UKRAINE: MOROZ BLUFFING ON NEW RADA SESSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KYIV 001837

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: MOROZ BLUFFING ON NEW RADA SESSION


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Classified By: Ambassador for reasons 1.4(b,d).


1. (C) Summary: The Ukrainian media was abuzz over the July
28-29 weekend with Rada Speaker Moroz's announcement that he
would call an extraordinary Rada session July 31. Moroz said
he was responding to a request from 179 deputies to hold the
session, but Party of Regions leaders immediately responded
publicly that they had no plans to participate. Deputy Head
of the Presdiential Secretariat Chaliy told Ambassador on
July 30 that Regions was sticking to the May 27 agreement
with the President. This a scheme we first heard about from
BYuT MP Nemyria, who told Ambassador July 20 that BYuT
defector Mykola Zamkovenko--now self-appointed head of the
so-called "BYuT-2" faction in the Rada--was trying to
convince other BYuT MPs to recant their resignations and
rejoin parliament. Regions leaders had privately confirmed
to us last week that the proposal for a new session had been
floated, but that the party had decided to move ahead with
elections. In addition, Regions' political council met July
30 to finalize its election list and leadership of the
campaign headquarters; afterwards MP Mykhaylo Chechetov said
the council had reaffirmed that Regions would not participate
in another Rada session. Even the Communists have said they
have not decided whether to go to the session.


2. (C) Comment: On the face of it, Moroz's announcement
seems to be the attempt of a desperate man to forestall
elections that will mean the end of his Speakership, if not
his political career. It seems highly unlikely that Moroz
was really able to collect 179 signatures--Socialists,
Communists, and BYuT-2 together would only get him to about

75. Without a quorum, Moroz will not have his session.
There may be some rank and file MPs in Regions willing to
return to the session hall because their place on the party
list is not secure, but we do not expect to Regions to attend
even if Moroz goes ahead and convenes the session--the
appearance of a large Regions contingent at a new session
would signal that tensions among factions within the party
were bubbling to the surface. End summary and comment.

Kluyev Holds Meeting on Whether to Call New Rada Session
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3. (C) BYuT MP Hryhoriy Nemyria told Ambassador July 20 that
they had information from three sources that Deputy Prime
Minister Klyuyev held a meeting with Environment Minister
Dzharty (Regions' campaign manager in 2006),Regions MP
Sivkovych, First Deputy Speaker and Communist Martynyuk, head
of the Rada Secretariat Valentyn Zaichuk (a Moroz ally),and
MP Zamkovenko, head of the breakaway "BYuT-2" faction of BYuT
MPs who refused to resign. The purpose of the meeting,
according to Nemyria, was to discuss whether to hold an
extraordinary Rada session at the end of July and whether to
bring protesters into KYIV to picket outside the Rada and the
Central Election Commission. Part of this plan involved
Zamkovenko trying to bring former BYuT allies on board to
claim they had been coerced to resign and to demand the
return of their seats. Nemyria even gave us a copy of the
form letter being circulated among BYuT members that could be
used to reclaim one's parliamentary mandate. At the end of
the meeting, Klyuyev, Dzharty, and Sivkovych said Party of
Regions would hold its own internal consultations on this
plan.

Regions Leaders Say Elections Will Go Forward
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4. (C) Ambassador raised this meeting with a number of
Regions leaders the following week. When Dzharty was asked
on July 24, the Minister smiled and said he knew why the
Ambassador was asking. He added that Regions was going ahead
with elections preparations. Faction leader Bohatyreva and
deputy faction head Kolesnikov also told Ambassador on July
27 that Regions has decided that it did not want to
participate in another Rada session.


5. (U) The public Regions response has been just as clear.
Kolesnikov said that Regions will not participate and fellow
deputy faction leader Chechetov said that Regions saw no
reason to hold one, although he said they would reconvene if
President Yushchenko asked them. Chechetov later came out
and said Regions political council had met July 30 and
confirmed that the party has no plans to attend a July 31
Rada session.

Others Still Pushing for the Session
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6. (SBU) Ignoring Regions' comments, Moroz announced that
the extraordinary session would discuss social security
benefits, the legal basis for pre-term parliamentary

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elections, constitutional amendments, and other matters.
Socialist MP Kuzmenko said that the session could start with
the swearing in of new MPs who will replace the BYuT and OU
MPs who resigned--another refusal by the Socialists to
recognize the opposition's resignations. Zamkovenko told the
press that, if there is a session, his group will
participate. The Communists were more undecided, indicating
that they might do whatever Regions does.


7. (U) Visit Embassy KYIV's classified website:
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev.
Taylor