Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
08BISHKEK924 | 2008-09-12 07:45:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Bishkek |
1. (C) Begin Summary: Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Russian Ambassador Valentin Vlasov, which turned into an hour and a half-long conversation ranging from Chechnya to the Russian Embassy's sports trophies. While Vlasov attacked the U.S. position on Georgia from both common and uncommon angles, the tone remained friendly. Ambassador Vlasov expressed a desire to visit the U.S. Embassy, and suggested that our governments work together in combating narcotics and Islamic extremism in Kyrgyzstan, perhaps involving joint operations at Manas and Kant air bases. He also requested that the U.S. supply the Kyrgyz Government with drug detection equipment. End Summary. Ossetia and Abkhazia -------------------------- 2. (C) Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Russian Ambassador Valentin Vlasov. Vlasov was well informed about the Ambassador's prior postings, and congratulated her on her wide range of assignments within the former Soviet Union, and her mastery of Russian. Compliments completed, Vlasov launched a defense of Russian actions in Ossetia and Abkhazia by noting the similarity between the "barbarous" actions of Chechen Islamist terrorists in the past and the Georgians in South Ossetia. He said that during his seven months as a Chechen captive, he had woken up every morning wondering whether he would live through the day, and that experience had given him a tremendous respect for the truth. (Note: While serving as the Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Chechen Republic in 1998, Vlasov was kidnapped and held for seven months by Chechen rebels. End Note.) For that reason, he would dispense with diplomatic niceties, and say things as they really were. 3. (C) Vlasov accused the U.S. of perpetuating a double standard with regard to Kosovo, and said that Abkhazia and Ossetia had never been a part of Georgia, and had held referenda declaring that they did not want to be. He scoffed at the version of events portrayed in the Western media, and wondered why Russia would start a war when it was trying to get ready for the Sochi Olympics. Comparing the U.S. with Georgia, Vlasov said that at least the U.S. used precision weapons when it bombed Serbia, but Georgia's indiscriminate bombing led to numerous civilian deaths. Vlasov characterized international recognition of Ossetia and Abkhazia as slow but incrementally progressing, with a tepid initial endorsement by the SCO, a later full endorsement by the CSTO, and he predicted an even more positive endorsement by members of the CIS. Vlasov said that Russia will never give up its recognition of Ossetia and Abkhazia, just as the U.S. would never give up its recognition of Kosovo. Bullying the Kyrgyz -------------------------- 4. (C) Vlasov criticized the U.S. relationship with the Kyrgyz, accusing the U.S. of bullying the Kyrgyz in general, and pointing to the Hyatt episode (see reftel) in particular. He also complained of the non-transparency of operations at Manas Air Base, noting that Kant Air Base is not a Russian base, but rather a CSTO operation, and therefore the Kyrgyz can inspect the base whenever they want. The Ambassador replied with an invitation for Vlasov to tour Manas Air Base, so that he could see for himself what was going on there. Vlasov admitted that he had actually already received a tour, and then took a different tack, complaining of U.S. over-involvement in Kyrgyz politics. Instead of financing opposition parties, the Russian Government wants deeper relations with every country, regardless of who is the president, he said. Noting his ready supply of complaints BISHKEK 00000924 002.2 OF 002 about U.S. activities in Kyrgyzstan, the Ambassador asked him if people were complaining to him about the U.S. Vlasov appeared flustered by this and hastily changed the subject. There will be no energy crisis . . . for us -------------------------- 5. (C) Seemingly using talking points provided by the Kyrgyz Government, Vlasov dismissed the idea that there would be an energy crisis in Kyrgyzstan this winter, saying that Kyrgyz hydropower could produce sufficient energy to meet the needs of their economy. (Note: The Ambassador heard identical language in a meeting with the Energy Minister earlier that day. End Note.) With no apparent sense of irony, Vlasov noted later in the conversation that he was not worried about power outages, because he had recently approved the purchase of generators for the chancery and all Embassy residences. He also noted that the head of the Russian Immigration Service had recently visited Kyrgyzstan, and told Vlasov that there was no problem with Kyrgyz guest workers in Russia, and that the one million Kyrgyz there were welcome. Closer relations in counter-narcotics, snooker -------------------------- - 6. (C) Towards the end of the conversation, Vlasov took on an almost wistful note, mentioning that he had never been invited to the U.S. Embassy, and offering several areas in which the two missions could cooperate, particularly in counter-narcotics and against Islamic extremism. He remembered an American device that he had seen during his time as Ambassador to Malta that could detect drugs from a distance, and requested that the U.S. provide it to the Kyrgyz Government. He admitted that Hizb ut-Tahrir is a problem in the south, and suggested that the U.S. and Russia have common interests in combating its spread. He also suggested that perhaps Manas and Kant Air Bases could find a suitable way to conduct a joint operation. He then took the Ambassador on a tour of part of the Russian Embassy (but not to his office), showing her a shelf full of trophies from inter-Embassy competitions, and noting that it was a shame that the biggest embassy in Bishkek (the U.S.) wasn't an active participant in the Embassy sports leagues, ranging from volleyball to half-field soccer to snooker. The meeting ended on a friendly note, with the Ambassador inviting Vlasov to participate in an Embassy presentation of the presidential debates. 7. (C) Comment: Vlasov's turn towards friendship and cooperation after excoriating U.S. policy may have simply been a personal quirk. Given Russia's posture in Kyrgyzstan, we do not take seriously his wistful comments about cooperation, and his idea of some "joint operation" involving the Russian and Coalition Air Bases in Kyrgyzstan is clearly a non-starter. GFOELLER |