PATRUSHEV TELLS CODEL LEVIN RUSSIA WANTS CLOSER

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001116 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PARM PINR PINS MARR MCAP MASS MNUC ECON, RS, IR, IAEA SUBJECT: PATRUSHEV TELLS CODEL LEVIN RUSSIA WANTS CLOSER COOPERATION ON MD, IRAN Classified By: Ambassador John R. Beyrle. Reasons 1.4 (a),(b),(c),( d),(e),and (h). ¶1. (S) Summary: National Security Advisor Patrushev told visiting CODEL Levin on April 15 that Russia wanted closer intelligence cooperation on Iran, and said that the GOR would pass to the USG via intelligence channels a list of Western companies assisting Iran in its nuclear ambitions. Medvedev, he said, wanted intelligence agencies to share information on the subject. He argued that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a greater threat to Russia than to the United States, but GOR intelligence estimated it would take Iran five to ten years to develop nuclear weapons and a delivery vehicle. Russia, he said, has proposed bilateral and multilateral cooperation to deal with Iran's ambitions, and the U.S. and Russia should determine which approach would be best. Patrushev also argued the IAEA must play an important role in preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons. He said the U.S. and Russia should work to build a joint missile defense system that would not pose a threat to Russia. Patrushev told CODEL Levin that Russia's soon-to-be-released National Security Doctrine would take a holistic approach to Russia's national security and would emphasize the development of society to keep Russia secure. He also noted the recent improvement in U.S.-Russia relations, and said the two countries should focus on what unites, rather than divides them. End summary. -------------- -------------- GOR Seeks Closer Intelligence Cooperation On Iran -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S) On April 15 National Security Advisor Nikolay Patrushev told Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chair Senator Carl Levin (D-MI),as well as SASC members Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL),and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME),and the Ambassador that the GOR would, via intelligence channels, pass to the USG a list of Western companies which GOR intelligence services determined were cooperating with Iran in its attempts to develop nuclear weapons. He added the GOR does not allow Russian companies to cooperate with Iran on such issues, and works hard to prevent information and technology leaks. Any allegations of assisting Iran obtain nuclear technology are thoroughly investigated, he said. ¶3. (C) Patrushev told CODEL Levin that it was important for U.S. and Russian intelligence services to work together to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and he expressed Medvedev's desire to share information on Iran with Russia's "Western partners." Iran, he said, does not possess the intellectual capacity to develop nuclear weapons on its own. He argued Iran could obtain them only by buying technology and materials from other countries; something which Iranian intelligence is actively pursuing. -------------- Nuclear-Armed Iran Poses Threat to Russia -------------- ¶4. (C) When asked about Medvedev's statement to President Obama that Russia was concerned about the speed of Iran's progress on nuclear matters, Patrushev told CODEL Levin that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a greater threat to Russian than to the United States. He added, however, that Russia estimates that Iran would need another five to ten years to develop a nuclear weapon and delivery vehicle. The U.S. and Russia, he argued, still had time to work together on the issue. The rocket Iran used to launch a satellite into space had a range of only 1,500 km, which does not pose a threat to the U.S., he said. Patrushev argued, however, that Iran should be allowed to have a civilian nuclear program. ¶5. (C) To address Iran's nuclear ambitions, Patrushev said the GOR had proposed bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia's Western partners. He argued that bilateral agreements would be easier to achieve, but might not receive support from other countries. Multilateral agreements would have the support of more stakeholders, although they would take longer to reach. He suggested the U.S. and Russia should explore both options, and determine which approach to take. ¶6. (C) While unwilling to discuss possible sanctions, Patrushev argued that the IAEA must play an important role in MOSCOW 00001116 002 OF 002 dealing with Iran. The IAEA has criteria to distinguish whether a country's nuclear program is civilian or military in nature. If, for example, Iran obtains highly-enriched uranium, this would mean Iran had not cooperated with the IAEA. The U.S. and Russia, he said, must support the IAEA as it tries to convince Iran to be transparent in its endeavors. -------------- GOR Wants Joint MD With USG -------------- ¶7. (C) Patrushev pushed for the development of a joint U.S.-Russian missile defense (MD) system, and complained the Bush administration had not taken Russia's proposal to use radar facilities in Gabala and Armavir seriously. The development of a joint MD system would not pose a threat to Russia, unlike current U.S. plans to deploy a system in Poland and the Czech Republic. A joint MD system would therefore eliminate the need for Russia to respond to the perceived "threat" of missiles in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic, he said. -------------- Russia's National Security Strategy -------------- ¶8. (C) Patrushev told CODEL Levin that Russia needed to update its National Security Strategy because the world "has greatly changed" since the current doctrine was drafted in ¶1997. The soon-to-be-released National Security Doctrine would take a holistic approach, promoting development throughout Russia as the catalyst for national security, Patrushev said. He argued that the Russian military would need healthy conscripts, advanced technology, and economic growth, among other things, in order to ensure Russia's security. According to Patrushev, the new National Security Doctrine, while not perfect, will address all of these issues. ¶9. (C) Patrushev said the National Security Doctrine was still a work in progress, as the financial crisis had forced the GOR to reexamine some of its "accounting figures." For example, the National Security Doctrine presupposes unemployment to be approximately five percent, but right now it is "in the double digits." The finished product, Patrushev said, would not be perfect, and could be subject to change. It will be made public, and a copy will be sent to NSA Jones, according to Patrushev. -------------- U.S.-Russia Relations Improving -------------- ¶10. (C) Patrushev noted the recent improvements in U.S.-Russia relations, and expressed his hope that President Obama and Medvedev would share a good personal relationship. He said his recent phone call with General Jones convinced him the U.S. and Russia could have good relations. He also noted that meetings between U.S. and Russian officials had come more frequently and had been more fruitful than under the Bush administration. He argued the U.S. and Russia must concentrate on what unites, rather than divides them. ¶11. (U) CODEL Levin did not clear this cable. BEYRLE