Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TALLINN124
2007-02-28 10:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tallinn
Cable title:
MISSLE DEFENSE: ESTONIA READY TO COUNTER RUSSIAN
how-toVZCZCXRO9948 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHTL #0124 0591003 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281003Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9565 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 1151
C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 000124
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/NB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PARM MARR PREL RS EUN EN
SUBJECT: MISSLE DEFENSE: ESTONIA READY TO COUNTER RUSSIAN
CLAIMS
REF: STATE 21640
Classified By: ADCM Eric Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
(C) On February 26, we delivered reftel points to Arti
Hilpus, MFA Director for Security and Arms Control, and
discussed the United States' offer to Poland and the Czech
Republic to open negotiations for hosting U.S. missile
defense assets. Hilpus agreed with us that Moscow's "saber
rattling" was unacceptable. He commented that this is
typical of the "divide-and-conquer" tactics that Moscow is
using more frequently against the EU. Initially, the MFA
did not plan to issue a statement. Even a joint-Baltic
statement was considered "counterproductive" according to
Katrin Kanarik, MFA Director for Western/Southern Europe
and North America, in a separate meeting with visiting
EUR/NP Deputy Director. Hilpus and Kanarik both felt that
only a common EU statement would carry real weight.
However, speaking off-the-record, Hilpus was pessimistic of
the likelihood of EU members reaching a common position.
After our discussions, Hilpus later informed us that
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet now plans to comment publicly
on the matter at his next scheduled press conference.
Hilpus said FM Paet's talking points would focus on the
defensive nature of the missile system and Russia's
unacceptable behavior.
GOLDSTEIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/NB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PARM MARR PREL RS EUN EN
SUBJECT: MISSLE DEFENSE: ESTONIA READY TO COUNTER RUSSIAN
CLAIMS
REF: STATE 21640
Classified By: ADCM Eric Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
(C) On February 26, we delivered reftel points to Arti
Hilpus, MFA Director for Security and Arms Control, and
discussed the United States' offer to Poland and the Czech
Republic to open negotiations for hosting U.S. missile
defense assets. Hilpus agreed with us that Moscow's "saber
rattling" was unacceptable. He commented that this is
typical of the "divide-and-conquer" tactics that Moscow is
using more frequently against the EU. Initially, the MFA
did not plan to issue a statement. Even a joint-Baltic
statement was considered "counterproductive" according to
Katrin Kanarik, MFA Director for Western/Southern Europe
and North America, in a separate meeting with visiting
EUR/NP Deputy Director. Hilpus and Kanarik both felt that
only a common EU statement would carry real weight.
However, speaking off-the-record, Hilpus was pessimistic of
the likelihood of EU members reaching a common position.
After our discussions, Hilpus later informed us that
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet now plans to comment publicly
on the matter at his next scheduled press conference.
Hilpus said FM Paet's talking points would focus on the
defensive nature of the missile system and Russia's
unacceptable behavior.
GOLDSTEIN