Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08WARSAW1081
2008-09-17 16:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:
POLISH MFA: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV SENT MIXED MESSAGE
how-toVZCZCXRO4965 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHWR #1081/01 2611617 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 171617Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7018 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 001081
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND PIERANGELO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL RS CG PL
SUBJECT: POLISH MFA: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV SENT MIXED MESSAGE
ON POLICY TOWARD NEIGHBORS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR DAN SAINZ FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 001081
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND PIERANGELO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL RS CG PL
SUBJECT: POLISH MFA: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV SENT MIXED MESSAGE
ON POLICY TOWARD NEIGHBORS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR DAN SAINZ FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
)
1. (C) SUMMARY: At a briefing for European and US diplomats,
MFA Director for Eastern Policy Jaroslaw Bratkiewicz
characterized Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit
to Poland on September 10-11 as a "mixed message" to Warsaw
regarding Russia's policy towards its neighbors. The Russian
Foreign Minister repeatedly assured Polish officials that
"military action in Georgia was a unique undertaking" and
Moscow was not seeking to reestablish its sphere of influence
or to spur conflict. At the same time, however, Lavrov
reportedly warned the Poles that Moscow rejected Western
double standards and would assume a "more self-assured"
stance to defend its interests in its near neighborhood. END
SUMMARY.
Lavrov on Georgia Conflict: An Exceptional Case, but Russia
will Defend Interests
2. (C) On September 17, Bratkiewicz told foreign diplomats
that Lavrov's visit to Poland sparked a show of "lively
diplomacy," particularly during Lavrov's conversations with
Polish FM Radoslaw Sikorski. Although he did not provide
details of Sikorski's responses to Lavrov's sometimes
provocative statements, Bratkiewicz suggested that his
Minister "frequently contested" Russian arguments on Georgia.
Lavrov reportedly told Sikorski that "beyond a doubt"
Georgia triggered the August conflict and referred to
Georgia's actions as "atrocities" and "ethnic cleansing."
Lavrov assured Polish officials that the military action in
Georgia was a "unique undertaking" and such an approach would
not be extended to frozen conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh.
He also countered rumors in the press that Russia wanted to
incorporate Abkhazia and South Ossetia into its territory.
3. (C) Lavrov warned, however, that while Russia is peaceful
and does not want to spur a conflict, it has become
increasingly exasperated with the actions of the western
countries and their "double standards" towards
Russia--possibly an allusion to U.S. and NATO actions in
Kosovo. According to Bratkiewicz, Lavrov said that over the
years Russia has been patient with the West. However, the
Russian government will assume a firmer stance and defend its
interests in its near neighborhood.
4. (C) With a tone of skepticism, Bratkiewicz told diplomats
that Lavrov put the blame for the conflict in part on the
United States, because it failed to restrain Georgia's
aggressiveness. Lavrov told Polish officials that before the
conflict started, he had been assured by Washington that the
United States had full control of the situation in Georgia.
The Russian foreign minister also claimed that EUR DAS Matt
Bryza had assured him that if Georgia demonstrated aggressive
behavior, it would lose its opportunity to join NATO.
Missile Defense: Poland is not a Threat, but US is Encircling
Russia
5. (C) According to Bratkiewicz, Lavrov tried to assure
Sikorski that Moscow does not perceive Poland as a threat.
Lavrov added that the statements of some Russian military
officials against Poland over the past few weeks were
"unfortunate." On the other hand, Moscow believes that the
United States is attempting to encircle Russia. He argued
that US missiles could not possibly be used as a defense
against attacks from rogue states, because those states
lacked the capacity to fire missiles that would pose a threat
to the United States.
6. (SBU) Bratkiewicz said that bilateral talks with Russia on
the missile defense issue will continue at some point in the
future at the deputy foreign minister level. Deputy Foreign
Minister Przemyslaw Grudzinski will represent Poland in the
discussions. The Russians and Poles also intend to convene a
bilateral "strategy of cooperation" committee at the deputy
foreign minister level in Moscow at the end of October, which
Bratkiewicz said would primarily try to wrestle with
difficult historical issues.
EU-Related Issues
7. (SBU) Turning to EU matters, Lavrov appears to have raised
only a couple of items with Polish officials. He sought
Poland's support to ease the EU visa regulations for the
citizens of Kaliningrad, describing EU visa requirements as
"unacceptable," because they isolate Russian citizens. He
also told Sikorski that Russia would be interested in
pursuing a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)
with the EU, if there was interest on the EU's part.
WARSAW 00001081 002 OF 002
Regarding the Nordstream pipeline to Germany, Lavrov assured
Polish officials that Russia would continue to send adequate
supplies of oil and gas through existing pipelines.
