TFGG01: RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR ROGOZIN RESCINDS

UNCLAS USNATO 000292 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PINR PREL GG RS SUBJECT: TFGG01: RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR ROGOZIN RESCINDS REQUEST FOR EXTRAORDINARY NRC MEETING ¶1. (SBU) On Monday, August 18, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to NATO, Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin, circulated a letter to the Deputy Secretary General and distributed to all delegations rescinding his request for an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC). The text of the letter follows. ¶2. (SBU) Brussels, "18" August, 2008 Dear Mr. Deputy Secretary General, In view of continuing uncertainty regarding our request to convene the NRC extraordinary meeting on events in and around South Ossetia I revoke this application as irrelevant under the present circumstances. Making our request we proceeded from a clear understanding that extraordinary meetings of the NRC provided for in the Organizational arrangements are needed to exchange opinions on topical issues in the framework of Russia-NATO political dialogue and have to be treated as a matter of urgency by all NRC member states. It is of particular importance at a time when our positions significantly differ. Please, distribute this letter to all NRC delegations. Sincerely yours, /s/ ¶D. ROGOZIN H.E. AMBASSADOR CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION Brussels VOLKER