RUSSIA/COUNTERTERRORISM: RUSSIAN PLEDGES ETERNAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUNICH 000317 SIPDIS DEPT PLEASE PASS NSC, AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE, MOSCOW COLLECTIVE, JOINT STAFF E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2018 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV EFIN US RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA/COUNTERTERRORISM: RUSSIAN PLEDGES ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP; MAKES SMALL COMMITMENTS REF: A. REF MOSCOW 1865 ¶B. USOSCE DAILY DIGEST SEPTEMBER 17 ¶C. 2008 Classified By: Ambassador Dell Dailey, S/CT, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Anatoliy Safonov and Ambassador Dell Dailey, coordinators of counterterrorism efforts by the Russian Federation and the United States, met privately in Munich on September 17 to discuss counterterrorism issues. Safonov took pains to confirm that bilateral relationship was intact "even with cold winds blowing." Although Russia said it missed having U.S. participation at the September 4 informal luncheon in New York to promote Russian public-private partnerships, he said the recent counterterrorism meeting on public-private partnerships at OSCE in Vienna went well. Safonov agreed seriously to consider participating soon in a training demonstration by the Federal Air Marshals, as long as it was planned in conjunction with other business in Washington. Safonov only acknowledged Ambassador Dailey's request that the Russians revive work on the comprehensive work plan covering weapons of mass destruction terrorism and several other areas. Dailey agreed to share ideas with Safonov on how the United States and Russia could cooperate in supporting the counterterrorism efforts of Pakistan. Interestingly, Safonov raised no issue from the Russian side that would require USG action. Georgia was not discussed. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Participating for the Russian Federation were Ambassador Anatoliy Safonov, Russian Special Presidential Representative for Counterterrorism, Vladimir Andreyev, Deputy Director of the Department of New Challenges and Threats, and for the United States, Ambassador Dell Dailey, Coordinator for Counterterrorism (S/CT),and Kit Traub, Chief, Political/Economic Section, Consulate General Munich, note taker. The Russians provided an interpreter. "Durable Bond of Friendship" Supports the Working Relationship -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Safonov set a tone for the meeting that he returned to time and again when he said that with counterterrorism cooperation, the United States and Russia were engaged in "a business of principal importance that rises above the contradictions of our current circumstances." Safonov said he did not want to go back to the days when the United States and Russia had "stared at each other through field glasses" and "nothing good had come of it." "That we meet and speak openly in this way is very important," he said. Throughout the meeting, unusually outgoing and voluble, Safonov put this cooperation in the context of his feelings of "personal friendship" with Dailey and insisted it would both endure and carry their counterterrorism work forward through the current crisis. He said that Russia and the United States had made the "right strategic choice" to continue meeting over counterterrorism issues. Alluding only obliquely to the current crisis in Russian/US relations, he poetically suggested it might be necessary for he and Dailey "to close the windows into our work room to protect us from the cold winds blowing around outside." To make the point, the Russians presented USDel with small tokens of friendship and picked up the tab for what was a cordial dinner. CT Cooperation with the United States Formally Established by Moscow With its Embassies -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) Safonov said that the Russian Federation had instructed its Embassies to cooperate with the U.S. on counterterrorism matters. Russia had also "warned critical third countries to waste no time trying to find holes in our mutual agreement to cooperate," he revealed. Safonov said he regularly coordinated on counterterrorism matters with the Russian Ministries of Interior, Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Justice, Special Services, the Prosecutor General, Emergency Situation Service, Financial Intelligence, and Anti-drug Services. MUNICH 00000317 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Safonov pointedly noted that Russia had missed U.S. participation at the September 4 informal luncheon in New York to promote Russian public-private partnerships, but he said Ambassador Dailey's remarks at the Carnegie lecture had reassured Russia that the United States still supported cooperation with the Russian Federation. Safonov said the United States and Russia had worked well together at the OSCE,s September 15-16 meeting on Public-Private Partnerships in Combating Terrorism (Ref. B). Safonov Agrees in Principle to Air Marshal Training; No Firm Commitment on WMD Work Plan -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Ambassador Dailey secured Safonov's agreement in principal to attend a training simulation by the Federal Air Marshals. Dailey agreed to tailor the demonstration to the needs of the Russians and estimated it would last about one-half day. Safonov said that Ambassador Kislyak, before he left for his new post heading the Russian Embassy in Washington, had encouraged him to keep working closely with Ambassador Dailey and encouraged him to come with a small group to visit Washington to continue their engagement. Safonov's only caveat was that the Marshals, training be made to coincide with other business in Washington for the Russian side. Ambassador Dailey reminded Safonov that the USG still wanted to continue work on the comprehensive work plan on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Terrorism. He noted that the United States understands Russia's refusal for now to include Consequence Management in this work. Safonov acknowledged the request with a "yes, yes" without making firm commitments to really engage. Coordinating on Engaging Pakistan and India -------------- ¶7. (C) Safonov mentioned that he will lead a delegation of military and special services to Pakistan in the second half of October and asked for USG advice on issues to raise. "The U.S. and Russia remain allies on the subject of Pakistan because of its nuclear weapons and terrorism," he asserted. Ambassadors Dailey and Safonov agreed that Russia and the United States shared a dilemma on how to keep pressure on Pakistan to act against terrorist groups but not to push too hard politically, for fear of destabilizing President Musharraf in the past or new President Zardari, whom Safonov assessed as "even weaker than Musharraf." Ambassador Dailey agreed with Safonov's assessment that Russia and the United States should encourage Pakistan accept the risk and engage its well-trained special forces against dangerous targets like bin Laden. Ambassador Dailey agreed to get back to Safonov with suggestions on how better to engage with Pakistan. Safonov will also travel to India in late October, he said. ¶8. (U) Ambassador Dailey cleared this cable. NELSON