Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MOSCOW9346
2006-08-25 14:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
LEBANON/UNIFIL: RUSSIA MAY SEND LIMITED CONTINGENT
how-toVZCZCXRO1316 OO RUEHDBU DE RUEHMO #9346 2371400 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 251400Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1169 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0264
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 009346
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR KPKO LE RS
SUBJECT: LEBANON/UNIFIL: RUSSIA MAY SEND LIMITED CONTINGENT
Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Alice Wells. Re
asons: 1.4(B/D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 009346
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR KPKO LE RS
SUBJECT: LEBANON/UNIFIL: RUSSIA MAY SEND LIMITED CONTINGENT
Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Alice Wells. Re
asons: 1.4(B/D).
1. (C) The MFA told us August 25 that Russia is actively
considering sending a limited contingent of military
personnel to serve in UNIFIL. Vladimir Safronkov, Chief of
the UN Political Affairs Section in the MFA's International
Organizations Department, said that President Putin had
requested the GOR interagency weigh sending troops to serve
in Lebanon. No decision had been reached yet, but Safronkov
suggested that Russia might send approximately 200 military
engineers to assist UNIFIL, as well as some medical
personnel. He said that a Russian contribution to UNIFIL
would be similar in size and scope to its contribution to the
UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS),where Moscow provides 4
helicopters and 200 associated servicemen. Safronkov said
Russia had no plans to send combat-ready ground forces to
serve in UNIFIL.
2. (C) There has been persistent speculation in the Russian
press that Moscow will provide some troops to UNIFIL. Deputy
Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said August
25 that Russia was weighing whether to send peacekeeping
forces, but argued that the mandate for UNIFIL forces had not
yet been defined. He "did not rule out" that Russia might
send "specialists" to Lebanon to restore infrastructure. The
Israeli Embassy Political Counselor told us August 22 that he
thought Russia might send a "symbolic contingent." He
believed Russia would not want to send a large force because
that might diminish Russia's standing as a "friend to the
Arabs."
BURNS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR KPKO LE RS
SUBJECT: LEBANON/UNIFIL: RUSSIA MAY SEND LIMITED CONTINGENT
Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Alice Wells. Re
asons: 1.4(B/D).
1. (C) The MFA told us August 25 that Russia is actively
considering sending a limited contingent of military
personnel to serve in UNIFIL. Vladimir Safronkov, Chief of
the UN Political Affairs Section in the MFA's International
Organizations Department, said that President Putin had
requested the GOR interagency weigh sending troops to serve
in Lebanon. No decision had been reached yet, but Safronkov
suggested that Russia might send approximately 200 military
engineers to assist UNIFIL, as well as some medical
personnel. He said that a Russian contribution to UNIFIL
would be similar in size and scope to its contribution to the
UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS),where Moscow provides 4
helicopters and 200 associated servicemen. Safronkov said
Russia had no plans to send combat-ready ground forces to
serve in UNIFIL.
2. (C) There has been persistent speculation in the Russian
press that Moscow will provide some troops to UNIFIL. Deputy
Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said August
25 that Russia was weighing whether to send peacekeeping
forces, but argued that the mandate for UNIFIL forces had not
yet been defined. He "did not rule out" that Russia might
send "specialists" to Lebanon to restore infrastructure. The
Israeli Embassy Political Counselor told us August 22 that he
thought Russia might send a "symbolic contingent." He
believed Russia would not want to send a large force because
that might diminish Russia's standing as a "friend to the
Arabs."
BURNS