RUSSIA'S EU EXPERT EXPOUNDS ON KOSOVO, ODIHR, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000065

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018
TAGS: EUN MARR NATO OSCE PARM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: RUSSIA'S EU EXPERT EXPOUNDS ON KOSOVO, ODIHR, AND
MISSILE DEFENSE


Classified By: A/DCM Grace Shelton for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (U) Dmitrij Poljanski, Head of the Russian Foreign
Ministry's EU Affairs Unit and member of the Russian
delegation in town for the Feb. 13 EU-Russia Troika, was the
featured speaker at a Tuesday evening meeting of the
Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia. After remarks on Russia's
relationship with the EU, Poljanski took questions from the
Slovene audience, most of them pointedly asked by seasoned
veterans from Slovenia's political elite.


2. (U) Elections Observers: Former Slovene Foreign Minister
Boris Ferlec asked why Russia had rejected elections
observers. Poljanski shot back, "we absolutely welcome
observers, but only if there is a clear mandate and criteria
for their work." The problem, he claimed, is that criteria
for their work." The problem, he claimed, is that ODIHR's
rules were simply invented by its Director, never adopted by
the OSCE< and they are not applied equally to all countries.


3. (U) Kosovo Independence: Former Delo Editor in Chief
Mitja Mersol asked what Russia will do when Kosovo declares
independence. Poljanski said, "This would be a deplorable
step" that would "Carry consequences for the whole region,
and create a momentum" difficult to contain. He said "there
is now a status quo in Kosovo that prevents bloodshed and
clashes," based on UNSCR 1244. Any action leading to
independence, not mutually agreed to by all parties involved,
would be against international law. If Kosovo declares
independence, and the Kosovo Serbs decide to take action, "if
KFOR stops that resistance they will break UNSCR 1244. This
would be a fatal blow for international law and undermine the
credibility of the UN itself."


4. (U) U.S. Missile Defense: Slovenia's former Ambassador
to Russia asked why Russia had appointed a hard-line
conservative member of the Duma as its Ambassador to NATO.
Poljanski used the occasion to blast the U.S. missile defense
initiative in Poland and the Czech Republic. "Unfortunately,
it seems that the arms race has re-emerged." It started with
the CFE, he explained, "Russia implemented it despite the
fact that NATO never ratified it." He added, "it would be
difficult to imagine that Russia would ever want to attack
any of its neighbors -- no one wants a war, certainly not
Russia; the destruction would be unthinkable." He noted, "we
do not believe there is a theoretical threat from Iran, but
if the U.S. and these other states believe these moves are
necessary, that is their right. But if the balance of power
changes on Russia's borders, it is our duty and
responsibility to make the same move." He said Russia
"regrets having to do this, and is frustrated because we
can't find an interlocutor on the EU side. When we try to
discuss this, we are told that it is out of the EU's sphere
of competence. We have the NATO/Russia Council, but that
can't really deal with it."


5. (C) Comment: Poljanski spoke fluent English and
responded to questions without hesitation (and scarcely
without taking a breath). He was primed for these questions,
and likely will deploy the same points in the EU-Russia
Troika meeting today, where Kosovo is expected to be the lead
item. His Slovene audience was polite, but skeptical.
COLEMAN