Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RIGA426
2007-06-04 15:33:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Riga
Cable title:
(S/NF) RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR CRITICAL OF RUSSIAN
how-toVZCZCXRO4506 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV DE RUEHRA #0426 1551533 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 041533Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY RIGA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4086 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T RIGA 000426
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV RS LG
SUBJECT: (S/NF) RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR CRITICAL OF RUSSIAN
FOREIGN POLICY
Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey. Reason: 1.4 (b and d)
S E C R E T RIGA 000426
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV RS LG
SUBJECT: (S/NF) RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR CRITICAL OF RUSSIAN
FOREIGN POLICY
Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey. Reason: 1.4 (b and d)
1. (S/NF) Ambassador Bailey met for 40 minutes on June 4 with
Russian Ambassador Viktor Kaluzhny at his Embassy, joined
only by interpreters. Kaluzhny seemed more fatigued than in
previous meetings and admitted that he was tiring of his
diplomatic posting. Kaluzhny, though, said several things
that are worth noting, especially as they are critical of
Russian policy or Russian officials:
-- He felt that Putin was being influenced by unspecified
"third parties" in taking a hard line on U.S. missile defense
plans and other issues. He said that the President's
invitation to Putin for a meeting at Kennebunkport was
exactly the type of initiative needed to move Putin off his
hard line and separate him for these "third parties" who take
Putin in unhelpful directions.
-- On Russian foreign policy overall, Kaluzhny admitted to
having poor relations with Lavrov and said he thought Igor
Ivanov had done a much better job of establishing "a
balanced" foreign policy.
-- Discussing Embassy Riga's upcoming energy forum and
President Bush's May 31 address on climate change, Kaluzhny,
a former Russian Minister of Fuels, said that the USG had a
simpler process for crafting energy policy than does Russia,
where he said "too many people" are involved in policy
formulation.
2. (S/NF) Comment: Kaluzhny is usually very careful to stick
to the Moscow party line, so his criticism of his own
government is quite remarkable. We offer no analysis of what
he said, simply that he was willing to say it. His departure
from Riga has long been rumored, but other than his statement
that he was tiring of the job, he did not offer any evidence
that it was imminent. He told Ambassador Bailey that he
keeps Moscow fully informed of their meetings, but we suspect
he will only provide a limited readout of today's exchange.
BAILEY
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV RS LG
SUBJECT: (S/NF) RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR CRITICAL OF RUSSIAN
FOREIGN POLICY
Classified By: Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey. Reason: 1.4 (b and d)
1. (S/NF) Ambassador Bailey met for 40 minutes on June 4 with
Russian Ambassador Viktor Kaluzhny at his Embassy, joined
only by interpreters. Kaluzhny seemed more fatigued than in
previous meetings and admitted that he was tiring of his
diplomatic posting. Kaluzhny, though, said several things
that are worth noting, especially as they are critical of
Russian policy or Russian officials:
-- He felt that Putin was being influenced by unspecified
"third parties" in taking a hard line on U.S. missile defense
plans and other issues. He said that the President's
invitation to Putin for a meeting at Kennebunkport was
exactly the type of initiative needed to move Putin off his
hard line and separate him for these "third parties" who take
Putin in unhelpful directions.
-- On Russian foreign policy overall, Kaluzhny admitted to
having poor relations with Lavrov and said he thought Igor
Ivanov had done a much better job of establishing "a
balanced" foreign policy.
-- Discussing Embassy Riga's upcoming energy forum and
President Bush's May 31 address on climate change, Kaluzhny,
a former Russian Minister of Fuels, said that the USG had a
simpler process for crafting energy policy than does Russia,
where he said "too many people" are involved in policy
formulation.
2. (S/NF) Comment: Kaluzhny is usually very careful to stick
to the Moscow party line, so his criticism of his own
government is quite remarkable. We offer no analysis of what
he said, simply that he was willing to say it. His departure
from Riga has long been rumored, but other than his statement
that he was tiring of the job, he did not offer any evidence
that it was imminent. He told Ambassador Bailey that he
keeps Moscow fully informed of their meetings, but we suspect
he will only provide a limited readout of today's exchange.
BAILEY