RESPONSE TO RUSSIAN PROTEST OF U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003825

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2028
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ RS
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO RUSSIAN PROTEST OF U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN
NOV 19 VEHICLE ACCIDENT

REF: REF A: EUR/NEA/EMBASSY MOSCOW/EMBASSY BAGHDAD
EMAILS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Patricia A. Butenis for Reasons
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) Summary: The Russian MFA has filed protests in
Washington and Moscow regarding a November 19 traffic
accident on the Baghdad airport highway in which the GoR
alleges a U.S. military vehicle forced a Russian diplomatic
vehicle off the road, resulting in injuries to the
passengers. After an extensive investigation, Multi-National
Force Iraq (MNF-I) has developed no evidence to suggest that
any U.S. military personnel or vehicles were involved in such
an accident. Post obtained more detailed information from
the Russian Embassy in Baghdad, but even with this new
information MNF-I was unable to find any evidence of U.S.
involvement. Post believes it is possible that the military
vehicles in question could have been Iraqi, as the Iraqi
inventory also includes vehicles that fit the description
provided by the Russians. Should the Department wish to
recommend to the Russians that they approach Iraqi
authorities to request an investigation of possible Iraqi
involvement, Embassy Baghdad is prepared to cooperate with
the Russians locally to facilitate such an inquiry. End
Summary.

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Russians Accuse U.S. of Involvement in Vehicle Accident
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2. (S) The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a
diplomatic note to the Department on November 21, protesting
U.S. military involvement in a traffic accident that
purportedly occurred on November 19 in Baghdad along Route
Irish, the road connecting the International Zone (IZ) to
Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). The dip note states
that "a motorcade of four U.S. Army armored personnel
carriers" approached a Russian diplomatic motorcade from the
rear at a high rate of speed. The convoy is reported to have
overtaken the Russian motorcade and forced it off the road -
causing the first of three Russian vehicles to spin out of
control, nearly overturning it. According to the Russian
note, "the U.S. Army convoy continued on without stopping and
was escorted by two U.S. military helicopters." It is also
alleged that "American military personnel pointed their
weapons" at the Russian diplomats as the passed.


3. (S) The Russian note continued that the "maneuver by the
U.S. armored personnel carrier, which cannot be explained by
anything, was a real threat to the lives of Russian
citizens( victims received injuries of various degrees of
seriousness." The Russians demanded an investigation and
"punishment of the guilty U.S. Army personnel." They also
note that they reserve the right to seek material and moral
compensation, including possible compensation for the health
of the victims.

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Post and MNF-I Report Findings of Investigation
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4. (S) The Russian embassy in Baghdad never contacted Post
regarding the November 19 accident. When notified by the
Department on November 24 of the Russian protest (ref A),
Embassy Pol-Mil section contacted the Russian Embassy in
Baghdad to discuss the incident. Chief Consular Officer
Sergey Brik reiterated to PolMilOff the information contained
in the Russian note and said that a detailed report of the
incident would be forthcoming. The report provided by Brik
on November 24 contained little more information than was in
Qon November 24 contained little more information than was in
the dip note, but noted specifically that 4 or 5 allegedly
U.S. Army "MRAP" vehicles were involved in the accident.


5. (S) Post responded by submitting to the Russian embassy a
detailed list of questions aimed at identifying the persons
or vehicles involved in the incident. On November 27, Brik
responded to Post's query with some additional information.
He noted that the alleged U.S. vehicles were sand colored,
had four wheels with spare tires mounted on the right-hand
side and had machine guns mounted atop on revolving turrets.
He was unable to note any identifying markers, flags or
writing on the vehicles. He could not identify the color or
pattern of uniforms worn by any personnel from the alleged
U.S. convoy. He stated that U.S. Black Hawk helicopters were
escorting the alleged U.S. motorcade, which circled the
Russian motorcade several times after the accident and
continued toward BIAP. In a conversation with PolMilOff,
Brik stated that "the accident lasted only seconds" and that
"everyone's attention focused on the Russian vehicle that had
spun out of control." He said that "no one saw any weapons

BAGHDAD 00003825 002 OF 002


or persons."


6. (S) MNF-I CJ3 (Operations) on November 25 submitted to
subordinate units and to the Multi-National Security
Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I) an official Request for
Information (RFI) regarding the accident, providing the
details of the incident contained in the Russian note as well
as the information subsequently provided by the Russian
embassy in Baghdad. All units responded negatively to the
RFI and no similar incidents were reported. MNSTC-I
confirmed that they did not have any MRAP vehicles on Route
Irish on November 19. Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNC-I)
queried the Blue FORCE Tracker system, an electronic system
used to track the location of U.S. military forces, and
determined that numerous U.S. vehicles transited Route Irish
on November 19, but was unable to determine that any U.S.
forces were in proximity to the accident. Similarly, MNF-I
confirmed that on the date and time of the accident there
were no U.S. military helicopters escorting motorcades on
Route Irish, and it was unable to locate any aircrew who
reported seeing an accident.


7. (S) Additionally, the Armed Contractors Oversight
Division (ACOD) - an MNF-I entity which tracks the activities
of Private Security Contractors - queried their "Tapestry"
tracking system and showed nothing to match the details
provided for the incident. MNF-I concluded its investigation
into the incident on December 3, noting that there was no
credible evidence to support the Russian claims that any U.S.
military forces were involved in the November 19 accident.
Separately, the Embassy's Regional Security Office (RSO)
concluded that no Chief of Mission vehicles were traveling on
Route Irish on the date and time reported by the Russians.
Also, there were no RSO AIR assets either escorting a
motorcade or traveling to BIAP along Route Irish on that date
and time.


8. (S) Comment: Post recommends that the Department and
Embassy Moscow request additional information from Moscow,
but at this point we expect the Russians have provided us all
the details they can. Post believes it is possible that if
such an accident took place as described the military vehicle
in question could have been Iraqi, as the Iraqi inventory
also includes vehicles that fit the description provided by
the Russians. Should the Department wish to recommend to
the Russians that they approach Iraqi authorities to request
an investigation of possible Iraqi involvement, Embassy
Baghdad is prepared to cooperate with the Russians locally to
facilitate such an inquiry. MNF-I understands the diplomatic
sensitivity of this issue and has pledged to follow up on any
additional leads that the Russians can provide. End Comment.
CROCKER