CADRE RESERVE LISTS HAVE LITTLE RELEVANCE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 002984 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ECON KDEM RS SUBJECT: CADRE RESERVE LISTS HAVE LITTLE RELEVANCE TO PERSONNEL DECISIONS REF: MOSCOW 00508 Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor David Kostelancik fo r reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Ten months after its publication, the presidential cadre reserve list (reftel) and the ongoing compilation of a United Russia cadre reserve list remain more of a PR tactic than a systemic attempt to modernize the bureaucracy or strengthen President Medvedev's control over it. Despite reports this summer that the presidential and United Russia lists would be combined and published, no united list has appeared. Medvedev has not used the presidential cadre reserve list to weaken Prime Minister Putin's influence and legacy, or to place his own loyalists in key positions. Over the long-term, United Russia's cadre reserve list could prove effective in strengthening the party's control over government appointments. End Summary. -------------- Building Cadre Lists -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In February 2009, the Kremlin published a list of 100 people who it and the White House saw as being ready to assume higher duties. The list included people whom analysts viewed as being close to Medvedev, Putin, or both members of the tandem. It was anticipated in February that the list, known commonly as the "Golden 100," would soon be expanded to 1000 individuals. Meanwhile, United Russia created a cadre reserve website where anyone could post information about themselves and their resumes into a database that the party could draw from when needed. Duma Speaker and United Russia Supreme Council Chairman Boris Gryzlov told the press in November that 22,000 people had participated in the project and hundreds had been selected. -------------- Closed Door Disagreement Over Combining Lists -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Presidential Administration Head Sergey Naryshkin confirmed to Nezavisimaya Gazeta in June that the list of 1000 was complete and would be ready for publication in the near future, but the Kremlin has yet to publish an updated list. Nezavisimaya Gazeta surmised this summer that a disagreement over the inclusion of United Russia-sponsored candidates within the expanded "Golden 1000" had delayed the publication of the list. ¶4. (SBU) Since December, the President and United Russia have selected people for new assignments within the bureaucracy who also happen to be on their respective lists. On December 7, Maksim Sokolov, who was on the original "Golden 100" list, was selected as the new Director of the Government's Industry and Infrastructure Department. Vedomosti reported the same week that United Russia selected, and the government approved, a group of people from its cadre reserve list to assist the management of the struggling car production firm AvtoVaz. Additionally, several other names included in the President's list, such as Volgograd region Deputy Governor Anatoliy Brovko, have been considered for new positions over the last few months. -------------- Experts Dismiss Lists' Relevance -------------- ¶5. (C) Experts told us that they saw little usefulness in the presidential list and that most people were included in the "Golden 100" because of previous connections to powerful elites. Director of the Center for Political Information Aleksey Mukhin told us that over the last ten months the lists had proven meaningless. Regional elites had hoped that being on either list would help them obtain a better position on the regional or federal level, but Governors maintained their own lists, which did not always coincide with the President's or United Russia's list. President of the Institute of National Strategies Mikhail Remizov, who had spoken with those charged with creating the presidential and United Russia lists, said that while all branches of government were in need of experienced people, the presidential list was little more than a PR effort. He added that the purpose and criteria for being included on the United Russia list was obscure, and that United Russia accepted "almost everyone under 40" onto its list. Tatyana Stanovaya of the Center of Political Technologies agreed that the lists were almost meaningless. She said that many of MOSCOW 00002984 002 OF 002 those on the president's list either bought their place, or were selected for their political loyalties rather then their qualifications. Stanovaya added, however, that being on the list was the feather-in-the-cap that provided political cover for regional elites. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) The "Golden 100" has not lived up to the most optimistic appraisals as a Medvedev-driven, bureaucratic reform. The list does not appear to have given Medvedev more control over senior appointments and has not expanded to 1000, probably because of ongoing disagreements between Kremlin and White House teams over its composition and use. Those chosen for senior assignments are chosen because of other criteria and not because of their standing on the "Golden 100" list. ¶7. (C) As the party of power, being included on the United Russia list could become--given some changes in the party's use of the list--a well-trodden path for entering government service, giving United Russia more say over who serves the state. Gryzlov, emphasizing the universality of the list, mentioned in November that only around half of those accepted onto the United Russia list were members or supporters of United Russia. Beyrle