RESPONDING TO RUSSIAN THREATS AGAINST MISSILE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000685

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EUR A/S DAN FRIED
FOR VCI A/S PAULA DESUTTER
FOR ISN A/SJOHN ROOD
FOR NSC DAVID STEPHENS AND JUDY ANSLEY
FOR OSD/P BRIAN GREEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2017
TAGS: MARR PREL EZ FR PL
SUBJECT: RESPONDING TO RUSSIAN THREATS AGAINST MISSILE
DEFENSE IN POLAND AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC

REF: STATE 21640

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Stapleton took up with Political
Director Gerard Araud February 22 our concerns about Russia's
reaction to our missile defense initiative with Poland and
the Czech Republic and, in particular, Russian threats
against those two NATO allies. Araud, who had coincidentally
just returned from Moscow, described a meeting the day
before, at which Putin harangued FM Douste-Blazy for half an
hour about U.S. misdeeds around the world. Araud avoided
responding to the Ambassador's urging that France speak out
publicly, instead criticizing rhetoric and actions by the
Poles and others that have served to provoke Russia. End
Summary


2. (C) On the margins of a meeting hosted by Political
Director Gerard Araud for Codel Tanner (septel),Amb
Stapleton raised with Araud U.S. concerns about Russian
threats against Poland and the Czech Republic over missile
defense. Joining Araud were Strategic Affairs Director
(A/S-equivalent) Carre and Deputy Director Niemtchinow.
Araud pronounced himself current on the issue, having just
returned from Moscow with FM Douste-Blazy where the previous
day they had been treated to a diatribe from President Putin
reminiscent of his Munich Security Conference broadside
against the U.S. Araud placed the Russian reaction to the
missile defense initiative in the context of broad-ranging
grievances against the U.S. that Putin is currently airing.


3. (C) Araud said that having barely sat down to his Feb. 21
meeting with Douste-Blazy (who was visiting Moscow with
Defense Minister Alliot-Marie in the context of the
French-Russian Cooperation Council on Security Questions),
Putin launched into "a half-hour anti-U.S. harangue" bringing
together a catalog of complaints and charges about U.S.
behavior. (Araud commented that in light of this Putin
performance, his Munich speech could not be explained away by
domestic political considerations.) Putin offered up a
"rambling" indictment of the U.S. He "linked all the dots"
-- U.S. unilateralism, its denial of the reality of
multipolarity, the anti-Russian nature of NATO enlargement,
the U.S. in Central Asia -- as he described a "U.S. plot
against the world." Araud said he could only interpret
Putin's tirade as an expression of pent-up resentment and
frustration stemming from "hundreds of years of Russian
history" and in particular the humiliation of the immediate
post-Cold War years. Renewed self-confidence -- and an
energy sector-driven economic revival -- now permits
previously inhibited venting.


4. (C) Amb Stapleton urged, given the aggressiveness of
Russia's public statements, and in particular its explicit
threats against Poland and the Czech Republic, GOF public
support for its EU partners. Not responding directly, Araud
shifted his focus away from the intemperate, paranoid nature
of Putin's presentation, emphasizing instead French concern
about the provocative behavior of the Poles and Czechs: "They
are too anti-Russian and that is a real problem for us."
And, added Araud, they aren't limiting themselves to
rhetoric: The Poles are for example single-handedly blocking
an EU-Russian agreement on meat exports. "They need to be
reminded that the Russians are not planning an invasion."


5. (C) Comment: The meeting came to abrupt end with the
arrival of Codel Tanner, but not before Araud had made clear
that while the French had been shocked by Putin's angry
outburst, and don't approve of Russia's threats, they are not
prepared to address this publicly. Criticism of Polish (and
Baltic) "provocation" of Russia is an oft-heard theme at the
Quai, and reluctance to publicly take on Russia reflects
above all the Quai's sensitivity to President Chirac's
handle-with-extreme care approach to Russia. In a follow-on
conversation, Strategic Affairs Director Carre hewed to the
same line, and offered no reason to expect a public criticism
of Russia from the GOF. He opined that Putin's anger and
Russian anti-Americanism will likely be compartmentalized,

focusing on NATO and related issues such as missile defense,
but not extending to other areas of joint action such as
Iran. Carre also noted that in Douste-Blazy's separate
meeting with Lavrov there were no echoes of Putin's anti-U.S.
outburst.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

STAPLETON