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Cables mirror and Afghan War Diary
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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07MOSCOW5044 |
REMOVAL OF HIGH-THREAT RADIOACTIVE SOURCES FROM [...] (C) Summary: Rosatom and MFA officials tell us they are not aware of any plans by Rosatom Director Kiriyenko, or anyone else at Rosatom, to build a nuclear storage facility in Abkhazia to dispose of high threat radioactive sources. We urged that the GOR intervene with the de facto Abkhazian le [...] |
2007-10-17 16:05:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PARM ENRG PGOV PREL GG IAEA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5045 |
NONPAPER ON PROPOSED RESOLUTION ON DE-ALERTING OF [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-18 03:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MNUC PARM UNGA |
| 07MOSCOW5047 |
MTCR NONPAPERS PASSED [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-18 07:23:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | ETTC FR KSCA MTCRE PARM PREL RS TSPA |
| 07MOSCOW5051 |
RUSSIA COURTS ASIA AND VICE VERSA [...] (C) Summary: Russia continues to expand its influence in Asia by taking advantage of Asian eagerness to improve relations with a politically and economically resurgent Russia. Both the Prime Minister of Vietnam and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh visited Moscow recently, seeking to increase b [...] |
2007-10-18 10:24:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EINV ENRG BG VM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5055 |
RUSSIA CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF [...] (C) Summary: MFA officials told us on October 17 that the recent exchange of positive signals between Chisinau and Tiraspol and the productive October 6 Putin-Voronin meeting may have created a "unique opportunity" for the possibility of renewed talks between Chisinau and Tiraspol in the "5 2" [...] |
2007-10-18 11:55:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR PBTS MARR OSCE MD RS |
| 07MOSCOW5057 |
RUSSIA-U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE NEGOTIATIONS, OCTOBER [...] (S) Septel reports on the U.S. presentation of a Joint Regional Missile Defense Architecture during missile defense (MD) talks in Moscow October 10. Following is the U.S. and Russian delegations' assessment of the MD technical experts' visit to the Qabala radar on September 18, threat assess [...] |
2007-10-18 13:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | MARR PARM PREL KNNP IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5059 |
RUSSIA-US MISSILE DEFENSE NEGOTIATIONS, OCTOBER [...] (S) Summary. In extensive discussions in Moscow October 10, U.S. and Russian delegations, led by Acting Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Rood and Deputy Foreign Minister Kislyak discussed the U.S. plans to place a missile defense system (MD) in Easter [...] |
2007-10-18 13:43:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | MARR PARM PREL KNNP IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5060 |
ACTING U/S ROOD’S MEETING WITH DFM KISLYAK: [...] (C) Summary. In a meeting October 11 on the margins of the missile defense and 2 2 discussions in Moscow, Acting Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security John Rood and Deputy Foreign Minister Kislyak agreed on the need to encourage key countries to join the Global Initiative to Co [...] |
2007-10-18 13:44:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM MARR MNUC KACT KNNP IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5066 |
THE SILOVIKI AND PUTIN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-18 15:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5068 |
Putin Telethon Showcases Economic Gains, Highlights [...] (SBU) In what should be his last marathon television call-in spectacular as President, Putin showed his phenomenal depth of detail on a host of issues, ranging from the need for a bridge in Vladivostok to advice on how best to manage U.S. disengagement from Iraq. Part political theater, part c [...] |
2007-10-19 03:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR SOCI ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5069 |
GAZPROM HEAD SUGGESTS ELIMINATING "MIDDLEMEN" IN [...] (SBU) On October 16, First Deputy Prime Minister and Gazprom Chairman Dmitriy Medvedev suggested on German television that Russia is willing to bypass middlemen in its gas dealings with Ukraine. The recent gas supply dispute with Ukraine and its subsequent resolution (reftels) raised question [...] |
2007-10-19 06:05:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW508 |
RUSSIAN ENERGY: SHELL TALKS ABOUT SAKHALIN-2 [...] (C) Summary: On January 25, we met with Alf D'Souza, Shell's External Affairs VP, and Bibi Bautleuova, a Shell government affairs rep, to talk about the Sakhalin-2 deal that Shell and its partners (Japan's Mitsubishi and Mitsui) reached last month with Gazprom. D'Souza said that they got the [...] |
2007-02-06 11:12:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5082 |
A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NARYSHKIN AND AMBASSADOR [...] (C) Deputy Prime Minister Naryshkin told the Ambassador October 19 that Russia favored expanded two-way trade and investment. The Ambassador said the U.S. did as well and noted that the new CFIUS law was intended to facilitate, not prevent, foreign investment, including Russian, into the Unit [...] |
2007-10-19 14:51:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV PGOV PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5083 |
UPDATE ON PWC'S YUKOS, RUSSIAN TAX CASES [...] (C) PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) President for Central/Eastern Europe and the CIS Mike Kubena (Amcit) and Managing Partner of PWC for Russia Peter Gerendasi implied that the YUKOS and expatriate salary tax cases against the auditor were politically motivated. Kubena suggested that the YUKOS [...] |
2007-10-19 15:37:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW509 |
RUSSIAN ENERGY: CHEVRON AND CPC - LOOKING AT [...] (C) Summary: On February 5, Chevron's Russia chief, Ian MacDonald, contacted us to talk about CPC expansion and the recently-inked Gazpromneft deal. (This discussion follows up on previous meetings with MacDonald with Mark Woloshyn, who Chevron has hired to shepherd along the Bosphorus bypass [...] |
2007-02-06 11:12:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RU |
| 07MOSCOW5092 |
DUMA READY TO BACK CFE SUSPENSION, CHAIRMAN SAYS [...] (SBU) In a meeting with NSC Senior Director Warlick and EUR DAS Kramer, International Affairs Committee Chairman Kosachev underscored the Duma's support for the suspension of CFE on December 12, absent a change in the U.S. position and reiterated GOR opposition to any linkage to Istanbul commi [...] |
2007-10-22 10:43:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM KCFE PARM MARR WTRO IR KV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5098 |
RUSSIAN MILITARY AID TO AFGHANISTAN INTENDED TO [...] (C) Summary: On October 22, Head of the MFA Afghanistan Desk Yuriy Khokhlov said that the GOR's proposed Afghan military assistance program is intended to compliment and not compete with NATO support for the Afghan government and its anti-Taliban efforts. The Russian and Afghan governments h [...] |
2007-10-22 14:38:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MASS NATO AF RS |
| 07MOSCOW51 |
RUSSIA REACTS NEGATIVELY TO IMPOSITION OF ISNPA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Russia's first official public reaction was calmly negative to the December 28 imposition of sanctions against four Russian entities under the Iran-Syria Non-Proliferation Act. The Foreign Ministry characterized the U.S. action as an "illegal" effort to extend U.S. law to the a [...] |
2007-01-10 13:46:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MTCR PREL MNUC ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5100 |
FM LAVROV CRITICIZES US-JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSE [...] (U) In response to a question during a press conference with the Japanese agency "Kyodo Tsusin" on the eve of his October 23-24 trip to Tokyo, Foreign Minister Lavrov said Russia was concerned about U.S. - Japanese missile defense cooperation. Saying that Russia was against a missile defens [...] |
2007-10-22 15:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PARM PREL JA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5101 |
ULAN UDE, WHERE BEING ASIAN WORKS [...] (C) Summary. During an October 15-19 trip to the Republic of Buryatia, squeezed between Lake Baikal and Mongolia, local government officials, political party representatives, and civil society leaders shared with us their views on the political, economic, and social development of the region [...] |
2007-10-22 15:11:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PREF ECON ETRD PINR MG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5103 |
RUSSIA - MONGOLIA RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary. The October 3 visit to Moscow by Mongolian Foreign Minister Enkhbold reaffirmed the historically good relations between Russia and Mongolia. GOR officials, the Mongolian Embassy, and the Mongolian Consulate General in Ulan Ude expressed satisfaction with the state of the relatio [...] |
2007-10-23 06:44:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON MG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5106 |
CORRECTED COPY: RUSSIA-U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE [...] (S) Septel reports on the U.S. presentation of a Joint Regional Missile Defense Architecture during missile defense (MD) talks in Moscow October 10. Following is the U.S. and Russian delegations' assessment of the MD technical experts' visit to the Qabala radar on September 18, threat assess [...] |
2007-10-23 08:01:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | MARR PARM PREL KNNP IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5117 |
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT [...] (C) Summary: Russia has set a low bar for the EU-Russia summit, and will go to Lisbon prepared to push back on criticism of its human rights and democracy record, as well as to press for clarity on the implications of EU reform. With the continued stand-off over Polish meat, the Russians see " [...] |
2007-10-23 13:53:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EU WTRO ETRD ENRG KO RS |
| 07MOSCOW5119 |
ODIHR WAITS FOR INVITE FROM RUSSIA [...] (SBU) The wait continues for an invitation to the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to monitor Russia's upcoming Duma elections. The Central Election Commission (CEC) will not issue the invitation until it has completed registering party lists, leaving little p [...] |
2007-10-24 02:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL KDEM OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5145 |
CANDIDACY OF DAVID WALKER FOR UN INDEPENDENT AUDIT [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-25 10:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AORC UN UNGA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5146 |
