RUSSIA REACTS TO IRAQ STRATEGY, IRANIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 000105

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MARR IZ IR
SUBJECT: RUSSIA REACTS TO IRAQ STRATEGY, IRANIAN
"CONSULATE" RAID

REF: A. STATE 1686

B. MOSCOW 0068

Classified By: Political M/C Alice G. Wells. Reasons: 1.4(B/D).


1. (C) Summary: The GOR publicly reacted to the President's
policy address by repeating the need for "broad and real"
dialogue among Iraqi groups and neighboring countries,
including Iran and Syria, and indicating concern over the
perceived reliance on a military solution. The MFA told us
it remained committed to broadening engagement with the
Maliki government, but reiterated dismay over the
deteriorating security situation and January 10 attack on the
Russian Embassy in Baghdad. With a mid-level Iranian MFA
official in Moscow for consultations, the MFA strongly
condemned the reported raid on an Iranian "consulate" in
Irbil, terming it "absolutely unacceptable" and
counterproductive to the goal of promoting dialogue to
resolve the violence. Following the imposition of UNSC
sanctions, the GOR is not anxious to provoke Iran, but
responding to MFA requests for additional information on the
nature of the raid and Iran's destabilizing activities in
Iraq may help to temper GOR statements.

Reaction to Iraq Strategy
--------------


2. (SBU) The Charge reviewed the President's strategy
toward Iraq in a January 11 meeting called by Deputy Foreign
Minister Aleksandr Saltanov to express concern over the
January 10 terrorist attack on the Russian Embassy in Baghdad
(ref b). On January 12, the MFA issued a formal reaction,
noting the GOR's serious review of the new U.S. strategy, its
relevance to Russian interests, and the harmful effect of
Iraq's instability on the region. The GOR statement focused
on the augmentation of U.S. troops and drew the conclusion
that the "calculation remains the same -- to achieve a
resolution of the Iraq crisis through force" and "not
accepting the proposal to establish a dialogue among the
major Iraqi groups, with the support of all neighboring
countries, including Syria and Iran." The statement
reiterated the GOR call for a "broad and real" dialogue among
all leading ethnic and confessional groups and political
forces, in order to achieve a national consensus.


3. (C) MFA Director for Middle Eastern Affairs Sergey
Vershinin amplified on the GOR statement, reiterating the
GOR's commitment to work with the Maliki government and to
seek ways to expand diplomatic and commercial ties, including
through the establishment of a joint trade commission. The
stumbling block remained security, and Vershinin underscored
the GOR's upset over the attack on the Russian Embassy,
noting that Russian Ambassador Ushakov was under instruction
to reiterate this message in Washington. Vershinin said the
GOR was pessimistic that a troop augmentation would be a
catalyst for the political dialogue that the GOR believed was
essential to a lasting peace. He acknowledged the elements
of the plan focused on stabilizing the economy and promoting
national reconciliation, but repeated concerns that the
increase in troops would intensify the conflict, further
complicating resolution of sectarian disputes.

Condemnation of Raid on Iranian "consulate"
--------------


4. (U) In a separate January 12 announcement, the GOR
condemned the reported raid on an Iranian "consulate" in
Irbil. Noting that there should be "indisputable proof"
presented of alleged Iranian terrorism, the statement termed
the raid "absolutely unacceptable," a grievous violation of
the Vienna Convention, inconsistent with American statements
of support for Iraqi sovereignty (given GOI obligations to
protect the inviolability of diplomatic missions on its
territory),and an abuse of the mandate given to the MNF by
the United Nations. The statement argued that the raid
showed little regard for the need to establish a dialogue
among all interested parties, in order to help Iraq emerge
from its crisis, and concluded with a call for the resolution
of the conflict on the basis of international law.


5. (SBU) In a meeting with the Charge, MFA North America
Department Director Igor Neverov sought clarification of the
status of the Iranian facility. Separately, Vershinin noted
that he discussed the raid with his visiting Iranian
counterpart, Ali Ashgar Mommadi Sijani, the Director General
for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs, who was in
Moscow for a regular series of consultations, but provided no
details of their conversation. We emphasized Iran's
destabilizing behavior in Iraq. Vershinin responded that the
GOR had yet to see the proof.

MOSCOW 00000105 002 OF 002



Comment
--------------


6. (C) The GOR has consistently advocated that all Iraq's
neighbors be brought into the process of supporting Iraq,
including Iran and Syria. In the wake of voting to impose
UNSC sanctions on Iran, Russia will not be anxious to take
steps that could further provoke the Iranian regime, and its
harsh condemnation of the Irbil raid can be read in this
light. However, given DFM Saltanov's earlier call for
greater "transparency" in our CT relationship and outstanding
GOR requests within the CTWG for evidence of Iranian support
for terrorism, any additional information that we can provide
on Iranian activity in Iraq may help temper Russian public
statements.
RUSSELL