed "sovereign democracy" when taking shots at domestic political competition and western countries. Moscow Mayor Luzhkov took a populist pot-shot at the United States, and attacked ministers in the federal government for caring more about the stabilization fund than they do for Russia's future. The convention saw two unexpected announcements: a legislative proposal for the direct election of the Federation Council, and the omission of Russian Railways General Director Yakunin from the list of new members of the party's Supreme Council. Presidential Administration Deputy Head Surkov was notable by his absence. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- Something for Everybody - Three Goals and Ten Projects -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) United Russia Party (YR) Chairman and State Duma Chairman Boris Gryzlov delivered the keynote speech of the December 2 conference. In his speech, he presented the party's platform and goals for 2007-2017. Gryzlov also unveiled a report titled "The Russia That We Choose." The platform emphasized three themes: Reversing Russia's demographic decline, creating a "culture of innovation," and fighting corruption. The report listed ten projects for the next ten years, including: raising the minimum wage; reforming education and healthcare; investing in youth, agriculture, and regional development; and streamlining the bureaucracy while raising the standards for public officials. -------------- -------------- Luzhkov Lashes Out Foreign and Domestic Opponents -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) Moscow Mayor Luzhkov delivered a fiery, populist speech that excoriated the West, the oligarchs, and those Russians responsible for the "time of troubles" in the 1990s. Now, Luzhkov said, Russia is "back in the game after a painful timeout, and it has become a member of the community of sovereign democracies, no better or worse than the United States or Europe." Luzhkov particularly criticized the U.S., saying that "for 15 years, they taught us to use market laws. We were very good students, so they shouldn't complain now. They must understand that Russia will not be like the Native Americans, driven to the reservation while our natural resources are stripped from us." ¶4. (U) Luzhkov then aimed his fire at some Russian government officials. He roundly condemned the stabilization fund, calling it the "sterilization fund" which he demanded be used to beef up pensions, improve infrastructure, and spur economic growth. He singled out Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref. "Gref! Stop talking about economic development in China and do it in Russia!" ¶5. (U) Moscow-based political analyst Dmitriy Oreshkin told us that Luzhkov's firm grasp on the reins of power in Moscow give him the self-confidence to freely criticize Putin associates in a way that other United Russia officials cannot. Oreshkin told us that Luzhkov had recently beaten back two efforts by the Presidential Administration to cut him down to size. He compared the Mayor to Tatarstan President Shamiev, as someone whom the Kremlin has to treat as an equal. ¶6. (U) In his speech to delegates, Emergency Situations Minister and United Russia Presidium member Sergey Shoigu laid out United Russia's electoral goals: maintaining its majority in the State Duma and increase the number of regional parliaments where it has a majority. Shoigu boasted that YR now controls 65 regional parliaments and claims 69 governors as members. YR Chairman Boris Gryzlov amplified Shoigu's comments, saying YR's goal was a majority in every regional parliament, a continued majority in the State Duma, and a "sustainable majority" in the Federation Council. -------------- United Russia vs. A Just Russia -------------- ¶7. (U) Throughout the day, United Russia leaders contrasted their party to opposition parties, especially the second Kremlin-sponsored party, "Just Russia" (SR). "Only centrism can be the base for Russia's future," said Gryzlov, in a MOSCOW 00012857 002 OF 002 swipe at the more left-leaning SR. Gryzlov said that SR was filled with "irresponsible populists" who weaken Russia's multi-ethnic and multi-denominational nature. ¶8. (C) Shoigu unexpectedly suggested adopting Federation Council Chairman Sergei Mironov's long-standing proposal for the direct election of Federation Council members. (Note: Currently, for each region, one Federation Council member is appointed by the governor, and the other is chosen by the regional legislature. While Mironov has talked about introducing this legislation for years, he has not done so.) Shoigu recommended introducing and approving this legislation quickly so that it would be in effect before the March 2007 regional elections. Morozov told us on December 7 that United Russia was indeed serious about this proposal, but the details were still under discussion. ¶9. (U) Fear of demographic decline was liberally sprinkled throughout the day's speeches. One speaker said that Russia is experiencing "the equivalent of wartime losses" as 600,000 Russians die every year before reaching retirement age. Speakers called for increased spending on health care and for clean water, and for greater benefits for mothers and young familles. Luzhkov said, "Young mothers are a needed profession. Two children for every woman would stabilize the population. In Russia, every woman should have three!" -------------- -------------- Enlarging the party's Supreme Council - What about Yakunin? -------------- -------------- ¶10. (U) At the close of the convention, the party voted to adopt the party platform and some internal party rules. They also approved the addition of four members to the party's Supreme Council: the governors of Krasnodar, Khabarovsk and Kemerov regions, and Rosoboronexport General Director Sergey Chemezov. The three governors join the President of Tatarstan to give the Council executive representation from the southwest, center, Siberia, and the Far East. Conspicuously missing from the list was Vladimir Yakunin, the head of Russian Railways. Although United Russia announced on November 25 that Yakunin would be added to the Council, and he appeared in Yekaterinburg with Gryzlov on December 1 to unveil a new locally-produced locomotive, he was absent from the party convention. ¶11. (C) Morozov told us that Yakunin decided that he would still be associated with the party, but not in an official role. Dmitry Oreshkin, an analyst from Merkator, guessed that Yakunin himself had decided not to join because he did not want to be tied to a party so closely associated with the government. Oreshkin said that Yakunin entertains presidential ambitions that would only be harmed by joining United Russia. Yevgeniya Albats from Ekho Moskvy passed along a rumor that Yakunin was in the process of creating the equivalent of a presidential exploratory committee. ¶12. (C) In addition to the inclusion of the three governors and Chemezov in the Supreme Council, Chechnya's Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov was elected to the party's 150-member General Council. Kadyrov's candidacy was the only proposal during the convention that saw even slight opposition from the delegates; 18 of the 535 secret ballots were cast against Kadyrov. In what is perhaps another sign that at least some of the YR leadership is worried about the party's image as 2007 approaches, the media on December 8 reported that Tomsk Mayor Aleksandr Makarov and First Deputy Mayor Sergey Lazarev, both of whom have been charged with extortion, have been expelled from YR. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶13. (C) The convention was notable for its professional organization and focus. The only place for YR to go from its stranglehold on political power, however, is down. With Putin's decision to encourage political competition, United Russia is preparing to lose seats in the 2007 March regional and State Duma, although much will hinge on Sergey Mironov's management of SR, and the mood of an increasingly indifferent electorate. BURNS