RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR OPEN TO COOPERATING ON HEALTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 001235 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAID RU MZ SUBJECT: RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR OPEN TO COOPERATING ON HEALTH PROGRAMS REF: MAPUTO 1070 (NOTAL) Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TODD CHAPMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B+D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a follow-up to reftel meeting, the Charge met with Russian Ambassador to Mozambique and Swaziland Igor V. Popov on November 25 at the Russian Embassy. The meeting dealt with generalities of our respective bilateral relationships with Mozambique, but also provided an opportunity to elicit more information about the Russian presence in Mozambique. Ambassador Popov was welcoming and open in his remarks, especially when talking about the Russian and former Soviet-bloc community. Topics of discussion included the Russian school of Maputo, the Russian presence in Mozambique, the Russian Mission's facilities, Russia's frustrations as a donor, potential areas for U.S.-Russian cooperation--particularly in malaria--and the Ambassador's career plans. END SUMMARY. -------------- THE RUSSIAN PRESENCE IN MAPUTO -------------- ¶2. (C) The Embassy is a large and imposing structure behind high steel fences. Cladding on the exterior of the building prevents observers from determining the number of stories, which poloff estimates at five, while the lobby and ground floor meeting room had 18 foot ceilings and excellent acoustics. Security and technical staff appear to be solely Russian, and no Mozambicans were observed on the compound. Our contact at the Embassy, a thin and young second Secretary Mikhail "Misha" Bronnikov welcomed the Charge and poloff who were later greeted by Ambassador Igor V. Popov. The Ambassador explained that he had arrived in Mozambique in September 2005, and had previously served in Ethiopia as well as at headquarters in Moscow handling Georgia and Central Asia. In an aside, he described his future prospects as either returning to headquarters or staying in Maputo, though describing the Mozambican capital as having a lack of diplomatic activity compared to Moscow. Both Popov and Bronnikov spoke excellent, nuanced English with relatively faint but identifiable accents. Bronnikov's business card listed only a general email address for the Russian Embassy. ¶3. (C) Popov opened by describing the Embassy in general terms. He indicated that there is a Russian School in Maputo on the Embassy Compound, which includes the Embassy structure, two housing complexes for Russian security and technical staff, the school grounds, and a pool. The school enrolls students up to the age of 16, and allows not only Mission children, but also the children of expatriate Russian and former Soviet citizens, as well as Mozambican children to attend. The Ambassador proudly stated that some members of the Government of Mozambique (GRM) have enrolled their children in the Russian school. Popov further explained that the Embassy, which was apparently constructed during the height of Russian influence (reftel) in the late 1970s or early 1980s, was built to house the Economic and Commercial section of the former Soviet Mission, a group he described as a now-disbanded equivalent to USAID. Popov expressed visible frustration with his Government's lack of a development agency to implement the $8 million in malaria-related funds that Russia currently channels through the World Bank's Malaria Booster Program, which he viewed as less than successful. -------------- RUSSIAN ACTIVITIES IN MOZAMBIQUE -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Popov described the three pillars of Russian assistance in Mozambique: debt forgiveness, educational scholarships, and health sector assistance. On debt, Popov explained that legacy Mozambican debts to the Soviet Union totaled $2.7 billion, and that all but $200 million has been forgiven, with the final piece being negotiated. The scholarship program provides for approximately 30 students to study for an undergraduate education in Russia, and is managed directly between the countries' respective Ministries of Education with some assistance from the Embassy. Scholarships are provided for six years of study in Russia in Agriculture, Medicine, Engineering, and Science. To date no Mozambicans have applied for post-graduate scholarships, according to Bronnikov. Russia's third pillar, the development initiative, is focused on a $28 million worldwide malaria program focused on Africa, with $8 million earmarked for Mozambique. Popov became visibly frustrated, stating that Russia had "no influence," when describing the MAPUTO 00001235 002 OF 002 bureaucratic hurdles of working with the World Bank which has been selected as the implementing partner in Mozambique. Popov stated that he would be open to working with the United States on malaria initiatives, and agreed to be briefed by our President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) country manager on November 26. ¶5. (SBU) On the commercial side, Popov indicated that Russian trawlers are involved in shrimp fishing in Mozambique. Several Russian companies are looking into the feasibility of mining for gold, likely in Manica Province, and the potential for mining Mozambique's heavy sands for titanium oxide. A Russian company is also negotiating to build an aluminum smelter in Mozambique due to its low electricity costs, according to Popov. The Ambassador summarized Russian commercial investment in Mozambique as "nothing serious." -------------- RUSSIANS WELL INFORMED ON U.S. ACTIVITIES IN MOZAMBIQUE -------------- ¶6. (C) Charge described the U.S. bilateral program in Mozambique. Popov listened attentively, but did not appear surprised by the Charge's presentation. At points Popov asked questions which suggested he was well-informed on our activities. For example, he asked about the status of U.S. company Ayr Logistic's progress on the oil refinery project in Nacala. He suggested that a refinery in the north would be good for Zimbabwe, assuming that it would eventually recover. He asked about the construction of our New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Maputo, including questions about how many floors it would have and whether it would affect traffic on surrounding roads (no response given),proving he was familiar with the building site's location. In an aside, Popov described the new style of U.S. Embassy, as he had seen in Bishkek, as bunker-esque. He also queried the Charge about the American Institute in Taiwan (as it came up in discussion as the Charge's first assignment) and our relations with the Taiwanese in Swaziland. Popov asked several pointed questions about whether the financial crisis would affect U.S. investments in Mozambique. -------------- RUSSIAN-SPEAKING COMMUNITY IN MOZAMBIQUE -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Popov described the Russian-speaking community in Mozambique as numbering between three and four hundred, with approximately 200 Russian citizens. Many Russian-speakers are Ukranian women who married Mozambican students studying in Ukraine, according to Popov, who also indicated that there is one Georgian citizen who resides in Tete. The Russian Embassy organizes monthly meetings of the former Soviet community at the Embassy compound in Maputo, which Popov described as the Russian Center. -------------- COMMENT: RUSSIANS INTERESTED IN COOPERATION -------------- ¶8. (C) Despite U.S.-Russia tensions over Georgia and other international issues, Ambassador Popov proved to be a welcoming and collegial host with an impressive command of English and depth of knowledge of U.S. activities in Mozambique. Russian interest in cooperation on the malaria front may be self-serving as they are experiencing problems working with the World Bank. Nonetheless, Post believes that even minimal cooperation with the Russians would be a positive goodwill story in Mozambique, with the added advantage of possibly turning some members of the FRELIMO old guard, who eye the United States with a Cold War era skepticism, to view us in a new light. Chapman