Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MOSCOW5100
2007-10-22 15:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
FM LAVROV CRITICIZES US-JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSE
how-toVZCZCXRO6042 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDBU RUEHDT RUEHFL RUEHHM RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNH RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHMO #5100 2951503 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221503Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4779 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 005100
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: MARR PARM PREL JA RS
SUBJECT: FM LAVROV CRITICIZES US-JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSE
COOPERATION
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 005100
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: MARR PARM PREL JA RS
SUBJECT: FM LAVROV CRITICIZES US-JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSE
COOPERATION
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.
4(b) and (d)
1. (U) In response to a question during a press conference
with the Japanese agency "Kyodo Tsusin" on the eve of his
October 23-24 trip to Tokyo, Foreign Minister Lavrov said
Russia was concerned about U.S. - Japanese missile defense
cooperation. Saying that Russia was against a missile
defense system that sought to secure military superiority,
Lavrov said the deployment of such a system could stir up an
arms race on a regional and global scale. He added that, if
Japan were to accelerate its military development and build
up the nuclear potential of its armed forces, with the
assistance of the U.S., it could undermine the strategic
stability in the region. He noted that even if there were a
basis for concerns in Japan about the DPRK's missile program,
North Korean missiles would not be able to reach the United
States in the near future.
2. (C) We asked MFA North AMERICA Department First
Secretary Alexei Ivanov about FM Lavrov's statement. He said
SIPDIS
that Russia remained concerned about the U.S.'s global
efforts to build a missile defense system. While Russia
recognized that U.S.-Japanese efforts were directed at a
possible threat from North Korea, and not at Russia, there
was the possibility that in the future, they could be turned
against Russia. Ivanov argued that it was not wise for one
side (i.e. the U.S.) to gain a significant advantage in
defensive weapons. According to Ivanov, while U.S. -
Japanese missile defense cooperation was not considered a
threat to Russia, it was seen as a "strategic challenge."
3. (C) Comment: To our knowledge, this is the first time
that FM Lavrov has publicly criticized the U.S. - Japan
missile defense cooperation. In broadening the Russian
criticism of missile defense beyond the European theater,
Lavrov has underscored Russian suspicions of a global U.S.
capability that the GOR publicly maintains could ultimately
undermine its nuclear deterrence.
Burns
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: MARR PARM PREL JA RS
SUBJECT: FM LAVROV CRITICIZES US-JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSE
COOPERATION
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.
4(b) and (d)
1. (U) In response to a question during a press conference
with the Japanese agency "Kyodo Tsusin" on the eve of his
October 23-24 trip to Tokyo, Foreign Minister Lavrov said
Russia was concerned about U.S. - Japanese missile defense
cooperation. Saying that Russia was against a missile
defense system that sought to secure military superiority,
Lavrov said the deployment of such a system could stir up an
arms race on a regional and global scale. He added that, if
Japan were to accelerate its military development and build
up the nuclear potential of its armed forces, with the
assistance of the U.S., it could undermine the strategic
stability in the region. He noted that even if there were a
basis for concerns in Japan about the DPRK's missile program,
North Korean missiles would not be able to reach the United
States in the near future.
2. (C) We asked MFA North AMERICA Department First
Secretary Alexei Ivanov about FM Lavrov's statement. He said
SIPDIS
that Russia remained concerned about the U.S.'s global
efforts to build a missile defense system. While Russia
recognized that U.S.-Japanese efforts were directed at a
possible threat from North Korea, and not at Russia, there
was the possibility that in the future, they could be turned
against Russia. Ivanov argued that it was not wise for one
side (i.e. the U.S.) to gain a significant advantage in
defensive weapons. According to Ivanov, while U.S. -
Japanese missile defense cooperation was not considered a
threat to Russia, it was seen as a "strategic challenge."
3. (C) Comment: To our knowledge, this is the first time
that FM Lavrov has publicly criticized the U.S. - Japan
missile defense cooperation. In broadening the Russian
criticism of missile defense beyond the European theater,
Lavrov has underscored Russian suspicions of a global U.S.
capability that the GOR publicly maintains could ultimately
undermine its nuclear deterrence.
Burns