(U) Secretary Rice's April 25, 2008

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 048065

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2028
TAGS: OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA MARR PREL PINS NATO
CVIS, LG, AF, IZ, RS, GG, UP
SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Rice's April 25, 2008
Conversation with Latvian President Zatlers


1. (U) Classified by: KURT VOLKER, ACTING ASSISTANT
SECRETARY FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS, REASONS:
1.4(b) and (d).


2. (U) April 25, 2008, 9:20 - 10:50 a.m., Washington,
D.C.


3. (U) Participants:

U.S.
The Secretary
Ambassador Charles W. Larson, Jr.
Acting Assistant Secretary Kurt Volker, EUR
Sean McCormack, PA
Steve Beecroft, S
Carol Beilman Werner (EUR/NB Notetaker)

Latvia
President Valdis Zatlers
State Secretary Normans Penke
Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics
Eduards Stiprais, Chief of Staff
Andris Pelss, Foreign Policy Advisor
Inata Lase, Press Secretary
Edgars Trumkalns, Embassy Latvia Notetaker


4. (C) SUMMARY. The Secretary met with Latvian
President Valdis Zatlers on April 25, 2008 at the
Department of State. They discussed potential Georgia
and Ukraine NATO Membership Action Plans (MAPs).
Zatlers hoped that Latvia was close to gaining entry
into the Visa Waiver Program. The Secretary expressed
her appreciation for Latvia's contributions to
Afghanistan and noted that what was most needed at
this point was increased assistance for Afghan
citizens. Zatlers agreed, saying that Latvia had
committed to sending an OMLT to Afghanistan this fall.
On Russia, while the Secretary was optimistic about
the effect of confidence building measures related to
the proposed U.S. missile defense system in Poland and
the Czech Republic, she felt that the Russians would
not maintain their participation in the Treaty on
Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. Zatlers
mentioned that Russia had been seeking improved
relations with Latvia while fortifying its border.
END SUMMARY.

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NATO Enlargement
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5. (C) The Secretary said that although Georgia and
Ukraine had not been granted MAPs at the NATO Summit
in Bucharest, she was quite pleased with the official
declaration promising they would join NATO one day.
Zatlers responded that Russia wanted to prevent
Georgia from getting a MAP to influence the upcoming
Parliamentary elections there, adding that Latvia
would do all it could to help the Georgians with the
electoral process. As for Ukraine, he said that the
meaning of NATO membership needed to be explained to
the population so that they would be more favorable
towards it. The Secretary agreed, saying that such
information was especially needed in eastern Ukraine,
where much of what the population knows of NATO comes
from Russian TV. The Secretary mentioned that the
Georgians were worried about how not receiving MAP at
the NATO Summit would affect Russia's involvement in
Abkhazia. She and Zatlers agreed that a MAP is not a
promise of NATO membership, but rather a device to
encourage development and promote reform so that a
country will one day be eligible to join the Alliance.

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Afghanistan
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6. (C) The Secretary said that she appreciated
Latvia's help in Afghanistan and the statement
that Zatlers had made about Afghanistan at NATO. She
had recently met with UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan
Kai Eide, who had noted the need for an increase in
contributions for civilian assistance. Zatlers
responded that Latvian troops had told him that the

STATE 00048065 002 OF 002

SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Rice's April 25, 2008
Conversation with Latvian President Zatle
key to their security lay in increasing such
assistance, as it was the Afghan civilians who could
identify the enemy among them. The Secretary pointed
out the poverty of Afghanistan, comparing its annual
budget of $670 million with Iraq's $49 billion. She
said that our commitment to the citizens of
Afghanistan must be long-term. Zatlers agreed, saying
that Latvia had committed to sending an OMLT to
Afghanistan this fall. The Secretary stressed the
importance of countries such as Latvia providing
troops without caveats. Ambassador Pildegovics noted
that Latvia would like to offer its ports for the
transit of supplies to Afghanistan.

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Russia
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7. (C) The Secretary reviewed the discussions between
Presidents Bush and Putin in Sochi, Russia, which, she
said, were generally non-confrontational. She felt
that the outcome of the talks on missile defense was
better than the final document indicated. The
Russians would continue to negotiate the transparency
and confidence-building measures related to the
missile defense system in Poland and the Czech
Republic until the last moment. On the other hand, it
appeared that they did not want to maintain their
participation in the Treaty on Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty). The Russians seemed to
view the CFE Treaty and related Istanbul commitments
as a "colonial treaty," signed in a moment of
weakness. Putin was calm when discussing all issues
in Sochi save those related to the CFE Treaty regime.
The Secretary assured Zatlers that the United States
would continue to negotiate a resolution to the treaty
impasse with Russia so as not to be accused of walking
away but would remain resolute on the flank
agreements.


8. (C) Zatlers said that Russia had started to seek
contacts at all governmental levels in Latvia. The
Latvian government did not know what Russia's long-
range plan was in this regard, but it felt it had to
react in kind without sacrificing its or its allies'
values. At the same time, Russia was fortifying its
border with Latvia. The Secretary noted that it is
not easy for Russia to deal with its position in the
post-Soviet world. Offering improved relations with
Latvia indicated that Russia knew that it couldn't go
back. In contrast, its relationship with Georgia and
Ukraine showed an inability to recognize that reality.
Russia was not yet ready to believe that the rest of
the world respected it as it is now. The Secretary
added that despite anger with Russian behavior
at times, it must be fully included in international
organizations and processes, as exclusion would only
lead to worse behavior.


9. (C) Zatlers replied that Russia respected order.
When Medvedev was asked who would be responsible for
Russian foreign policy, he said he would be, using
every means possible to support Russia, only after a
pause adding: according to international laws and
treaties. Zatlers commented that the Russians were
also masters of the "divide and rule" principle, which
made NATO unity difficult for them.

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Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
--------------


10. (SBU) Zatlers pointed out the recent progress
that Latvia had made towards gaining entry into the
VWP, emphasizing how important it is to Latvian
citizens. He said that the visa refusal rate for
Latvia had dropped and that the first four months of
Latvia's inclusion in the Schengen zone had gone
smoothly. Asked by the Secretary where Latvia stood
with regard to meeting the technical security
requirements, Zatlers said that all requirements had
been met, including the use of e-passports. The
Secretary commented that after 9/11, we realized that
we did not really know who was in the United States
and that we needed to increase our security with
regard to entry visas. She welcomed the news that
U.S. allies such as Latvia were now moving towards
membership in the VWP.
RICE