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.

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Something for Everybody - Three Goals and Ten Projects
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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.

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Luzhkov Lashes Out Foreign and Domestic Opponents
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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.

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United Russia vs. A Just Russia
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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

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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!"

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Enlarging the party's Supreme Council - What about Yakunin?
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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.

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Comment
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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