RUSSIA: REORGANIZATION STALLS REVIEW OF ART

UNCLAS MOSCOW 002421 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR L/CID/VPADMANABHAN; EUR/RUS/JARMSTRONG; EUR/OHI/JBECKER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNAR PGOV PHUM PREL RS SCUL SUBJECT: RUSSIA: REORGANIZATION STALLS REVIEW OF ART RESTITUTION CASES REF: SECSTATE 22823 This message is sensitive but unclassified and is not intended for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Ministry of Culture Deputy Director for the Preservation of Cultural Artifacts Yuri Godovanets told us on May 17 that review of art restitution cases are at a standstill until Presidential Decree number 320, which transfers responsibility over restitution to MinCulture's Department of Legal Affairs and International Relations, is implemented by mid-June. End summary. . ¶2. (SBU) Per reftel, Econoff had delivered the Drey Art claim on March 21 to both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the MinCulture. Econoff coordinated with British emboffs who delivered the identical claim to the MFA. British emboffs told us that Godovanets refused to accept their copy of the Drey claim destined for MinCulture and said that the MFA copy should suffice. . ¶3. (SBU) Econoff met with Godovanets on May 17 to discuss this and the Goya painting restitution case. He said that his agency, the Federal Service for Monitoring Legal Matters for Mass Communication and Preservation of Cultural Artifacts (Rossokhrankultura),is currently undergoing reorganization ordered by Presidential Decree no. 320 signed on March 12 and he would no longer be the point of contact for restitution cases. His service will now report directly to PM Fradkov and work more closely on intellectual property issues. He told us the new point of contact is Vladimir Viktorovich Karyakin in the Department of Legal Affairs and International Relations at MinCulture. Reorganization needs to be completed within 90 days of the decree's signing. BURNS