ALDIP ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS [...] We delivered reftel demarche on October 24 to MFA Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights First Secretary Aleksey Goltyayev. Goltyaev said that the GOR would oppose on principle country-specific resolutions condemning the human rights records of Iran, Burma, the DPRK and Bela [...] |
2007-10-25 11:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KTIA UN RS |
| 07MOSCOW5147 |
DAS BRYZA DISCUSSES GEORGIA AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH [...] (C) Summary: On October 23, DFM Grigoriy Karasin told visiting EUR DAS Matthew Bryza and the Ambassador that Russia was increasingly worried about the "anti-democratic" tendencies in Saakashvili's government and Georgia's possible attempts to take control of the separatist regions by force i [...] |
2007-10-25 11:04:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MOPS OSCE UNGA MD GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5148 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: SRI [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, SRI Biomedicinskoy Khimii im. V.N.Orekhovicha, Moscow, Russia. The c [...] |
2007-10-25 12:12:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5151 |
DESIGNATION OF IRANIAN ENTITIES FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-25 14:02:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KTFN IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5152 |
Norway's StatoilHydro Joins Shtokman Gas Project [...] (U) Norway's StatoilHydro announced October 25th that it will sign an agreement for the remaining 24% stake in the Shtokman Development Company, which is to develop the first phase of the giant Shtokman gas field in the Barents Sea. Gazprom had earlier awarded France's Total a 25% share in th [...] |
2007-10-25 14:04:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG EPET ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5153 |
PUTIN'S PROBLEM [...] (C) Summary: Putin's problem is that there is no political or honorific perch that will ensure his ability to check the powers granted by the constitution to his successor and, by ruling out a constitutional amendment allowing a third term, some observers believe that he has boxed himself in [...] |
2007-10-25 14:33:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PINR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5154 |
ADDRESSING RUSSIAN ARMS SALES [...] (C) Summary: FM Lavrov's disinterest in establishing an expert level dialogue on arms sales begs the question of how best to address our concerns over Russia's arms export policy. Russian officials are deeply cynical about our motives in seeking to curtail Russian arms exports to countries of conce [...] |
2007-10-26 02:25:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | PREL ECON MARR MASS PARM PINR PINS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5162 |
LUKOIL VP PREDICTS CHINESE DOMINANCE AND SUGGESTS [...] (SBU) At an October 22 conference session on "U.S.-Russian Relations and Energy Security," Lukoil V.P. Leonid Fedun strongly criticized the U.S. for treating Russia as a "defeated nation." He nonetheless called for more dialogue as "equal partners," and portrayed China as a common threat, pre [...] |
2007-10-26 09:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW517 |
RUSSIA: STRATEGIC SECTOR LAW MOVING AGAIN, SLOWLY [...] (C) Summary. It appears the draft Law on Foreign Investment in the Strategic Sectors may have legs again. In a January 31 inter-ministerial meeting, PM Fradkov remitted the draft Strategic Sectors Law to the Ministry of Industry and Energy (MIE) for one month to simplify the investment revie [...] |
2007-02-06 14:12:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND ENRG PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5173 |
(C) YUKOS FINANCE BUYER: NO PRE-ARRANGED DEAL WITH [...] (C) One of the major investors behind the August 15 purchase of Yukos Finance assets at auction told us October 23 that the investors hoped to "unwind" the various lawsuits and other claims against the company. They planned to use the $1.5 billion in cash assets and the 49% stake in Slovakia' [...] |
2007-10-26 13:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5176 |
RUSSIA'S SOBER OUTLOOK ON UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENTARY [...] (C) Summary: Russia's official reaction to the results of the Ukrainian parliamentary elections and the likely formation of an orange coalition has been cool, but an MFA official and experts told us that Russia can hardly be satisfied with the developments. Even more worrisome for Russia is [...] |
2007-10-26 15:06:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR ECON UK RS |
| 07MOSCOW5177 |
RUSSIA'S SLOW RETURN TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: [...] (C) Summary. In a series of meetings with a visiting INR analyst, Russian experts and MFA officials stressed that Russia is gaining ground slowly in Africa after its post-Cold War retrenchment. Russia is a firmly established player in the mining sector, where its advanced mining technology is [...] |
2007-10-26 15:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ETRD EMIN XA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5180 |
RUSSIA TO INVITE ODIHR OBSERVERS, WANTS SMALLER [...] (C) Russia's invitation to the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the December 2 Duma elections will be sent no later than November 2, according to Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Vladimir Churov. Churov described the invitation as uncondit [...] |
2007-10-29 04:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM OSCE PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5181 |
DEMARCHE ON CUBA EMBARGO RESOLUTION AT UNGA [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-29 08:33:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | UNGA ETRD PHUM UN CU RS |
| 07MOSCOW5182 |
GOR INTERPRETS BURMA DIFFERENTLY [...] (C) On October 25, MFA Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand Division Second Secretary Aleksey Semenikhin provided a more nuanced GOR position on recent events in Burma (refs B and C). Displaying refreshing honesty, he acknowledged that earlier claims the GOR had limited information on the Bur [...] |
2007-10-29 08:37:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM CVIS ETRD BM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5183 |
UPDATED DEMARCHE TO EUROPEAN CAPITALS ON COMBATING [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-29 08:52:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV KTFN TU IZ EUN RS |
| 07MOSCOW5189 |
TDY JEFFERSON FELLOWS: KEEP THEM COMING [...] (U) Summary: Embassy Moscow supports amending the Jefferson Science Fellow program to include an 8-10 week TDY at the end of the Fellowship year. Our first TDY Fellow, Dr. Katherine Radtke, contributed significantly to the advancement of U.S. science and technology goals in key areas like nano [...] |
2007-10-29 14:08:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | TSPL APER RS |
| 07MOSCOW5190 |
URGENT DARFUR DEMARCHE FOR AVIATION SUPPORT AND [...] (C) We delivered reftel demarche on October 26 to MFA Middle East and North Africa Director Sergey Vershinin. Vershinin told us that the GOR had not made a decision on the supply of transportation assets to the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur, but emphasized the GOR's ongoing con [...] |
2007-10-29 14:55:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KPKO UN SU RS |
| 07MOSCOW5191 |
GOALS FOR UPCOMING EXPANDED IRAQ NEIGHBORS [...] (C) We delivered reftel demarche on October 26 to MFA Middle East and North Africa Department Director Sergey Vershinin. Vershinin expressed appreciation for U.S. efforts to keep the GOR informed of U.S. goals for the upcoming Expanded Iraq Neighbors Ministerial and to seek agreement on estab [...] |
2007-10-29 15:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IZ RS |
| 07MOSCOW5192 |
TOMSK OBLAST GOVERNOR ON ELECTIONS, RELATIONS WITH [...] (C) Tomsk Governor Viktor Kress enjoys strong support from the regional population as well as the Moscow elite because he, somewhat like Putin, is seen as a competent steward of his region's economic resources and as a capable manager of the local political system. During discussions with the [...] |
2007-10-29 17:07:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR ECON SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW52 |
RUSSIA'S ECONOMY: OIL STILL RULES, BUT CONSUMER [...] (SBU) Oil has dominated the Russian economic landscape since before the 1998 crisis. Its revenues have put the government's budget in positive territory since 2002; it has strengthened the ruble, and kick-started a wage increase that is sustaining a spending boom. Yet, oil's prominence in R [...] |
2007-01-10 14:24:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV RS |
| 07MOSCOW520 |
GOR PICKS AND CHOOSES ITS HUMAN RIGHTS FORA [...] (C) SUMMARY: The recent fact-finding trip by three noted human rights lawyers to Moscow was largely ignored by GOR officials, in keeping with Russia's long-standing policy to prevent "internationalization" of Chechnya. Russian officials have evinced greater interest in bringing together hum [...] |
2007-02-06 15:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5200 |
RUSSIAN INFLATION REACHES DOUBLE DIGITS [...] (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified and not for internet distribution. ------- Summary ------- 2. (U) At a public event October 26, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin stated that inflation since the beginning of 2007 had reached 8.9 percent and would [...] |
2007-10-30 11:57:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5205 |
BACKLASH TO DUMA AMENDMENTS PROPOSING RESTRICTIONS ON [...] (U) Amendments to the "law on referendums" which are working their way through the State Duma, would greatly restrict if not abolish the right of Russian citizens to express their views through national plebiscites. The amendments, offered by three members of the ruling United Russia party, had [...] |
2007-10-30 14:04:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PHUM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5208 |
RUSSIAN NATIONALIST GOES TO NATO: OFFERS [...] (C) Summary: Russia's charismatic nationalist politician, Dmitriy Rogozin, confirmed press reports that he will be appointed the GOR's next Ambassador to NATO and expects to arrive in Brussels by late November. Claiming that his appointment is a Putin initiative, Rogozin candidly described [...] |
2007-10-30 16:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR |
| 07MOSCOW5210 |
RUSSIA: CAUTIOUSLY BITING AT THE BIT [...] (SBU) Summary: In recent meetings with Deputy Trade Representative Ambassador John Veroneau and NSC Senior Director for Russia Mary Warlick, GOR officials expressed support in principle for starting Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) Negotiations. In her address to the USRBC October 23, Trade [...] |
