Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MOSCOW1642
2009-06-22 10:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
NO OFFICIAL GOR POSITION ON PATRIOT MISSILES IN
how-toVZCZCXRO5594 RR RUEHDBU RUEHSL DE RUEHMO #1642 1731030 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 221030Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3921 INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 001642
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS MCAP MARR RS PL
SUBJECT: NO OFFICIAL GOR POSITION ON PATRIOT MISSILES IN
POLAND
Classified By: Acting Political M/C David Kostelancik. Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 001642
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS MCAP MARR RS PL
SUBJECT: NO OFFICIAL GOR POSITION ON PATRIOT MISSILES IN
POLAND
Classified By: Acting Political M/C David Kostelancik. Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) MFA North America Desk First Secretary Aleksey Ivanov
told us the GOR had no official position on the possible
rotating-basis deployment of Patriot anti-missile systems in
Poland. He told us that many GOR officials, however
privately oppose such a move because they interpret Polish
statements about needing Patriots to defend against possible
threats as being inherently anti-Russian. "It is clear to us
that Polish statements are aimed at Russia," according to
Ivanov. He nevertheless offered his view that if the U.S.
deployed Patriot missiles in Poland, the GOR likely "would
not do anything about it." Ivanov discounted statements made
by Deputy CHOD Anatoliy Nogovitsin in August 2008, in which
he argued Patriot missiles in Poland would pose a threat to
Russia. Ivanov repeated that no official GOR position on the
issue existed, and said that such statements reflected
Nogovitsin's personal opinion.
2. (C) A range of experts told us that from a military
standpoint the GOR had no reason to oppose the possible
deployment of Patriot missiles in Poland. Patriot missiles
are strictly a defensive weapon, and since Russia has no
intention of attacking Poland, they do not pose a threat to
Russian security. The presence of U.S. troops that would
accompany the Patriot missiles in Poland would be only a
minor irritant to Russian military planners, the experts
argued.
3. (C) From a political point of view, however, Russia
opposes any deployment of Patriot missiles in Poland because
it opposes any U.S. military presence in former Warsaw Pact
states, according to experts. According to experts, this
position represented the zero-sum view of security held by
some of the Russian leadership. The GOR would view a
decision by the U.S. to drop its plans to rotate Patriot
missiles to Poland (as well as base elements of an
anti-ballistic missile system) as a diplomatic victory,
argued the experts.
BEYRLE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS MCAP MARR RS PL
SUBJECT: NO OFFICIAL GOR POSITION ON PATRIOT MISSILES IN
POLAND
Classified By: Acting Political M/C David Kostelancik. Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) MFA North America Desk First Secretary Aleksey Ivanov
told us the GOR had no official position on the possible
rotating-basis deployment of Patriot anti-missile systems in
Poland. He told us that many GOR officials, however
privately oppose such a move because they interpret Polish
statements about needing Patriots to defend against possible
threats as being inherently anti-Russian. "It is clear to us
that Polish statements are aimed at Russia," according to
Ivanov. He nevertheless offered his view that if the U.S.
deployed Patriot missiles in Poland, the GOR likely "would
not do anything about it." Ivanov discounted statements made
by Deputy CHOD Anatoliy Nogovitsin in August 2008, in which
he argued Patriot missiles in Poland would pose a threat to
Russia. Ivanov repeated that no official GOR position on the
issue existed, and said that such statements reflected
Nogovitsin's personal opinion.
2. (C) A range of experts told us that from a military
standpoint the GOR had no reason to oppose the possible
deployment of Patriot missiles in Poland. Patriot missiles
are strictly a defensive weapon, and since Russia has no
intention of attacking Poland, they do not pose a threat to
Russian security. The presence of U.S. troops that would
accompany the Patriot missiles in Poland would be only a
minor irritant to Russian military planners, the experts
argued.
3. (C) From a political point of view, however, Russia
opposes any deployment of Patriot missiles in Poland because
it opposes any U.S. military presence in former Warsaw Pact
states, according to experts. According to experts, this
position represented the zero-sum view of security held by
some of the Russian leadership. The GOR would view a
decision by the U.S. to drop its plans to rotate Patriot
missiles to Poland (as well as base elements of an
anti-ballistic missile system) as a diplomatic victory,
argued the experts.
BEYRLE