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