RUSSIA ON PREVENTING IMPLEMENTATION OF SYRIA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 003604 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/RA J. DANIEL AND B. HEIDELBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2018 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IAEA TRGY SY RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA ON PREVENTING IMPLEMENTATION OF SYRIA'S TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROJECT REF: STATE 127578 Classified By: EST Counselor Deborah Klepp for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) On December 12, ESToff delivered the reftel non-paper urging Russia to support efforts to prevent the implementation of a Syria-requested Technical Cooperation (TC) Project to conduct a feasibility study and site selection for a nuclear power plant in Syria to First Secretary Olga Kuznetsova of the MFA Department for Security and Disarmament Affairs (DVBR). She read the non-paper carefully. Once she finished reading, she said that the contents of the non-paper would be considered, but that she could not give a more detailed response until she spoke with her superiors. ¶2. (C) Comment: Kuznetsov's response was typical to most of our demarches requesting Russia's support for consensus or assistance on IAEA issues. In most recent cases, the lack of a negative reaction to the demarche has translated into Russia's supporting the U.S. position as requested. End Comment. RUBIN