FRENCH MFA "PRUDENT" ON MOSKALENKO CASE, CITES

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001948

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV PINS PINR FR RS
SUBJECT: FRENCH MFA "PRUDENT" ON MOSKALENKO CASE, CITES
LACK OF CONCLUSIVE INFORMATION

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR KATHY ALLEGRONE FOR REASONS
1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) MFA desk officer for Russian internal issues Arnaud
Migoux told us October 23 that the French are paying close
attention to the alleged poisoning of Russian human rights
lawyer Karina Moskalenko in the eastern French city of
Strasbourg where she lives. However, French investigators
are very hesitant to draw quick conclusions as to how small
balls of mercury came to be in Moskalenko,s car and whether
the mercury actually caused her illness. Although Moskalenko
filed a formal complaint with French authorities (thus
triggering the current investigation),she has been hesitant
to suggest who may have been behind her reputed poisoning.
French authorities have not yet excluded any possibilities or
suspects (including Moskalenko herself or "others" seeking to
concoct an incident that would implicate Moscow),but Migoux
again emphasized that no one in the GOF wants to make hasty
accusations.


2. (C) French prudence, Migoux continued, accounted for the
MFA's reticence to make any sort of public statement on the
subject. Guidance he had prepared for the MFA spokesperson
to use in response to any questions from journalists (which
have so far not been posed) would only have confirmed that
French authorities were conducting an investigation of the
incident and directed media inquiries to appropriate judicial
and police authorities.


3. (C) Migoux also reported that he saw Moskalenko Monday,
October 20, in Paris -* ironically at an EU/Russia meeting
to discuss human rights issues *- and that she appeared to
be in perfect health. His understanding of medical
interventions to date, for symptoms of poisoning that
included headaches and nausea, was that it consisted of blood
and other tests to determine the precise nature of any
poisoning. She had not, as far as Migoux was aware, spent
any time in hospital undergoing treatment. It was certainly
premature, in his view, to equate this case with the
Litvinenko poisoning in the UK.


4. (C) Migoux noted that Moskalenko continues to work on
various human rights-related cases in Strasbourg. She
continues to work on the Politkovskaya case, which was due to
go to trial last week, despite refusing to travel to Russia
to take part because she rejects out of principle the Russian
government's transfer of the venue to a military tribunal
that would hold the proceedings behind closed doors with no
access accorded the media or members of the public. Migoux
suggested as well that she may have declined to go to Russia
out of concern for her own possible detention by Russian
authorities. He was not sure, therefore, how she would make
good on her determination to remain engaged in the
prosecution of Politkovskaya's presumed murderers.


5. (C/NF) Comment: Migoux was determined not to
over-dramatize the details of the Moskalenko case,
emphasizing that while conspiracy theorists were quick to
draw similarities between this case and the 2006 poisoning of
Alexander Litvinenko in London, French police have found no
proof that Moskalenko was or is in similar danger. Migoux
acknowledged the Russians maintain an active intelligence
presence in Strasbourg (large enough, he claimed, to
constitute a formal FSB "residence")because of the many
European institutions located there. This presence could
complicate Moskalenko,s life and work. When we mentioned
discussion within Washington about a possible public
statement of the case, he urged that we respond cautiously
until the circumstances of "l'affaire Moskalenko" become
clearer.

STAPLETON