(U) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON ESTONIA'S ECONOMIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 026719


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2034
TAGS: PINR ECON EFIN EINV PGOV PREL EN
SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON ESTONIA'S ECONOMIC
TIES TO RUSSIA (C-RE9-00485)

REF: TALLINN 35

Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).


1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS GREATLY APPRECIATE INFORMATION
FROM POST ON ESTONIA'S ECONOMIC TIES TO RUSSIA. ANALYSTS
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW ESTONIA'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL TIES TO
RUSSIA IN LIGHT OF EU, NATO, AND US RESPONSES TO THE AUGUST
2008 GEORGIA CONFLICT AND THE MOST RECENT UKRAINE-RUSSIA GAS
DISPUTE. ANALYSTS ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN HOW THESE STRATEGIES
MAY AFFECT ESTONIA'S RELATIONS WITH THE NEW US
ADMINISTRATION. ANALYSTS WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION ON
ESTONIA-RUSSIA RELATIONS, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. MANY
THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON.


A. (U) HOW IS ESTONIA ADJUSTING ITS STRATEGY IN THE EU AND
NATO TO ADDRESS ITS CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIA? IS ESTONIA
DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OLDER AND/OR BIGGER EU OR NATO
MEMBERS, OR IMPROVING BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA?


B. (U) WHICH ESTONIAN OFFICIALS ARE EXPRESSING THEIR
CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DIRECTION OF US-RUSSIA RELATIONS?


C. (U) REFTEL INDICATES THE REAL ECONOMIC CONCERN WITH
RESPECT TO RUSSIA IS THAT CAPITAL IN ESTONIA IS CONCENTRATED
IN THE HANDS OF A VERY FEW, WHO ARE SUBJECT TO MANIPULATION
INSIDE RUSSIA. WHO ARE THESE FIGURES AND HOW ARE THEY BEING
MANIPULATED BY RUSSIA?


D. (U) IN WHAT WAYS HAS RUSSIA ATTEMPTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF ESTONIA'S ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN TO GAIN CONTROL OVER ECONOMIC
ASSETS IN ESTONIA?


E. (U) WHICH ESTONIAN OFFICIALS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF INTERNAL INSTABILITY IN RUSSIA AS A RESULT OF
THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL CRISIS AND DO THEY VIEW
INTERNAL INSTABILITY IN RUSSIA AS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO
ESTONIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY?


2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-00485 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF
REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS.


CLINTON