2007-10-31 07:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5218 |
MFA IRAN DESK ON CASPIAN SUMMIT, ECONOMIC [...] (C) In an October 30 meeting, MFA Iran Desk Head Maxim Baranov indicated the Caspian Summit and bilateral meetings in Tehran resulted only in generic progress on economic cooperation. He described active engagement with Iran, however, including an upcoming 7th session of the "Joint Commission [...] |
2007-10-31 12:54:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL PINR RS IR |
| 07MOSCOW522 |
RUSSIA'S SILENT CONCERN OVER CHINESE ASAT TEST [...] (C) SUMMARY: Moscow's relatively muted reaction to Beijing's test of an anti-satellite missile last month belies its deep concern about a pending arms race in space. Caught offguard by Beijing's action and unprepared to meet the challenge, Russian officials have publicly downplayed the sign [...] |
2007-02-06 15:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MCAP PREL RS CH |
| 07MOSCOW5221 |
THE EASTERN FRONT OF RUSSIA'S DEMOGRAPHIC CRISIS [...] (U) This is a joint message from Consulate General Vladivostok and Embassy Moscow. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The population in the Russian Far East (RFE) and Siberia is continuing to decline, due both to a long-term trend of "Western Drift" (internal migration from east to west within Russia) and [...] |
2007-10-31 13:19:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO SCUL PREL SOCI CH RS |
| 07MOSCOW5223 |
GOR VIEWS ON NO-RESULT JCC ON SOUTH OSSETIA [...] (C) Summary. The GOR's Special Envoy on the South Ossetian conflict expressed disappointment with the October 23-24 Joint Control Commission (JCC) meeting in Tbilisi. He attributed the failure to the two parties' widely different views and reluctance to fully engage. The GOR Envoy advised [...] |
2007-10-31 15:02:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5224 |
BOSNIA: MOSCOW EVALUATES THE SITUATION DIFFERENTLY [...] (C) We delivered reftel demarche on October 29 meeting to MFA Third European Department Counselor Ivan Gorbunov, who told us that the U.S. and GOR evaluated the situation differently in Bosnia, but had the same overall goal -- peace and stability for the region (septel reports on the Ambassado [...] |
2007-10-31 15:11:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL BK RU |
| 07MOSCOW5225 |
RUSSIAN DFM TITOV ON BOSNIA, KOSOVO, AND POLAND [...] (C) Comment: In an October 31 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Foreign Minister Titov reiterated Russian complaints over High Representative Lajcak's invocation of Bosnia powers, which ran counter to assurances given during his Moscow consultations, but stressed Russian support for the D [...] |
2007-10-31 15:52:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BK RS |
| 07MOSCOW5226 |
PUTIN COMMEMORATES VICITMS OF POLITICAL REPRESSION [...] (SBU) On October 30, President Putin paid an unprecedented visit to the Butovo firing range, on the fringes of Moscow where, from August 1937 to October 1938 about 30 thousand persons were executed by Stalin's regime. Putin's visit marked the seventieth anniversary of the "Day of Memory of th [...] |
2007-10-31 17:02:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5227 |
RUSSIA APPRECIATIVE OF OIL-FOR-FOOD EXCEPTION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-01 03:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EAID IZ RS |
| 07MOSCOW523 |
RUSSIA: IRAQI DEBT RELIEF UPDATE [...] (C) Summary. On February 5, reftel concerns about delays in the signing of Russia's bilateral debt agreement with Iraq were raised with Kremlin Foreign Policy Advisor Prikhodko and Deputy Finance Minister Storchak. Prikhodko told the Ambassador that the GOR was not linking the final signature [...] |
2007-02-06 15:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN IZ KTIA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5230 |
CORRECTED COPY: RUSSIAN NATIONALIST GOES TO NATO: [...] (C) Summary: Russia's charismatic nationalist politician, Dmitriy Rogozin, confirmed press reports that he will be appointed the GOR's next Ambassador to NATO and expects to arrive in Brussels by late November. Claiming that his appointment is a Putin initiative, Rogozin candidly described [...] |
2007-11-01 08:43:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR NATO RS |
| 07MOSCOW5231 |
RUSSIA'S NORTH-SOUTH ENERGY STRATEGY: A KNIFE, A [...] (C) SUMMARY. Russian activism in recent years to strengthen the "north-south" energy corridor suggests an intention to slice through the conceptual "east-west" corridor, to reassert Central Asia's dependence on Russian energy routes, and to repair Russia's own fumbling gas balance. Russia ap [...] |
2007-11-01 09:17:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5242 |
RUSSIA-BULGARIA ENERGY: SOUTHSTREAM MOU TO BE [...] (SBU) Bulgarian Economic Officer Kiril Vachev told us October 31 that Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov will visit Moscow November 7-9 to sign an MOU on the proposed Southstream gas pipeline (reftels). The MOU will signal political support in principle but leave all details to the fu [...] |
2007-11-01 14:44:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5244 |
PWC CASE: "PLEADING THE FIFTY_FIRST" [...] (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified and not for internet distribution. ------- Summary ------- 2. (SBU) On October 26, PricewaterhouseCoopers Russia (PWC) refused to submit documents on the auditing firm's worldwide staff that an appellate arbitration court had demanded ear [...] |
2007-11-01 15:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5246 |
AMBASSADOR RAISES OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED BY NGOS [...] (C) Ambassador on November 1 raised with Deputy Foreign Minister Yakovenko problems encountered by Russian and U.S. NGOS as the Duma elections approach, and voiced concerns over the number of ODIHR monitors to be invited to the December 2 Duma election. The Ambassador described to Yakovenko re [...] |
2007-11-01 17:13:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KDEM SOCI OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5247 |
GOR REACTION TO THE GANARDZHIAS-MUKHURI INCIDENT [...] (C) Summary. As noted reftel, on October 30, CIS peacekeepers were involved in a confrontation with Georgian forces near the cease fire line in Abkhazia. In a November 1 statement, the MFA insisted that the CIS forces were within their mandate and blamed Saakashvili for provoking a confronta [...] |
2007-11-02 06:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5265 |
INFORMATION REGARDING PLANNED U.S. MODIFICATIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-02 14:48:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | PARM KACT START JCIC US RS BO KZ UP |
| 07MOSCOW5266 |
PUTIN'S EU SPECIAL ADVISOR ON EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT, [...] (C) Summary: In a November 1 meeting with the Ambassador, Putin's EU Special Advisor Sergey Yastrzhembskiy characterized the Mafra EU-Russia Summit in generally positive terms. Yastrzhembskiy argued that the summit was a step forward and that EU-Russia relations are "evolving," citing the tw [...] |
2007-11-02 17:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BK RS |
| 07MOSCOW5268 |
Penza Oblast - Governor Weak Authoritarian [...] (SBU) Penza governor Vasiliy Bochkarev at first glance appears comfortably ensconced in his power position, enjoying favorable ratings from the population, which credits him with improving the regional quality of life, and nods of approval from Moscow for his energetic support of the National P [...] |
2007-11-06 04:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR SOCI ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5269 |
CFE: RUSSIA PRESSES FOR MORE MOVEMENT ON REMAINING [...] (C) Summary. The Russian MFA welcomed American initiatives during the October 24 meeting between EUR A/S Fried and Deputy FM Kislyak on the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE)(ref A), as very constructive and positive, and were looking forward to continuing the talks in Geneva next we [...] |
2007-11-06 04:43:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO KCFE PARM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5292 |
ROSCOSMOS ON SPACE COOPERATION WITH KAZAKHSTAN, [...] (SBU) Russian officials regard space cooperation with Kazakhstan as on track, despite reported disputes over leasing arrangements for the Baikonur cosmodrome and compensation for damages caused by a recent rocket explosion at the site. Plans for the construction in the Russian Far East of a [...] |
2007-11-07 06:55:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TSPA TSPL NASA PREL PGOV KZ RS |
| 07MOSCOW5299 |
RUSSIA NOT LINKING IRAQ DEBT FORGIVENESS WITH [...] (SBU) Deputy Finance Minister Sergey Storchak told us November 5th that Russia has not made, and will not make, a link between its debt forgiveness obligation and the Saddam-era Lukoil contract for the West Qurna oil field development. Storchak said Russia's representatives at this month's Par [...] |
2007-11-07 12:08:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5300 |
FOR A JUST RUSSIA FIGHTS FOR RELEVANCE [...] (SBU) On the first anniversary of its creation, the political party "For a Just Russia," (SR) finds itself recoiling from its greatest challenge thus far: Putin's decision to head the party list for United Russia (YR). In the weeks after Putin's surprise announcement, SR sank in the polls whi [...] |
2007-11-07 12:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5310 |
D/USTR JOHN VERONEAU IN MOSCOW [...] (U) Summary: While in Moscow to attend the U.S.-Russia Business Council Annual Meeting, D/USTR John Veroneau met with industry leaders, engaged with experts at the Carnegie Center and had discussion with counterparts at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) and the Finance Mi [...] |
2007-11-07 14:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EINV ETRD ECON WTO RS |
| 07MOSCOW5311 |
RUSSIA: NO POSTPONEMENT OF NEW STATE FLIGHTS [...] (C) The GOR has decided to implement the pre-payment scheme for USG "state" flights despite previous indications from the MFA that last week's informal bilateral discussions might stave off the November 1 implementation of these new rules. Because U.S. policy is neither to pay nor charge for [...] |
2007-11-07 14:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAIR PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5313 |
RUSSIAN VIEWS ON INF TREATY [...] (C) Summary: The GOR is interested in working with the U.S. to see how other countries could be encouraged to agree to the norms of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF), but wants to proceed cautiously. Acknowledging that there are no provisio [...] |
2007-11-08 03:29:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MARR PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5331 |
DEMARCHE ON KOSOVAR ELECTIONS DELIVERED; NO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-08 14:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL SR YI KO |
