GERMANY/RUSSIA: MEREL GOES TO MOSCOW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000303

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV MAR NATO EUN GM RS
SUBJECT: GERMANY/RUSSIA: MEREL GOES TO MOSCOW

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISER COUNSELOR JEFF RATHKE. REASONS: 1.4 (
B) AND D).


1. (C) Summary: Chancellor Merkel traveledto Moscow March
8, becoming the first foreign leder to meet with Russian
President-elect Medvede since his election a week ago.
During her one-day visit, she also met and held a joint press
confrence with President Putin. At a March 10 de-briefing
for the Berlin diplomatic corps, the Chancellery reported
that both leaders covered a broad range of issues, including
NATO enlargement, missile defense, Kosovo, the Baltic Sea
pipeline, and human rights. Merkel came away from her
meetings convinced that Putin and Medvedev are a like-minded
tandem, who will cooperate closely with one another. The
Chancellery said it expects mostly continuity in Russian
affairs, with Putin to focus on domestic policy and Medvedev
foreign policy. In meetings with Merkel, both Putin and
Medvedev expressed their interest in a strategic partnership
with Germany and close relations with the EU. END SUMMARY

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Chancellery expects continuity with Medvedev
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2. (C) In a March 10 Chancellery debriefing on Merkel's
weekend trip to Moscow, Deputy National Security Advisor Rolf
Nikel said the visit had served the dual purpose of bidding
farewell to Putin and gaining a first-hand impression of
Medvedev. Merkel and Putin met first for about two hours,
including lunch. She then met President-elect Medvedev for
around 75 minutes. Merkel also gave a radio interview to an
independent Russian station. Nikel described the atmosphere
as open, businesslike, and transparent. In her meetings,
Merkel came away with the impression that Putin and Medvedev
are a like-minded tandem that coordinates closely. Nikel
said the Chancellery thus expected "a lot of continuity" in
Russian affairs. It appears that as PM, Putin will focus on
domestic affairs, while President Medvedev will take care of
foreign policy. In his meeting with Merkel, Medvedev said he
was very interested in progress on the rule of law in Russia
as well as close relations with Germany and the EU. Merkel
invited Medvedev to come to Berlin.

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Missile Defense
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3. (C) According to Nikel, Putin once again made the case for
a joint MD system with contributions from the U.S., Russia,
and the EU. He claimed, however, that the U.S. had rejected
such a proposal. Putin said that if MD components were
installed in Poland and the Czech Republic, then a permanent
Russian presence would be necessary in both countries. In
addition, Russia would react by targeting the MD sites with
its own missiles. Nikel saw an interest in the integration
of Russia into MD plans. MD must increase Europe's
stability, Nikel said. He was confident that for the NATO
Bucharest Summit, a "reasonable communique" would emerge
based on Defense Secretary Gates' proposals made at the
February NATO Defense Ministerial in Vilnius.

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MAP for Ukraine and Georgia
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4. (C) President Putin confirmed his intention to attend to
upcoming NATO summit in Bucharest. While he argued strongly
against extending the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) to
Georgia and Ukraine at Bucharest, Putin promised Merkel not
to express the Russian position as forcefully as he did
against MD at the February 2007 Munich Security Conference.
Nikel told the diplomatic corps briefing (which included
representatives from EU members states as well as Turkey)
that Germany regards MAP as premature for both countries at
Bucharest. (Comment: At her joint press conference with
Putin, Merkel, in clear references to Ukraine and Georgia,
mentioned the need for NATO membership to be supported by the
population of the applicant country and for the applicant
country to be "free from conflicts." End Comment.)

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EU-Russia relations
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5. (C) Nikel pointed out that both Putin and Medvedev
expressed their interest in closer relations between Russia
and the EU. It was in the interest of both sides to open
negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
(PCA) as soon as possible. Nikel said the Chancellery
considers the energy charter to be a fundamental part of the
new PCA discussions and will approach negotiations from a
standpoint of "reciprocity" when it comes to energy
questions. (Note: We understand the German Foreign Office

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would like to see the PCA on the agenda of the March 28-29 EU
foreign ministerial. End Note.)

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Baltic Sea pipeline
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6. (C) Nikel said Chancellor Merkel promised Putin to discuss
the pipeline route and other open questions with the Swedes
on the margins of the March 13-14 EU Summit in Brussels.

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Human rights
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7. (C) Merkel raised the Mikhail Khodorkovsky case, calling
for better medical treatment of the former Yukos CEO. She
also hoped that Putin or Medvedev would consider a
presidential pardon for Khodorkovsky. (Note: At his joint
press conference with Merkel, Putin unexpectedly raised the
possibility that Medvedev might consider pardoning
Khodorkovsky. Merkel responded that Germany would welcome
such a move. End Note.) Merkel also raised with Putin and
Medvedev concerns about the treatment of NGOs in Russia. She
cited the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation (affiliated with
Merkel's CDU party) as one foreign organization that sees its
work increasingly impeded by Russian authorities.
KOENIG