AMBASSADOR'S MAY 26 MEETING WITH FEDERATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 005870 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL RS SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MAY 26 MEETING WITH FEDERATION COUNCIL DEPUTY SPEAKER MEZENTSEV MOSCOW 00005870 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador met May 26 with Federation Council Deputy Speaker Dmitriy Mezentsev to discuss interparliamentary relations and cooperation. Mezentsev extended invitations for U.S. participation in the 4th Baikal Economic Forum to be held in Irkutsk in September 2006 and the 15th Conference of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum to be held in Moscow in January 2007. He also requested that the Ambassador encourage U.S. congressional participation in the September 16-17 meeting of heads of G-8 lower houses of parliament in St. Petersburg and proposed a similar meeting of heads of G-8 upper houses of parliament in February/March ¶2007. END SUMMARY. . U.S. PARTICIPATION IN FOURTH BAIKAL ECONOMIC FORUM -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Mezentsev invited the Ambassador and others on behalf of Irkutsk Governor Aleksandr Tishanin and himself to the 4th Baikal Economic Forum, which is scheduled for September 16-17, 2006. Noting that the U.S. did not send a delegation to the previous forum, he expressed hope that this time representatives from business, Congress, and U.S. government agencies would participate. Mezentsev said South Korea, Mongolia, China, Japan, Indonesia, and some European countries had been invited, but a U.S. presence would raise the profile and significance of the forum. He added that the forum will address development of Russia's economic and social spheres, especially in Siberia and the Far East, as well as development of international and interparliamentary cooperation. The Ambassador responded that he was planning to travel to Irkutsk about 10 days before the forum but would re-examine his schedule, assuring Mezentsev that he would push for a strong American delegation to attend. He agreed that highlighting the potential of Siberia and the Far East was important for both countries. . INVITATION TO 15TH ASIA-PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Mezentsev also mentioned he would like to invite Senator Frist to represent the U.S. at the 15th Conference of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in January 2007, as well as to have separate meetings with the Federation Council. He stressed that hosting the forum was a major event for Russia and that it was important for the USG to support it. He said Putin himself would meet with forum delegates and host a dinner. In addition to widening interparliamentary contacts, the U.S. delegation would be able to discuss bilateral issues and take part in a public discussion of U.S.-Russia relations and other international affairs at the Center for Strategic Research. ¶4. (SBU) Mezentsev said that proposals regarding agenda items and draft resolutions would be submitted by participants in June/July. He expected the final agenda would correlate with the G-8 Summit agenda and focus on issues like energy security, transport logistics, and the fight against global terrorism and HIV/AIDS, as well as take into account proposals from the previous forum in Jakarta. ¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador responded that he would be happy to support the APPF and agreed that it would be a good idea to take advantage of a U.S. delegation visit for more than one purpose. He emphasized that during this period of frustration and doubt on both sides of the U.S.-Russia relationship, it was all the more important to work together; legislatures had an important role to play in that process. He said he would do everything possible to work with Congress to encourage a delegation to come. The Ambassador encouraged Mezentsev to take advantage of Senator Lott's July visit to Moscow to discuss the forum directly with him. . PROPOSED MEETING OF G-8 UPPER HEADS OF PARLIAMENT -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Mezentsev proposed that a meeting of G-8 heads of upper houses of parliament take place in February/March 2007 -- similar in structure to the September 16-17 meeting of the G-8 heads of lower houses of parliament -- and expressed his hope for a strong U.S. presence. He said the meeting would be conducted in plenary session for discussions of issues of common interest to G-8 countries, as well as separate meetings on bilateral issues. The Ambassador responded that he would be glad to convey Mezentsev's interest in a meeting of upper house heads in February/March 2007. He repeated that Mezentsev should take advantage of Senator Lott's July visit to Moscow to talk about these issues face-to-face. MOSCOW 00005870 002.2 OF 002 BURNS