| 07MOSCOW5334 |
RUSSIA: NO MORE FUNDS FOR POLIO [...] (SBU) We shared Ref A message on the need for further funding for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) with Deputy Finance Minister Storchak, and with International Department officials from the MFA, Health and Social Development Ministry, and the Federal Surveillance Service for Cons [...] |
2007-11-08 15:07:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID TBIO SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5336 |
RUSSIA EXPELS THREE GEORGIAN DIPLOMATS IN RESPONSE [...] (C) Summary. On November 8, Russia declared persona non grata two senior counselors and one counselor in the Georgian Embassy in Moscow, in a tit-for-tat response to Georgia's recall of its Ambassador from Moscow and expulsion of three Russian diplomats. While the MFA issued two harshly cri [...] |
2007-11-08 18:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5337 |
NEW FACES JOIN RUSSIA'S PUBLIC CHAMBER [...] (SBU) When Russia's 126-member Public Chamber convenes in January, its new ranks will include two well-known human rights activists, who had been dismissive of the Public Chamber when it was first established. Civil society activists remain divided on the value of the Chamber, often concluding [...] |
2007-11-09 03:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5338 |
RUSSIA RESOLUTE ON LIMITED ODIHR MISSION [...] (SBU) Russia reacted strongly to USG criticism of Russia's decision to limit the number of ODIHR observers to the December 2 parliamentary elections. Official comments and news media commentary maintained that the invitation was consistent with Russia's OSCE and Copenhagen Declaration commitm [...] |
2007-11-09 03:46:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL KDEM OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5339 |
STATE DUMA VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO SUSPEND CFE TREATY [...] (C) Summary: On November 7 the State Duma unanimously approved a draft law to suspend participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. The law will come into effect on December 12, pending approval by the Federation Council and President Putin's signature. Objections to the C [...] |
2007-11-09 07:39:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MCAP PGOV PREL |
| 07MOSCOW5345 |
CIVIL SOCIETY ON THE NORTH CAUCASUS: NO NEWS IS NOT [...] (SBU) Summary: In a recent roundtable discussion, Russian civil society leaders expressed uniform pessimism on prospects for democratic development in the North Caucasus - despite relative calm and improved infrastructure in Chechnya. Our interlocutors predict continuing political violence an [...] |
2007-11-09 08:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREF PHUM KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5349 |
RUSSIAN DFM SALTANOV ON DARFUR AVIATION AND [...] (C) In a November 9 meeting, the Ambassador reiterated to Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Saltanov the importance of Russian support for the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur (ref a) and urged the GOR to provide heavy lift assets for the operation. Acknowledging the MFA's cons [...] |
2007-11-09 13:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KPKO UN SU RS |
| 07MOSCOW5350 |
THE END OF YUKOS [...] (SBU) In a November 7th meeting, Yukos receiver Eduard Rebgun told us the company will cease to exist as soon as the court acknowledges receipt of his final report, which he submitted November 2nd. Rebgun asserted that he had merely performed a professional duty to carry out a Russian court d [...] |
2007-11-09 14:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5351 |
STYLE RECORDS--PIONEERING RUSSIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY'S [...] (SBU) As high piracy rates and changing business models increasingly challenge the traditional way the music industry conducts business in Russia, a prominent Russian recording company, Style Records, is using market incentives and diversification to ensure its future survival. While taking [...] |
2007-11-09 15:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD KIPR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5352 |
STYLE RECORDS--PIONEERING RUSSIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY'S [...] (SBU) As high piracy rates and changing business models increasingly challenge the traditional way the music industry conducts business in Russia, a prominent Russian recording company, Style Records, is using market incentives and diversification to ensure its future survival. While taking [...] |
2007-11-09 15:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD KIPR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5353 |
RUSSIA REJECTS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PROPOSAL ON METHADONE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In a 110-page study released November 8, Human Rights Watch International concluded that substance abuse treatment in Russia is of such poor quality that it amounts to a violation of the right to health. The report recommended that Russia immediately permit the use of drug-subs [...] |
2007-11-10 08:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5354 |
DFM KARASIN URGES TOUGHER U.S. POSTURE ON GEORGIA [...] (C) Summary: Prior to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister's November 9 meeting with GOG DFM Vashakidze, the Ambassador reinforced U.S. expectations that Russia would do all it could to de-escalate and calm the situation in Tbilisi. Karasin said the U.S. should not underestimate how upset Russia w [...] |
2007-11-10 08:39:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5355 |
OPPOSITION LAMENT ON RULING PARTY TACTICS [...] (C) Summary: Just Russia (SR) candidate and Duma Deputy Aleksey Mitrofanov detailed for us how regional leaders, in their efforts to engineer a mandate for the Putin-led United Russia party, were using administrative resources and other tactics to thwart opposition political campaigns. Mitrof [...] |
2007-11-10 08:39:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5365 |
RUSSIA'S LATEST CULTURE WAR [...] (C) A paean to President Putin on his 55th birthday by one of culture's grand old men, film director and actor Nikita Mikhalkov, has revealed fault lines in the cultural community similar to those that are all too apparent among the country's political classes. Mikhalkov's film hagiography of [...] |
2007-11-13 14:44:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KCUL KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5368 |
U/S JEFFERY LETTER: DFM DENISOV OPEN TO JANUARY [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-13 15:21:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN |
| 07MOSCOW5369 |
RUSSIAN SIX-PARTY HFO COMMITMENTS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-13 15:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ENRG KNNP PARK PREL IN KN RS |
| 07MOSCOW5370 |
INITIAL GROUP OF RUSSIAN DUMA ELECTION OBSERVERS [...] (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Yakovenko claimed to Ambassador November 12 that the GOR would invite the 70 ODIHR observers as it had promised and in the timeframe promised, and would expedite visa issuance. In a November 13 conversation (septel), Presidential Administration Deputy Vladislav Surk [...] |
2007-11-13 16:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5371 |
MFA ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN GEORGIA [...] (C) Summary: In a November 13 conversation, the Ambassador reinforced with DFM Denisov U.S. efforts in Tbilisi and urged GOR restraint. In a separate meeting, MFA Fourth CIS Department Director Kelin welcomed EUR DAS Bryza's statements encouraging the Georgian leadership to restore the polit [...] |
2007-11-13 17:01:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5372 |
KERCH STRAIT OIL SPILL UNDER CONTROL, BUT LONG TERM CLEANUP [...] (SBU) Despite continuing storms in the Kerch Strait, the GOR reports that it has staunched the flow and has begun containment and cleanup of the 2000 tons of oil spilled over the weekend. The GOR is cooperating with Ukraine, but has not requested any international assistance. The Federal Serv [...] |
2007-11-14 03:59:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV ENRG PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5373 |
RUSSIA - THE POLITICS OF INFLATION [...] (SBU) In a campaign that many here characterize as a referendum on Putin and his policies, few expected that the problem of inflation would emerge to distract the public's attention from the broader economic stabilization that has succored the president's popularity. Putin's team, which was a [...] |
2007-11-14 04:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ECON EFIN PGOV PINR RS EINV |
| 07MOSCOW5378 |
MFA: "NON-CONFRONTATION" WILL GUIDE IRAN STRATEGY [...] (C) Summary: MFA Deputy Director for Iran and Afghanistan Ali Mustafabeli told us that the MFA has yet to hear from Tehran after Ahmadenijad assured FM Lavrov on October 30 that he would think about the P5 1 proposal to halt uranium enrichment. Mustafabeli predicted that the November IAEA re [...] |
2007-11-14 11:59:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PARM ETRD AF IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5379 |
FOLLOWING MOSCOW'S LEAD: REGIONAL LEADERS BATTLE [...] (SBU) Regional leaders are following the Kremlin's lead "battling" skyrocketing prices, particularly on foodstuffs, as the inflation issue has gained increased political relevance as an election issue before the December 2 Duma elections. Whereas Moscow thus far has taken a measured approach [...] |
2007-11-14 12:29:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR RS ECON EFIN EINV EAGR |
| 07MOSCOW5381 |
IN IRKUTSK NATIONAL POLITICS OVERSHADOW LOCAL [...] (SBU) A recent trip to Irkutsk oblast found a region not immune to the ebb and flow of Russian national politics. While the pro-Putin United Russia Party (YR) has a distinct advantage over also-rans For a Just Russia (SR) and the Communist Party (KPRF) in this region, the endemic corruption wi [...] |
2007-11-14 13:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5386 |
U.S. PROPOSAL FOR BIC-VIII PASSED [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-15 07:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM KACT BIC JCIC START US RS |
| 07MOSCOW5387 |
RUSSIAN DFM KISLYAK: IRAN, MD, CFE, BILATERAL, [...] (C) Summary : In a November 14 meeting (other topics septel), DFM Kislyak told the Ambassador that the postponed Solana-Jalili dialogue, potential Chinese FM visit to Tehran, and imminent IAEA report may have prompted Chinese cancellation of the November 19 P5 1 meeting. Kislyak expected l [...] |
2007-11-15 10:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PARM MARR EAIR KCRM KJUS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5391 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON LEBANESE PRESIDENTIAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-15 11:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER EUN LE RS SY |
