Deputy PM Ivanov's Non-Visit to Tallinn

C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 000345

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AMEMBASSY ANKARA PASS TO AMCONSUL ADANA
AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO AMCONSUL ALMATY
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AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/11/24
TAGS: PREL RS EN
SUBJECT: Deputy PM Ivanov's Non-Visit to Tallinn

CLASSIFIED BY: Marc Nordberg, Political/Economic Chief; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)

Classified by Charge Karen Decker for Reasons 1.4 B & D.




1. (SBU) Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov visited
Tallinn November 19 to watch a basketball game between CSKA Moscow
(which the press states Ivanov has long supported) and Estonian
team BC Kalev Cramo. MFA contacts said the Estonian MFA learned of
the visit just hours in advance. The Russian side did not request
any meetings, but agreed to the MFA's suggestion that Defense
Minister Jaak Aaviksoo sit with Ivanov during the game. Both PM
Ansip and FM Paet were out of the country. There were no other
meetings. According to MOD contacts, Aaviksoo and Ivanov did not
discuss any business, instead limiting their talk to sports and
basketball.




2. (U) The media found out about the visit when they saw Ivanov at
the game. After the match Ivanov told the press, "I do not believe
Estonian-Russian political and economic relations will improve any
time soon. You know the reasons yourselves." Some Estonian media,
however, is painting this visit positively, particularly when
contrasted against then-Russian PM Mikhail Fradkov's 2004 visit to
Tallinn, when Fradkov refused all meetings, claiming he was going
fishing.




3. (C) Head of the MFA's Russia Desk Anne Mardiste characterized
relations with Russia as not good, but calmer than they have been
in the past. Russian media and politicians are not demonizing
Estonia as frequently, and Estonia is focusing on areas of
practical cooperation. Mardiste joked that Estonia has fallen to
sixth place on Russia's enemies list. She listed areas of
successful cooperation, such as negotiating a new pension
agreement, holding annual consular consultations, regular meetings
of bilateral Transport and Lake and Rivers Committees, reaching
three agreements on regional search and rescue, Russia's
willingness to accept the return of third country illegal aliens,
and local cooperation between border guards. Both countries failed
to agree on a border treaty, but Estonia is pleased with the manner
in which Russia unilaterally demarcated the border. Mardiste also
said the Estonian and Russian MFAs have improved communications
since FMs Paet and Lavrov met at the OSCE in 2008. However,
significant differences of opinion remain. The GOE is not happy
with Russian efforts to "protect" and reach out to the Russian
minority abroad (including the compatriots policy),Russia's
rewriting of history, and efforts to rehabilitate Stalin.




4. (C) Comment: Ivanov's refusal to conduct any official business
is a strong indication of the coldness of Russian-Estonian
relations. High-level visits between the two countries are rare.
The only ministerial-level meetings in 2009 occurred when the
Russian Minister of Culture visited Tallinn in January and the
Estonian Minister of Culture visited Moscow in October. FMs Paet
and Lavrov meet occasionally, but only on the margins of events
outside either of their countries. Lavrov has a standing
invitation to visit Tallinn, but the Estonian MFA reports he has
said he will not come until the GOE provides him a good reason to
visit. While relations between these neighbors are now correct if
frosty, they will not improve until the Russian government at least
agrees to meet its Estonian counterparts.
DECKER