Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MOSCOW5958
2007-12-28 13:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
how-toVZCZCXRO1099 PP RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHMO #5958 3621334 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 281334Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6019 INFO RUCNOSC/OSCE POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 005958
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2017
TAGS: PREL OSCE RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN DFM GRUSHKO ON OSCE DUES
Classified By: DCM Daniel Russell for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 005958
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2017
TAGS: PREL OSCE RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN DFM GRUSHKO ON OSCE DUES
Classified By: DCM Daniel Russell for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (U) Local press seized on Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Aleksandr Grushko's December 26 statement about
Russia's decreasing contributions to the OSCE budget. During
an end-of-year press conference, Grushko said, "Russia is
already reducing its financing of the OSCE. If we look at
the evolution of this contribution, it has been corresponding
more and more with the ability-to-pay principle, which is
stipulated by the UN." Kommersant newspaper reported that
Grushko said Russia would reduce its OSCE dues by 50 percent.
2. (C) MFA European Cooperation Department Counselor
Vladimir Yanin told us on December 27 that Kommersant
"completely misinterpreted" Grushko's statements regarding
Russia paying its OSCE dues. Yanin explained that Grushko
advocated a recalculation of the way countries pay into the
OSCE budget; namely, each country's ability to pay should be
considered, like at the UN. Yanin said that Grushko never
threatened to cut off or reduce Russia's contribution to the
OSCE, and joked that Russia was not attempting "to start a
crisis involving the OSCE before the New Year." Yanin was
unsure where the 50 percent figure came from, but speculated
that if Russia paid the same proportion of the OSCE budget as
it does the UN budget, Russia's contribution could drop by 50
percent.
3. (C) Comment: Russian calls for a recalculation of
contributions to the OSCE scales of assessment are not new.
Grushko's comments sound to us like continued frustration
over Russia's inability to win traction for its OSCE "reform"
proposals.
BURNS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2017
TAGS: PREL OSCE RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN DFM GRUSHKO ON OSCE DUES
Classified By: DCM Daniel Russell for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (U) Local press seized on Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Aleksandr Grushko's December 26 statement about
Russia's decreasing contributions to the OSCE budget. During
an end-of-year press conference, Grushko said, "Russia is
already reducing its financing of the OSCE. If we look at
the evolution of this contribution, it has been corresponding
more and more with the ability-to-pay principle, which is
stipulated by the UN." Kommersant newspaper reported that
Grushko said Russia would reduce its OSCE dues by 50 percent.
2. (C) MFA European Cooperation Department Counselor
Vladimir Yanin told us on December 27 that Kommersant
"completely misinterpreted" Grushko's statements regarding
Russia paying its OSCE dues. Yanin explained that Grushko
advocated a recalculation of the way countries pay into the
OSCE budget; namely, each country's ability to pay should be
considered, like at the UN. Yanin said that Grushko never
threatened to cut off or reduce Russia's contribution to the
OSCE, and joked that Russia was not attempting "to start a
crisis involving the OSCE before the New Year." Yanin was
unsure where the 50 percent figure came from, but speculated
that if Russia paid the same proportion of the OSCE budget as
it does the UN budget, Russia's contribution could drop by 50
percent.
3. (C) Comment: Russian calls for a recalculation of
contributions to the OSCE scales of assessment are not new.
Grushko's comments sound to us like continued frustration
over Russia's inability to win traction for its OSCE "reform"
proposals.
BURNS