| 07MOSCOW5399 |
MFA ON RUSSIAN-EU ENERGY RELATIONS REF: A. MOSCOW 5266 B. MOSCOW 4932 Classified By: Econ MC Eric Schultz for Reasons 1.4 (b/d) [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-15 13:49:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5401 |
RUSSIA: ODIHR UPDATE; U.S. INVITATION [...] (C) On November 14, Vladimir Churov, head of the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) told reporters that the CEC had received the accreditation applications for all 70 ODIHR election observers that morning and had forwarded them to the MFA for visa issuance. ODIHR Observer Mission Head [...] |
2007-11-15 16:13:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PHUM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5402 |
DFM KARASIN ON GEORGIA [...] (C) On November 15, Ambassador outlined to Deputy Foreign Minister Karasin both the public and private messages delivered to Saakashvilli and other Georgian officials by DAS Bryza during his November 11-14 trip to Tbilisi. The Ambassador noted that Bryza conveyed to the GOG the Secretary's fi [...] |
2007-11-15 16:13:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5403 |
PWC'S TRAVAILS IN RUSSIA WORSEN [...] (C) During a November 14 meeting with EconMinCouns, Managing Director for PricewaterhouseCoopers Russia (PWC) Peter Gerendasi offered a bleak assessment of his company's current legal difficulties. Gerendasi was pessimistic about the November 26 appeal of PWC's ongoing expatriate salary case [...] |
2007-11-15 16:19:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5405 |
REMOVAL OF HIGH-THREAT RADIOACTIVE SOURCES FROM [...] (C) Rosatom International Affairs Director Vladimir Kuchinov called in EST Counselor November 14 to follow up on our earlier approaches to Rosatom and MFA regarding removal of high-threat radioactive sources from Abkhazia. Kuchinov confirmed that Rosatom Director Sergey Kiriyenko had not agre [...] |
2007-11-15 16:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PARM ENRG PREL IAEA GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5408 |
ROSATOM REORGANIZATION BILL SAILS THROUGH DUMA [...] (SBU) The Duma passed unanimously November 13 a bill to restructure Russia's civil nuclear sector. In place of the current Rosatom Agency, the bill establishes the "Rosatom Corporation." Its mandate will be to coordinate and manage nuclear policy in all sectors. A centerpiece of Rosatom Corp [...] |
2007-11-16 07:24:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP PREL ENRG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5410 |
MEDIA AND THE ELECTIONS: THE DEBATES AND THE ADS [...] (C) The fifteen days of debates that precede the December 2 Duma elections kicked off on November 6 and will wrap on November 30. On most days, a shifting mix of political parties participate in three debates that are broadcast on three separate channels. President Putin's United Russia (YR) [...] |
2007-11-16 10:48:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5412 |
GOR SYMPATHIZES WITH MUSHARRAF [...] (C) Summary: The MFA tells us that the deteriorating domestic situation and limited political options "understandably" forced Musharraf to declare a state of emergency in Pakistan. MFA Pakistan Desk Chief Andrey Starkov argued that Musharraf had to prevent the invalidation of his re-election [...] |
2007-11-16 11:53:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IN PK RS |
| 07MOSCOW5417 |
RUSSIA'S RADICAL LIBERALS - SPS PARTY SHIFTS INTO [...] (C) The announcement this week that Russia's Union of Right Forces (SPS) will take part in "Dissenters' Marches" marks the final step in the party's rapid evolution from a "constructive opponent" to total opposition. Over the past six weeks, SPS leaders have radically changed their electoral [...] |
2007-11-16 13:18:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5425 |
MFA UPBEAT ON IRAQ NEIGHBORS MINISTERIAL, DEBT [...] (C) Summary: On November 15, MFA Deputy Director for Iraq Aleksandr Kinshak told us that Russia considered the Iraq Neighbors Expanded Ministerial in Istanbul "very successful," noting that the atmosphere was more positive in Istanbul than at the previous ministerial in Sharm el Sheikh. Kinsh [...] |
2007-11-16 14:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON IS IZ LE PREL RS SY |
| 07MOSCOW5428 |
RUSSIA'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY SEES MORE CONTINUATION [...] (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified, and not for internet distribution. ------- Summary ------- 2. (SBU) During the 4th Moscow Business Dialogue on November 12, government officials and business professionals forecast a general continuation of the current mix of market and [...] |
2007-11-16 14:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EIND RS |
| 07MOSCOW5429 |
CHINESE PREMIER WEN VISITS MOSCOW; FOCUS ON [...] (C) Summary. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Moscow November 5-6 to close the "Year of China" in Russia. His visit focused on trade and energy. While the Russian MFA portrayed the visit as a successful expression of flourishing economic relations, the Chinese Embassy cautioned that the agreem [...] |
2007-11-16 15:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ETRD ENRG CH RS |
| 07MOSCOW5430 |
MFA ISSUES TOUGH STATEMENT AGAINST SAAKASHVILI [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-16 15:52:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5431 |
CALM CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIAN REGION [...] (C) Changes in election law have created a "calm" campaign atmosphere in Voronezh, a city south of Moscow where during a November 14-15 visit we found scant evidence that a parliamentary election is about to take place. Local party representatives said the lack of single-mandate candidates ha [...] |
2007-11-16 16:15:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5432 |
UNITED RUSSIA MUSCLES ITS WAY INTO STAVROPOL KRAY [...] (C) In Stavropol Kray, United Russia has reasserted itself politically and administratively in the aftermath of the March 2007 elections, in which A Just Russia scored an upset victory. United Russia has stripped the unpopular governor of his party membership, replaced the independent Kray El [...] |
2007-11-17 03:37:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5433 |
THE WEEK IN POLITICS: PUTIN STUMPS FOR, STOMPS [...] (SBU) With just over two weeks remaining until the December 2 Duma elections, Putin, during a visit to Krasnoyarsk, at last began actively stumping for the United Russia party. On November 15, in Tver, about 700 delegates from 79 of Russia's regions returned the favor by actively stumping for [...] |
2007-11-17 12:29:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5434 |
KOSOVO: RUSSIAN FORECAST FOR "THE DAY AFTER;" [...] (C) Summary. Russia's Kosovo Troika Envoy Botsan-Kharchenko told us that FM Lavrov is preparing a letter to Rice, FM Steinmeier, and EU Solana raising concern over a possible unilateral Kosovar declaration of independence on December 11. The letter will also underscore the rise of radical Al [...] |
2007-11-17 12:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER KS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5435 |
PM SINGH'S VISIT HIGHLIGHTS THE LIMITS OF [...] (C) Summary: Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Losyukov told the Ambassador that Indian Prime Minister Singh's November 11-12 trip to Moscow was a "useful visit" that saw progress on a potential agreement for Russia to sell four additional nuclear reactors to India. The visit included the si [...] |
2007-11-17 12:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG MASS IN RS |
| 07MOSCOW5448 |
BILATERAL BIOTERRORISM LETTER DELIVERED [...] (SBU) On November 9, we provided reftel letter from State Department Bioterrorism Senior Adviser Ostfield to Deputy Director Titorenko in the MFA's Department of New Challenges and Threats (DNV). On November 16, DNV Senior Adviser Vladimir Prokhorov advised us that S/CT Coordinator Dailey and [...] |
2007-11-19 14:24:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO PTER PINS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5451 |
DFM DENISOV LAUDS ECON DIALOGUE, WELCOMES JANUARY [...] (SBU) In a November 19 meeting with DFM Denisov, the Ambassador raised Undersecretary Jeffery's proposal for a preliminary meeting in Moscow in January at which the two could discuss establishing a low-key, informal but regular economic dialogue. Denisov responded that he welcomed the propose [...] |
2007-11-19 16:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV ENRG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5453 |
ODIHR BOYCOTT CONTINUES TO RESONATE [...] (SBU) Summary: ODIHR'S November 16 announcement that it would not send election monitors to Russia's December 2 parliamentary elections was the subject of incredulous GOR commentary over the weekend. The Central Election Commission (CEC) saw in the decision confirmation of the GOR's standing [...] |
2007-11-19 16:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5457 |
RUSSIAN PROPOSAL FOR MIDDLE EAST EXPERTS' MEETING [...] (C) On November 19, Counselor in the MFA Middle East Peace Settlement Office Timur Zabirov elaborated on GOR interest in holding a high-level experts' meeting on the Middle East Peace Process in Moscow following the Annapolis Conference. The GOR intended this forum to maintain momentum toward a [...] |
2007-11-20 15:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KWBG KPAL IS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5458 |
UKRAINE TO PAY $160 FOR GAS IN 2008; MARKET PRICES [...] (C) According to the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow, agreement has been reached on a gas price of $160 per thousand cubic meters (mcm) for Russian gas deliveries to Ukraine for 2008. The agreement also calls for a rise to "market prices" by 2011. Separately, Gazprom indicated that final details [...] |
2007-11-21 06:22:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5474 |
RUSSIA CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBILITY FOR VIOLENCE IN [...] (C) Summary. While the GOR supports UNSC Presidential Statement 9169 urging both Ethiopia and Eritrea to take concrete steps to implement the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC)'s delineation decision, the GOR does not support the EEBC's plan for "virtually" demarcating the border an [...] |
2007-11-21 13:40:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC PBTS ET ER RS |
| 07MOSCOW5475 |
THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, WITH AN AMERICAN ASSIST [...] (C) Andrew Paulson, an expatriate American businessman in Moscow told Econ MC November 12 that his Russian-based internet company, Livejournal.ru, was preparing to purchase the U.S. version of Livejournal, from which it had sprung eight years ago. Paulson said the USD 100 million or more purc [...] |
2007-11-21 14:46:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL EINV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5477 |
