NETHERLANDS/RUSSIA/GEORGIA: RESPONSE ON RUSSIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001168 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/UBI, EUR/RUS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2016 TAGS: PBTS PREL RU GG OSCE PGOV NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/RUSSIA/GEORGIA: RESPONSE ON RUSSIAN ACTIVITIES IN SOUTH OSSETIA DEMARCHE REF: STATE 80908 Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Polmiloff discussed reftel points with MFA Deputy Head for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Thymen Kouwenaar on May 22 and 23. Kouwenaar appreciated the points, and was not aware of new Russian initiatives aimed to link South Ossetia and Russia through a "single information space," a gas pipeline and telephone fiber optics. Particularly worrisome, he said, was continued Russian military support for South Ossetia. ¶2. (C) On May 23, Kouwenaar said he had discussed the issue with a member of the Russian embassy in The Hague on May 22; the Russian diplomat had requested the meeting to raise a contract dispute with Georgia. Kouwenaar said he was able to use reftel points to push back on the Russian diplomat, and pressed for further information on these initiatives. The Russian diplomat was "unaware" of these initiatives, and said he would request further guidance from Moscow. ¶3. (C) Kouwenaar asked for Washington's views on Moscow's seemingly "proactive" approach to the South Ossetia donor's conference. Polmiloff asked if the Russian embassy had demarched the Dutch on the possibility of moving the donor's conference from Brussels to Moscow; Kouwenaar was surprised, and said that issue was not raised during his meeting with the Russian diplomat. ARNALL