THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND COOPERATION;

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000375 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM SOCI PINR RS SUBJECT: THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND COOPERATION; RUSSIA'S NEW FACE TO THE WORLD REF: MOSCOW 229 Classified By: Political M/C Alice G. Wells. Reason: 1.4 (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The GOR has decided to establish an Institute for Democracy and Cooperation, which will be headquartered in Moscow with branch offices in New York and Paris. The Institute is intended to end what the GOR sees as the western "monopoly" on defining and reporting human rights abuses and will reportedly seek to discuss human rights in a context detached from cultural influences. It will also endeavor to improve Russia's image in the West. In a February 4 meeting, the designated director of the New York office offered us a general description of the Institute's goals and possible future direction. Although the search for office space has started, the Institute's Moscow overseers have not yet begun the process of legally establishing the organization in the U.S., and sources of funding remain unclear, as does the exact nature of the Institute's relationship to the GOR. End summary. Russia's New Face to the World -------------- ¶2. (C) What is now known as The Institute for Democracy and Cooperation (IDC) was previewed in a speech by Putin on October 26, 2007 at the Mafra EU-Russia Summit. At that time, Putin expressed a wish to cooperate with Europe to "ensure the free election process and monitor elections, the status of national minorities and the freedom of speech." Putin's speech was followed by a proposal by Public Chamber member Anatoliy Kucherena, who suggested that the IDC be an independent think tank headquartered in Moscow with branch offices in New York and Paris. In a February 6 conversation, Kucherena claimed that the IDC would seek to cooperate with EU and the U.S. organizations in the area of civil society and democracy and, secondarily, work to improve the image of Russia abroad. Kucherena rejected suggestions that the Institute or its offices would produce anti-western propaganda, as some media reports have suggested (reftel). ¶3. (C) In a February 4 meeting, the designated director of the New York office Andranik Migranyan compared the Institute to the U.S.-based Carnegie foundation. The IDC would focus on his watch on counter-balancing the negative view of Russia currently prevalent in the U.S. media and in Congress. He claimed that much of the media coverage of Russia is biased and one-sided. He described the "uninformed, anti-Russian prejudice" in Congress as a danger to U.S.-Russian relations. In particular, Migranyan criticized Senate or House resolutions that appeared to be directed at Russia, such as a recent resolution that had endorsed NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia. Migranyan appeared to downplay the role that human rights would play in the work of the office. While human rights would certainly be an issue for IDC study and discussion, Migranyan said he hoped to place more stress on areas of potential cooperation with U.S. NGOs, such as migration. ¶4. (C) Migranyan was not certain how IDC's New York office would be organized. He suggested that half of the projected staff of ten persons would be American and that the office would initially not be large, but would grow if successful. Potential office space in the RIA-Novosti New York office had been suggested, but Migranyan planned to visit New York in several weeks in order to determine its suitability. ¶5. (C) Migranyan told us he was selected by FM Lavrov because he had studied the U.S. and knows the country well. Being a close friend of the Foreign Minister also helped, he said. Further boosting Migranyan's candidacy is his well-known loyalty to the Kremlin and, especially, Putin and Medvedev, whom he describes as "democrats" who support a liberal economic regime. (Owner of the independent Novaya Gazeta Aleksandr Lebedev, himself a prominent businessman, scoffed to us about the prospect of that "poor academic" establishing a perch in New York.) Unclear Direction, Murky Funding -------------- ¶6. (C) Migranyan insisted that the GOR would not fund or direct the organization, but he thought that the IDC would be eligible for GOR grants, which would likely be used initially until other sources of funding could be identified. Ten businessmen, all members of the Public Chamber, had agreed to support the IDC's work. He deferred further questions about funding to Kucherena. Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) Russia's IDC is intended as an answer and counterweight to Western NGOs that have set up shop in Russia. Much like Russia Today, Russia's answer to Western 24-hour news channels like CNN or BBC World, IDC will attempt to repair Russia's damaged image in the US and Europe and at the same time extend the reach and influence of the GOR. Still very much in its infancy, it remains to be seen how this new organization will get its message across, given the substance driving Western concerns over Russia's democratic track record. BURNS