IAEA/IRAN: RUSSIAN MFA VIEWS ON DG REPORT [...] (C) On November 21, Embassy conveyed U.S. views (reftel) on the IAEA Director General's November 15 Report on Iran to Mikhail Kondratenkov, MFA Security and Disarmament Department nuclear non-proliferation section chief. Kondratenkov agreed that Iran has often been reactive rather than proacti [...] |
2007-11-21 17:18:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP MNUC IAEA PARM RS IR |
| 07MOSCOW5478 |
DFM KARASIN ON UKRAINE, BELARUS, GEORGIA, MOLDOVA [...] (C) Summary. In a November 21 meeting with the Ambassador, DFM Karasin requested the USG's understanding of the "erroneous" Ukrainian interpretation of "Holodomor (1932-33 famine)" and other events that happened during WW2. He urged that the USG lift the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasur [...] |
2007-11-21 19:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5479 |
Disaster Declaration: Oil Spill in Kerch Strait, Russia [...] (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 4. 2. (SBU) The November 11 oil spill in the Kerch Strait (which runs between the Black and Azov Seas near Crimea) continues to affect large numbers of fish and wildlife and is now spreading into the Sea of Azov (refs A, B). Efforts to contain a [...] |
2007-11-23 04:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID SENV ENRG PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5480 |
DISASTER DECLARATION: OIL SPILL IN KERCH STRAIT, [...] (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 4. 2. (SBU) The November 11 oil spill in the Kerch Straight (which runs between the Black and Azov Seas near Crimea) continues to affect large numbers of fish and wildlife and is now spreading into the Sea of Azov (refs A, B). Efforts to contain [...] |
2007-11-23 04:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ENRG PREL SENV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5481 |
GICNT: DETECTION ARCHITECTURE MODEL GUIDELINES [...] (SBU) We met November 21 with Senior Counselor Vladimir Prokhorov of the MFA's New Challenges and Threats Department to present reftel nonpaper regarding the proposed January 22 Detection Architecture Model Guidelines conference. Prokhorov said that he would pass the nonpaper to relevant agen [...] |
2007-11-23 04:22:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP PTER EAIR ETRD EWWT PARM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5497 |
GAZPROM-OWNED STROYTRANSGAZ ON SYRIA, OTHER [...] (C) In a November 20 meeting with Econoff, Leonid Bokhanovskiy, First Vice-President of the Gazprom-owned construction firm Stroytransgaz, confirmed that the company had completed a gas treatment facility in Syria as well as a gas pipeline from Egypt to Syria. He indicated that the company wo [...] |
2007-11-23 11:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS IR IZ SY |
| 07MOSCOW5502 |
SUBJECT: KRASNOYARSK ELECTION - QUIET ON THE [...] (SBU) A joke is circulating in Krasnoyarsk that the regional electoral commission is taking care to make sure the population doesn't falsify the elections. With less than two weeks before polling day, virtually everyone "knows" the election outcome -- a solid majority for United Russia; enoug [...] |
2007-11-23 12:59:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5505 |
GAMING RUSSIA'S REACTION TO A KOSOVO UDI [...] (C) Summary: The fact that Russia has not confronted the U.S. at the most senior levels over the possibility of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence does not mean that Putin and his advisers are resigned to the outcome. Russian diplomatic self-confidence flows from its sense of E [...] |
2007-11-23 15:11:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5506 |
"JUST RUSSIA" STRUGGLES [...] (C) Summary: With elections just over one week away, the Kremlin-fostered party Just Russia (SR) seems increasingly unlikely to cross the seven-percent threshold to Duma representation, and the media have begun their death watch. Observers peg SR's problems to Putin's decision to head the Uni [...] |
2007-11-23 15:57:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5512 |
RUSSIA AND INDIA SEEK TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC TIES; [...] (SBU) Summary: In official briefings on Indian Prime Minister Singh's November 11-12 visit, Russian and Indian diplomats confirmed reftel assessment of bilateral relations as politically healthy but in danger of appearing "emaciated" should the countries fail to expand economic ties. The dip [...] |
2007-11-26 07:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECIN ENRG MASS IN RS |
| 07MOSCOW5516 |
THE WEEK IN POLITICS: THE PUTIN NATIONAL [...] (C) Summary: The "For Putin" movement continued to percolate, with a November 21 gathering of five thousand supporters in a Moscow sports hall. The event --part U.S. political party convention, part CPSU congress-- featured an extended attack by Putin on his political opponents, a swipe at t [...] |
2007-11-26 11:12:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM SOCI PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5518 |
MOD SERDYUKOV VISITS CENTRAL ASIA [...] (C) Summary: Russian Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov's visits to Uzbekistan and Armenia October 29-30 were part of Russian efforts to strengthen ties with CIS member states. (Note: Serdyukov also made an unofficial trip to Kyrgyzstan. End Note.) Serdyukov and his Uzbek counterpart s [...] |
2007-11-26 12:51:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MCAP PREL SENV |
| 07MOSCOW5522 |
VIEWING RUSSIA'S DEMOGRAPHIC CRISIS THROUGH A POLITICAL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Although Russia's demographic crisis has not been a major issue during the Duma elections campaign, most of the political parties have focused some attention on reversing the population decline by encouraging higher birth rates. Led by President Putin, United Russia has crowed [...] |
2007-11-26 14:57:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO SCUL PREL SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5523 |
MFA ON LEBANON AND THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS [...] (C) Summary: According to the MFA, Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov told Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri during their November 20 meeting that the GOR would not support a specific candidate for the Lebanese presidency and hoped the country's political factions could agree [...] |
2007-11-26 15:15:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KWBG KPAL IS LE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5524 |
RUSSIA WILL ABSTAIN ON UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-26 15:16:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNGA IS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5525 |
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER KUDRIN PERSONALLY VOUCHES [...] (C) On November 26, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin put his personal and professional reputation on the line in defense of Deputy Finance Minister Sergey Storchak who was arrested November 15 on charges of preparing to and attempting to commit fraud (reftels). Kudrin [...] |
2007-11-26 15:37:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5526 |
NGO GOLOS PREPARES TO OBSERVE DUMA ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary: The NGO Golos is preparing to observe the Duma elections on December 2, and has begun monitoring pre-election activities. Golos has already run into legal trouble in one region, and while its leaders are unaware of any other impending legal action, they remain potentially vulnera [...] |
2007-11-26 15:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5527 |
MOSCOW VIEWS ON OSCE MINISTERIAL [...] (C) Summary. Russia recognizes that the OSCE Ministerial in Madrid November 29-30 will be difficult, even though there have been a number of areas of agreement this past year. Russia will press for its package of reforms to the OSCE, arguing the need for equal treatment of all countries. Put [...] |
2007-11-26 15:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PREL PGOV PHUM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5528 |
GOR CLAMPS DOWN ON OTHER RUSSIA; KASPAROV [...] (SBU) Summary: On November 24, following a peaceful, sanctioned meeting in central Moscow, about eighty of an estimated two thousand Other Russia/SPS demonstrators attempted to march to the Central Election Commission in defiance of a ban by city authorities. In the melee that followed, poli [...] |
2007-11-26 16:07:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KDEM PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5529 |
RUSSIA: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SET FOR MARCH 2 [...] (U) A week before Russians head to the polls to vote in the State Duma elections, the Federation Council passed a resolution naming March 2, 2008 as the date of the presidential election. The unanimous decision by the upper house of parliament was expected and will become official when it is [...] |
2007-11-26 16:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5532 |
NGO GOLOS PREPARES TO OBSERVE DUMA ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary: The NGO Golos is preparing to observe the Duma elections on December 2, and has begun monitoring pre-election activities. Golos has already run into legal trouble in one region, and while its leaders are unaware of any other impending legal action, they remain potentially vulnera [...] |
2007-11-27 03:52:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5535 |
RESULTS OF AUSTRALIA GROUP MEETING IN MOSCOW [...] (C) Summary: Australia Group (AG) chair John Sullivan and Russian MFA Director of the Department for Security Affairs and Disarmament (DVBR) Anatoly Antonov led discussions November 20 on Russia's possible membership in the AG. Russia's high-level delegation indicated its interest in joining [...] |
2007-11-27 07:35:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP PARM PGOV PREL |
| 07MOSCOW5540 |
PICK YOUR POLL: PUTIN'S PARTY WINS BIG [...] (SBU) According to the final public opinion polls published one week before the December 2 Russian Duma elections, United Russia (YR) will garner the vast majority of votes and the Communist Party (KPRF) will easily overcome the seven percent threshold to entry into the Duma. The predictions [...] |
2007-11-27 15:23:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5542 |
CIVIL SOCIETY SPEAKS OUT OVER OTHER RUSSIA ARRESTS [...] (C) Liberal politicians and human rights activists praised the President's November 26 criticism of the Russian government's detention of opposition protesters. In response to the Ambassador, Acting FM Denisov described the GOR reaction as "unfortunate" but argued that Other Russian leader G [...] |
2007-11-27 17:11:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5548 |
UNITED RUSSIA EXPECTS BIG THINGS FROM ROSTOV-ON-DON [...] (C) The Ambassador's November 19-20 visit to Rostov-on-Don revealed that Russia's fifth most populous region falls squarely in the ruling party vote bank. Governor Vladimir Chub, who has ruled Rostov for sixteen years, appears too busy opening shopping centers and meeting trade delegations to [...] |
