Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MOSCOW2483
2009-09-30 07:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR BEFORE FED COUNCIL: "RESET" WITH

Tags:  PREL PGOV PMAR PHUM PINR ECON EFIN RS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 002483 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PMAR PHUM PINR ECON EFIN RS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BEFORE FED COUNCIL: "RESET" WITH
RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS

Classified By: CDA Eric Rubin; reasons 1.4(b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 002483

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PMAR PHUM PINR ECON EFIN RS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BEFORE FED COUNCIL: "RESET" WITH
RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS

Classified By: CDA Eric Rubin; reasons 1.4(b/d).


1. (C) Summary: On September 21, Ambassador Beyrle addressed
the Federation Council's International Relations Committee,
highlighting President Obama's visit to Moscow and the
importance of developing closer relations between the U.S.
and Russia. Questions from committee members focused on how
to get beyond Jackson-Vanik, anti-Russian (and anti-American)
attitudes, and how to bring our societies together through
culture, educational and sports exchanges. Federation
Council members participating in the 90-minute session
expressed appreciation for the U.S. effort to build closer
links with their chamber of the parliament. End Summary.


2. (SBU) At the invitation of Federation Council
International Relations Committee Chairman Mikhail Margelov,
the Ambassador on September 21 addressed both a session of
the committee open to the press, and a closed session in
which he and members had a productive exchange on bilateral
relations. The remarks in the presence of media received
considerable coverage in the Russian press and can be read on
the Embassy website. Margelov set the context for the
discussion by noting the importance of good will in the
development of relations between two countries as the pretext
for practical cooperation. Margelov and the Ambassador spoke
to Russian and foreign media after the session, stressing the
frank open dialogue they had had, noting that in spite of
differences on some matters, they agreed that there is more
that unites Russia and the U.S. than divides the two
countries.

Top Issues in Private
--------------


3. (C) After press were ushered from the room, Margelov
continued the session, opening the floor to questions from
Federation Council members (from the International Relations
Committee and others, including Defense) and invited outside
experts, including USA and Canada Institute Director Sergey
Rogov. Discussion addressed:


-- Jackson-Vanik: Federation Council member Toshkin asked how
it was possible that Jackson-Vanik remains in force when more
than ten percent of Israeli Knesset members are Russian
emigres. He followed up by inquiring whether Russia could
enter the WTO with Jackson-Vanik still in force. Ambassador
reminded members that President Obama had referred to J-V as
an "anachronism" during his July visit to Moscow. He
encouraged Federation Council members to continue to raise
the matter with Members of Congress, but at the same time to
ensure that protectionist steps taken in Russia, such as the
instituting of barriers to the importation of U.S. meat and
other products were not allowed to take root and thereby
complicate the situation.

-- Anti-Russian sentiment in the U.S.: Responding to a
question from Aleksandr Dzasokhov, Chairman of the Federation
Council Committee on Culture about how to address
anti-Russian sentiments in the U.S., the Ambassador observed
that anti-Russian views in the U.S. - and anti-American views
in Russia - are the result of 50 years of Cold War
confrontation, and that the positive benefits of good
bilateral relations will take time to alter public attitudes.
He observed that good will for the development of closer
ties exists at the top levels of both governments, and that
as relations produce concrete results, public sentiment will
change in both countries. Ambassador reinforced the
importance of cultural exchanges between both countries, and
in particular educational exchanges for young students. He
reminded members that the chairmen of the Civil Society
Working Group under the Bilateral Presidential Commission
(BPC),Mike McFaul and Vladislav Surkov, would tackle these
issues, among others, in the coming months.

-- Inter-parliamentary exchanges: Nikolay Tulayev, chair of
the parliamentary activities committee, argued that the
promise of inter-parliamentary exchanges, especially through
the OSCE, as a means of improving relations among countries
had faded.

-- Arms Control: Tulayev lamented the loss of connections
between elected officials of different countries, since those
ties contributed to cooperation on arms control and other
areas throughout the 1990's. Ambassador agreed that these
contacts had been useful, but noted that the U.S. did not see
the need to create a new organization to promote such

MOSCOW 00002483 002 OF 002


interaction. Rather, we were counseling that countries
should make use of existing organizational structures.

-- Sports and Culture: Chair of the Federation Council
Committee on Sports, Hockey Hall of Famer Vyacheslav Fetisov,
put in a plug for including sports exchange in the work of
the BPC.

-- Promoting Greater U.S. Trade with and Investment in
Russia: Ambassador reported that senior executives from major
American companies, including Microsoft, Walmart and Pepsico
had all participated in the recent Sochi Economic Forum,
interested in investment and bolstering trade.


4. (C) Sergey Rogov, Director of the USA-Canada Institute
prefaced his questions with a detailed assessment of
U.S.-Russian relations over the past year, covering the
difficulties encountered in trying to deal with fallout from
the Georgia war, missile defense and concerns over possible
NATO membership for Ukraine and/or Georgia. But, with the
decision to reconfigure how the U.S. (and Allies) address
Iranian missile threats, including canceling the construction
of missile defense facilities in Poland and the Czech
Republic, the U.S. was actually taking into account Russian
concerns. In spite of progress on other issues, including
cooperation on Afghanistan, as well as the good personal
relationship between Presidents Obama and Medvedev, Rogov
nonetheless worried that the START follow-on agreement might
get hung up in the U.S. Senate. He asked what Russia should
do to maintain the good will momentum. Ambassador argued
that Russia, together with the other P-5, projecting a united
front against Iranian threats and joining in tough,
coordinated action that imposes costs (sanctions) on Tehran
for flaunting the UNSC would also show Russia's willingness
to confront Iran, and create an atmosphere more conducive to
easy ratification of START.

Don't Leave Before Addressing Georgia and CFE
--------------


5. (C) Taking a few last questions at the end of over 90
minutes of presentation and discussion, Ambassador was asked
about U.S. military support for Georgia. Ambassador noted
that we support Georgian sovereignty and the Georgian people
in their ongoing efforts to build a prosperous, democratic
future for their country. Georgia is contributing forces to
the military campaign in Afghanistan, and has requested and
received assistance from the U.S. to prepare those forces for
that assignment. The Ambassador urged that Federation
Council members consider the full context of the
Afghanistan-specific assistance for Georgia. And finally, on
CFE, the Ambassador said he regretted Russia's decision not
to live up to its obligations under the CFE Treaty. CFE
remains a cornerstone of European security, requiring Russia
and other parties to the treaty to consider ways to revive
and strengthen it.

Comment
--------------


6. (C) The session was remarkably friendly and has already
opened doors. Federation Council Chairman Mironov, who has
refused to meet us for over a year, phoned the Embassy the
day after the International Relations Committee session (and
after extensive media coverage) to propose a date for a
meeting with the Ambassador. Given access restrictions to
Duma officials, not to mention the Duma building itself, this
outreach opportunity will hopefully open more doors for us.
Rubin