Comment
8. (C) Bratkiewicz and other Polish officials have publicly
said that Lavrov's visit to Warsaw is a symbol of Russia's
recognition that Poland is becoming a serious foreign policy
player within the EU. In addition, there appears to be a
consensus in Poland that the visit was a success from the
standpoint that it kept the channels of communication open
between the two countries, despite tensions over Georgia,
missile defense, and the Nordstream project.
ASHE
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND PIERANGELO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL RS CG PL
SUBJECT: POLISH MFA: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV SENT MIXED MESSAGE
ON POLICY TOWARD NEIGHBORS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR DAN SAINZ FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
)
1. (C) SUMMARY: At a briefing for European and US diplomats,
MFA Director for Eastern Policy Jaroslaw Bratkiewicz
characterized Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit
to Poland on September 10-11 as a "mixed message" to Warsaw
regarding Russia's policy towards its neighbors. The Russian
Foreign Minister repeatedly assured Polish officials that
"military action in Georgia was a unique undertaking" and
Moscow was not seeking to reestablish its sphere of influence
or to spur conflict. At the same time, however, Lavrov
reportedly warned the Poles that Moscow rejected Western
double standards and would assume a "more self-assured"
stance to defend its interests in its near neighborhood. END
SUMMARY.
Lavrov on Georgia Conflict: An Exceptional Case, but Russia
will Defend Interests
2. (C) On September 17, Bratkiewicz told foreign diplomats
that Lavrov's visit to Poland sparked a show of "lively
diplomacy," particularly during Lavrov's conversations with
Polish FM Radoslaw Sikorski. Although he did not provide
details of Sikorski's responses to Lavrov's sometimes
provocative statements, Bratkiewicz suggested that his
Minister "frequently contested" Russian arguments on Georgia.
Lavrov reportedly told Sikorski that "beyond a doubt"
Georgia triggered the August conflict and referred to
Georgia's actions as "atrocities" and "ethnic cleansing."
Lavrov assured Polish officials that the military action in
Georgia was a "unique undertaking" and such an approach would
not be extended to frozen conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh.
He also countered rumors in the press that Russia wanted to
incorporate Abkhazia and South Ossetia into its territory.
3. (C) Lavrov warned, however, that while Russia is peaceful
and does not want to spur a conflict, it has become
increasingly exasperated with the actions of the western
countries and their "double standards" towards
Russia--possibly an allusion to U.S. and NATO actions in
Kosovo. According to Bratkiewicz, Lavrov said that over the
years Russia has been patient with the West. However, the
Russian government will assume a firmer stance and defend its
interests in its near neighborhood.
4. (C) With a tone of skepticism, Bratkiewicz told diplomats
that Lavrov put the blame for the conflict in part on the
United States, because it failed to restrain Georgia's
aggressiveness. Lavrov told Polish officials that before the
conflict started, he had been assured by Washington that the
United States had full control of the situation in Georgia.
The Russian foreign minister also claimed that EUR DAS Matt
Bryza had assured him that if Georgia demonstrated aggressive
behavior, it would lose its opportunity to join NATO.
Missile Defense: Poland is not a Threat, but US is Encircling
Russia
5. (C) According to Bratkiewicz, Lavrov tried to assure
Sikorski that Moscow does not perceive Poland as a threat.
Lavrov added that the statements of some Russian military
officials against Poland over the past few weeks were
"unfortunate." On the other hand, Moscow believes that the
United States is attempting to encircle Russia. He argued
that US missiles could not possibly be used as a defense
against attacks from rogue states, because those states
lacked the capacity to fire missiles that would pose a threat
to the United States.
6. (SBU) Bratkiewicz said that bilateral talks with Russia on
the missile defense issue will continue at some point in the
future at the deputy foreign minister level. Deputy Foreign
Minister Przemyslaw Grudzinski will represent Poland in the
discussions. The Russians and Poles also intend to convene a
bilateral "strategy of cooperation" committee at the deputy
foreign minister level in Moscow at the end of October, which
Bratkiewicz said would primarily try to wrestle with
difficult historical issues.
EU-Related Issues
7. (SBU) Turning to EU matters, Lavrov appears to have raised
only a couple of items with Polish officials. He sought
Poland's support to ease the EU visa regulations for the
citizens of Kaliningrad, describing EU visa requirements as
"unacceptable," because they isolate Russian citizens. He
also told Sikorski that Russia would be interested in
pursuing a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)
with the EU, if there was interest on the EU's part.
WARSAW 00001081 002 OF 002
Regarding the Nordstream pipeline to Germany, Lavrov assured
Polish officials that Russia would continue to send adequate
supplies of oil and gas through existing pipelines.
Comment
8. (C) Bratkiewicz and other Polish officials have publicly
said that Lavrov's visit to Warsaw is a symbol of Russia's
recognition that Poland is becoming a serious foreign policy
player within the EU. In addition, there appears to be a
consensus in Poland that the visit was a success from the
standpoint that it kept the channels of communication open
between the two countries, despite tensions over Georgia,
missile defense, and the Nordstream project.
ASHE