2007-11-28 08:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM ECON SOCI EAGR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5551 |
DEMARCHE ON U.S.-IRAQ BILATERAL RELATIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-28 11:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR MOPS PREL PGOV IZ RS |
| 07MOSCOW5562 |
DUMA ELECTION OBSERVER UPDATE [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador November 26 told acting Foreign Minister Denisov that the USG had played no role in ODIHR's decision not to observe the Russian Duma elections. Denisov insisted that the Russian Embassy in Washington believed the USG had "tipped the scales" on the decision during ODIHR [...] |
2007-11-28 16:46:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5563 |
UKRAINE GAS PRICE AGREEMENT DELAYED BY LATEST [...] (C) A November 27th agreement between Gazprom and Turkmenistan on a price increase for Turkmen gas has delayed and complicated a deal on 2008 gas prices to Ukraine. Gazprom, which serves as an intermediary for Turkmen gas to Ukraine, will pay Turkmenistan $130 per thousand cubic meters (mcm) o [...] |
2007-11-29 07:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5564 |
PSI TALKING POINTS FOR OPERATIONAL EXPERTS GROUP [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-29 07:52:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP MNUC PARM PREL |
| 07MOSCOW5571 |
RUSSIA: POWER SECTOR RESTRUCTURING ENTERS LAST [...] (SBU) The electricity sector's regulatory and policy framework after July 2008, when holding company RAO UES will cease operations, is taking shape. On October 26, RAO UES shareholders approved the restructuring plan and consented to the appointment of RAO UES' director of strategy as the new [...] |
2007-11-29 09:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND ENRG PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5580 |
SERBIAN FM JEREMIC VISIT UNDERSCORES RUSSIA'S [...] (C) Summary. Serbian FM Jeremic's November 22 visit to Moscow served to reconfirm Russian-Serbian solidarity in the runup to the end of the Kosovo troika talks. Lavrov reiterated Russia's firm support for Serbia, noting that December 10 was not "the end of history." Jeremic noted that Serbi [...] |
2007-11-29 14:17:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SR KV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5582 |
RUSSIA - KPRF THREATENS TO PROTEST ELECTION FRAUD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. The Communists are taking the offensive to protect their interests in Sunday's Duma election, establishing their own parallel monitoring program and threatening "mass action" if the administration falsifies the results. Party leaders announced on November 28 that the party wil [...] |
2007-11-29 14:50:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5583 |
PUTIN MAKES TELEVISED APPEAL TO VOTERS [...] (SBU) Summary: In a November 29 televised appeal, Putin asked voters to support the party whose ticket he leads, United Russia, in Sunday's Duma elections. The brief address, notable for its lack of surprise, was a classic appeal by an incumbent politician to stay the course. Immediately foll [...] |
2007-11-29 15:09:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5584 |
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND THREE JOURNALISTS BEATEN [...] (C) Summary: In the Ingushetia capital of Nazran on November 24, masked gunmen abducted a human rights worker and three Moscow television journalists from their hotel rooms, robbed them of their equipment and notebooks, and threatened them with execution. The gunmen then took the four victims [...] |
2007-11-29 15:19:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KDEM KPAO RS |
| 07MOSCOW5585 |
"SECURE GAS SUPPLY FOR EUROPE" -- NORD STREAM MOVING FORWARD REF: A. THE HAGUE 1999 B. MOSCOW 5399 C. TALLINN 737 D. HELSINKI 785 E. WARSAW 1975 F. RIGA 430 Classified By: Ambassador William J. Burns for Reasons 1.4 (b/d) [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-29 15:22:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5591 |
ANGARSK INTERNATIONAL URANIUM ENRICHMENT CENTER: [...] (SBU) Russia's plan to establish an international uranium enrichment center in Angarsk (Siberia) -- which stems from a Putin proposal made almost two years ago -- is moving forward. Russian officials and experts are confident in the ability of the Angarsk facility to handle increased demand [...] |
2007-11-30 07:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP IAEA PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5595 |
UNITED RUSSIA AND THE DUMA ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary: With Putin's decision to back United Russia in the Duma race, the prospect, faintly entertained about one year ago of creating something like a real political party system has completely disappeared, and United Russia has become a vehicle for Putin's aspirations to remain influen [...] |
2007-11-30 11:06:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5596 |
RUSSIA: INTERPRETING PUTIN'S DUMA VICTORY [...] (C) Summary: The significance of the December 2 Duma elections is the magnitude -- and not the fact -- of Putin's win and how he can use this "vote of confidence" to dictate presidential succession. Having been transformed into a referendum on Putin, the parliamentary elections are a step [...] |
2007-11-30 11:23:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR SOCI KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5598 |
PUTIN AND UNITED RUSSIA DOMINATE MEDIA IN RUN UP [...] (C) Summary. All one has to do is watch the national nightly news to see that President Putin, his administration, and United Russia garner the majority of coverage in the run up to the December 2 Duma elections. Over the past two months, three-fourths of the national television coverage and over h [...] |
2007-11-30 12:28:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM KPAO RS |
| 07MOSCOW5600 |
CIVIC FORCE: A KREMLIN EXPERIMENT GONE NOWHERE [...] (C) The political party Civic Force (GS) began life as a Kremlin project and has enjoyed the freedom of action and access to the media that come with that status. Unlike other small, right-wing parties (such as Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces (SPS)), who have encountered problems in cond [...] |
2007-11-30 12:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5609 |
RUSSIA ENERGY: NO DEAL ON KOVYKTA THIS YEAR? [...] (C) TNK-BP International Affairs Director Shawn McCormick confirmed to us on November 30th that a deal between Gazprom and TNK-BP on Gazprom's purchase of TNK-BP's 62.5% share of the giant Kovykta gas field in East Siberia will likely not be concluded this year. Press reports cited a Gazprom [...] |
2007-11-30 13:32:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5612 |
FOREIGN POLICY, RHETORIC AND ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary: International issues have received little attention in the run-up to the December 2 Duma elections, reflecting broad consensus behind Putin's foreign policy. Russia's positions on the top issues that do resonate with the Russian public - Kosovo, NATO enlargement, missile defense, [...] |
2007-11-30 14:08:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5613 |
RUSSIAN ATTENDANCE AT NEW DELHI AVIAN AND PANDEMIC FLU [...] (SBU) We shared reftel information about the upcoming Avian and Pandemic Influenza Conference in New Delhi with Russian officials at the International Departments of the MFA, Health and Social Development Ministry, the Federal Surveillance Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-B [...] |
2007-11-30 14:46:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO KFLU EAGR PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5615 |
GREF CONFIRMED AS SBERBANK PRESIDENT: EXODUS OF [...] (U) On November 28, Sberbank's shareholders confirmed former Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref as the bank's new President and Chairman. Gref said publicly he would work to retain key managers and provided a general overview of his plans for the bank. Outgoing chairman Andr [...] |
2007-11-30 14:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5627 |
MORE BUSINESS VIEWS ON PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS [...] (C) Boris Jordan, a well-known American businessman of Russian ancestry, said the December 2 parliamentary elections should be seen as part of President Putin's plan to continue to exercise influence after his current term expires, preferably from the sidelines. Jordan expressed hope that bil [...] |
2007-11-30 15:15:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL PGOV EINV RS |
| 07MOSCOW563 |
NEW HEALTH WARNING LABEL FOR WINE AND SPIRITS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A new label for bottles of wine, vodka, and other spirits warns consumers of the dangers of alcohol consumption by certain vulnerable groups, including minors, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. The government is delaying enforcement of the new law and giving producers and di [...] |
2007-02-08 12:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO EAGR ETRD SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5630 |
RUSSIA STILL A SMOKER'S PARADISE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Duma session that ended November 16 failed to approve legislation placing greater restrictions on smoking in public places. The outgoing Duma also did not approve the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which Russia has neither signed nor ratified. Observe [...] |
2007-12-02 08:08:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO SCUL PREL SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5631 |
DUMA ELECTION: VOTER TURNOUT HIGH, PARTIES ALLEGE [...] (SBU) Summary: Eighteen regions of Russia have completed voting and all signs are that voter turnout for the December 2 Duma elections is expected to exceed 2003's turnout of 55.75 percent although three hours remain before polls close across all of Russia. The opposition SPS, Yabloko, and Comm [...] |
2007-12-02 15:38:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW564 |
RUSSIA-AZERBAIJAN DYSPEPSIA: EAT TOMATOES AND GET [...] (C) Russian press articles and Embassy Baku's interlocutors have played up deteriorating Russian-Azerbaijani relations. They cite Gazprom's increase in the price of gas deliveries to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan's refusal to send crude oil via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline; and the Russian ban on [...] |
2007-02-08 12:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | PREL ETRD PREF AJ AM GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5643 |
DEMARCHES DELIVERED ON IRAN, GTMO DETAINEE [...] (C) On December 3, DCM demarched MFA North America Department Director Igor Neverov on Iranian attempts to procure equipment with nuclear weapons applications through a Russian firm, underscoring that the specialized cameras are possibly controlled by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (ref A). DCM [...] |
