POLISH MFA: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV SENT MIXED MESSAGE

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