UKRAINE: YUSHCHENKO POISONING REVISITED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KYIV 001064

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: YUSHCHENKO POISONING REVISITED

REF: KYIV 01052

Classified By: Ambassador for reasons 1.4(b,d).


1. (C) Summary. In the heat of a spat between President
Yushchenko's team and former financial and political backer
David Zhvaniya, the issue of Yushchenko's poisoning in
September 2004 has once again become subject of political
accusations. After the Presidential Secretariat initiated a
case to try to strip Zhvaniya of his Ukrainian citizenship
(reftel),the former "dear friend" hurled accusations at
Yushchenko, including that Our Ukraine fabricated the
poisoning to gain the then presidential candidate sympathy
points. Yushchenko met with Prosecutor General Medvedko on
June 2, with Medvedko ridiculing Zhvaniya's claim that there
was no poisoning, according to the President's press service.
Our Ukraine MPs have come forward to dismiss Zhvaniya's
credibility and claims, while Regions MPs have jumped on the
bandwagon, suggesting that the issue should be looked into.


2. (C) Comment. There is little doubt that Yushchenko was
poisoned, but he has seemed reluctant to allow charges to be
brought about, presumably because of the politically
explosive nature of the accusations. His dioxin levels have
been publicly and privately commented on by doctors from
several countries. Zhvaniya's accusations are aimed at a
leader and party he may feel betrayed him -- he also accused
Yushchenko's wife and children of being U.S. citizens, which
is against Ukrainian law. Regions probably sees this as an
opportunity to sow dissension within the ruling coalition and
to add one more distraction to the President's plate, which
in turn they may hope will strengthen their hand in
negotiations on a new coalition. In the end, the poisoning
issue is likely to die down quickly until the Prosecutor
General's Office (PGO) names a suspect. End summary and
comment.

Zhvaniya Goes on the Offensive
--------------


3. (SBU) PSD MP David Zhvaniya, godfather of Yushchenko's
youngest son and once one of his closest advisors, told the
press on May 31 that the President was not poisoned in
September 2004, but that his political team had decided to
create the story to generate support for the then
presidential candidate. He claimed that he had spoken out
against the plan at the time, but the campaign team had
overruled him. Zhvaniya added that it was illogical to say
the security services were behind the plot, because if they
had been they would have done a more professional job.
(Note. Many believe, and Yushchenko has indicated, that the
poisoning took place at a dinner at the summer home of the
then Deputy Head of the SBU. End note.)


4. (SBU) The President and the Secretariat have not directly
addressed this latest Zhvaniya accusation, but Prosecutor
General Medvedko and OU MPs have criticized Zhvaniya's
remarks. Medvedko met with Yushchenko on June 2 on a range
of issues, where he dismissed Zhvaniya's claims as
ridiculous. He said that there was expert testimony and
analysis that showed Yushchenko had been poisoned. He also
said that Zhvaniya had been called as a witness in the case,
but had refused on several occasions to come to the PGO and
provide testimony. (Note. Zhvaniya was at the dinner where
Yushchenko was probably poisoned and some media reported that
Zhvaniya had insisted Yushchenko attend despite the unusual
location and the late hour at which it took place, which has
been used to cast questions on Zhvaniya's role in the
poisoning. End note.) OU MP Tretyakov told the press that
Zhvaniya's claims were irresponsible and amoral and he said
that Zhvaniya had not been present at any of Yushchenko's
medical examinations, so he had nothing to base his claims
on. OU MP Zvarych also said publicly that Zhvaniya's
accusation was illogical and driven by motives he would not
speculate on.


5. (C) Regions MPs have sought to keep the story going.
Volodymyr Sivkovych, who chaired the Rada's ad hoc committee
in 2004 that investigated the poisoning, said that Zhvaniya
was a well-informed source of what went on in the Yushchenko
camp in 2004, but that he wouldn't comment on the accuracy of
Zhvaniya's statements until the PGO made an announcement on
findings in the case. Hanna Herman told the press that
Regions wanted the Rada's Rules Committee, which handles MP
ethics issues, to look into Zhvaniya's claims. (Comment.
No one is backing Zhvaniya's claims, but it may be in
Regions' interest to keep the conflict going and the
coalition distracted and disunified. End comment.)


6. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website:
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev.

KYIV 00001064 002 OF 002


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