2007-12-03 14:44:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MNUC PARM ETTC IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5681 |
RUSSIA SEEKS IMPROVED TIES WITH GULF STATES [...] (C) Summary: Russia continues to court the Persian Gulf States in its quest to expand economic ties with the region and improve political relations with the Muslim world. Saudi Crown Prince and Defense Minister Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud's November 21-23 Moscow visit was the latest in a se [...] |
2007-12-03 15:34:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ETRD MASS SA TC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5682 |
DUMA ELECTIONS: UNITED RUSSIA WINS BIG, COMMUNIST [...] (C) Summary: With almost all of the votes from the December 3 election counted, Putin's United Russia party has won 64.1 percent, which will give it a constitutional majority in the new Duma. Three other parties: the Communists (11.6%), Vladimir Zhirinovskiy's LDPR (8.2%), and Just Russia (7 [...] |
2007-12-03 16:36:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5698 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: ROSTOVSKIY [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, Rostovskiy NII Radiosvyazi, Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The company is li [...] |
2007-12-04 14:13:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5699 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: MIREA STATE [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, MIREA State University, Moscow, Russia and intermediate consignee Br [...] |
2007-12-04 14:13:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW57 |
RUSSIAN ENERGY: THE RUSSIA-BELARUS OIL STANDOFF [...] (C) SUMMARY: Russia and Belarus have not yet found a solution to their row over oil volumes through the Druzhba pipeline. Over the last three days each party has cast blame on the other for initiating the confrontation, with the Russians claiming that the Belarusian transit duty was illegal u [...] |
2007-01-10 15:49:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5701 |
EMBASSY OF TURKMENISTAN REITERATES: "WE ONLY SELL [...] (SBU) Embassy of Turkmenistan Econ Counselor Murat Yazberdiyev reiterated to us November 30th that Turkmenistan is only interested in selling gas "at the border." That said, Turkmenistan had no objections to others either improving existing pipelines or building new ones through which to expo [...] |
2007-12-04 15:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS TX |
| 07MOSCOW5702 |
DFM SALTANOV ON POST-ANNAPOLIS, LEBANON, IRAQI [...] (C) Summary: In a December 4 meeting with the Ambassador, DFM Saltanov underscored Putin's positive assessment of Annapolis, praised the Secretary for her "tireless" efforts, and highlighted Russia's interest in discussing a post-Annapolis meeting in Moscow during the December 17 Quartet meet [...] |
2007-12-04 15:35:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON IS IZ LE PREL RS SY |
| 07MOSCOW5703 |
KUDRIN'S PLEA UNSUCCESSFUL; STORCHAK STILL DETAINED [...] (C) Deputy Finance Minister Sergey Storchak remains incarcerated after a Moscow City Court denied a defense appeal to have his November 15 arrest overturned. Neither Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Kudrin's petition requesting Storchak's release from custody (Ref A) nor the defense team's plea [...] |
2007-12-04 15:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5704 |
PUTIN SAYS ELECTION GIVES DUMA MORE LEGITIMACY, [...] (U) One day after United Russia's decisive victory in parliamentary elections, Putin thanked voters for supporting United Russia and said that the elections would give the next Duma more legitimacy. He called the election results a sign of "trust" in United Russia and a "good indicator of Russ [...] |
2007-12-04 16:43:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PREL PHUM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5717 |
GAZPROM: 2008 GAS PRICE DEAL WITH UKRAINE [...] (SBU) Confirming press reports, Gazprom International Affairs Director Ivan Zolotov told us December 5th that a deal had been concluded with Ukrainian Minister of Energy Yuriy Boyko the previous day on the 2008 gas price to Ukraine and transit fees to and through Ukraine. Zolotov said negotia [...] |
2007-12-05 14:34:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5720 |
RUSSIA-GEORGIA RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary. Russia is in no hurry to re-evaluate its bilateral relations with Georgia, with the MFA issuing repeated statements slamming Saakashvili's anti-Russia tactics as a "farce." MFA officials confirm that Saakashvili is persona non grata in Moscow, while Duma Chairman Gryzlov raised [...] |
2007-12-06 10:07:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5729 |
EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel 1 requested a Post-shipment verification to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end- user, Romona Inc., Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia. The company is l [...] |
2007-12-06 13:18:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5733 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON ARMS SALES TO BURMA [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-06 16:53:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5734 |
CHECHEN PRESIDENT REACHES OUT TO THE MIDDLE EAST [...] (C) Summary: Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov is looking to the Middle East to finance the reconstruction of Chechnya. Kadyrov met recently in Moscow with the visiting Saudi Crown Prince and traveled to Saudi Arabia and Jordan earlier this year. Kadyrov plans to visit Mecca in December, part [...] |
2007-12-06 16:55:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER SOCI JO SA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5735 |
RUSSIAN GOALS FOR NATO-RUSSIA MINISTERIAL [...] (C) Summary. Russia will use the December 7 NATO-Russia Council (NRC) Ministerial as an opportunity to reiterate its views on suspension of the CFE Treaty, opposition to U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense (MD) system in Poland and the Czech Republic, opposition to a Kosovo Unilateral Dec [...] |
2007-12-06 16:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO MARR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5738 |
WFP PLANNING CY08 NORTH CAUCASUS DEPARTURE DESPITE [...] Summary: The UN World Food Program will extend its current North Caucasus operation into 2008, but unless it observes deterioration in the food security status of the IDP population it plans to terminate all its direct food aid in the region within the next year. End summary. -------------- [...] |
2007-12-07 06:48:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PGOV EAID EAGR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5743 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR MARY B. WARLICK, SENIOR [...] Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance to NSC Senior Director Mary B. Warlick for the proposed visit to Moscow from December 10-11, 2007. Airport meet/assist has been arranged through AECA. 2. Control Officer is Karen Kirchgasser, tel. 7-495-728-5171; 7-495-234-2449 (hm); 7-495-970 [...] |
2007-12-07 09:51:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA PREL AMGT ASEC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5745 |
GOLOS INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DUMA ELECTION [...] (C) Summary: In a December 4 press conference, the USAID-funded voting rights NGO Golos reported widespread violations and irregularities in the December 2 State Duma elections. While much of its information is anecdotal, Golos did provide cursory statistical findings of anomalies, most notab [...] |
2007-12-07 11:36:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5748 |
LEVADA CENTER ANALYSIS OF RECENT POLLING DATA [...] (C) In polls leading up to the December 2 elections, the Levada Center brought to light some hidden characteristics of the Russian electorate. Based on the Center's data, it was clear that Putin's popularity transcended party affiliation spreading even to the Communist Party (KPRF) and the tr [...] |
2007-12-07 12:35:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5749 |
CFE: THE DAY AFTER [...] (C) Summary. On December 12. Russia will suspend participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, ceasing notification, inspections, and permissions for inspection under the Treaty, and not participating in the December 15 annual exchange of information. Officials have said [...] |
2007-12-07 12:56:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KCFE NATO OSCE MARR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5750 |
LEVADA CENTER ANALYSIS OF PUTIN'S PULL [...] (C) In polls leading up to the December 2 elections, the Levada Center brought to light some hidden characteristics of the Russian electorate. Based on the Center's data, it was clear that Putin's popularity transcended party affiliation spreading even to the Communist Party (KPRF) and the tr [...] |
2007-12-07 12:59:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5751 |
RUSSIAN REACTION TO OSCE MADRID MINISTERIAL [...] (C) Summary. The GOR viewed the November 29-30 OSCE Madrid Ministerial as "controversial." On a positive note, the MFA expressed satisfaction with the strengthened role of the security basket, noting that the OSCE had a unique and positive role to play in Afghan border security. On environ [...] |
2007-12-07 13:29:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5752 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, Kavkaztransgaz, Stavropol, Russia. The company is listed on BIS lice [...] |
2007-12-07 13:30:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5753 |
EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: IT- [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel 1 requested a Post-shipment verification to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end- user, IT-Diagnostica, Moscow, Russia. The company is listed on [...] |
2007-12-07 13:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW5761 |
RUSSIA HOPEFUL BUT CAUTIOUS ABOUT A BREAKTHROUGH [...] Summary: The MFA told us that new Polish PM Tusk's pro-European stance, positive statements about Russia-Poland bilateral ties, his decision to remove Poland's veto on Russia's OECD accession, and recent efforts to address Russian concerns about Polish meat were clearly steps in the right dir [...] |
2007-12-07 15:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5762 |
AFTER THE DUMA ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary: With the messy Duma elections fast fading from memory here (although the final results will not be certified until at least December 10), attention has shifted to the March 2 presidential elections. The four parties in the new Duma have scheduled their congresses for mid-Decembe [...] |
2007-12-07 16:05:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5763 |
RUSSIAN CONDEMNATION OF KOSOVO UDI WIDENS [...] (C) Summary. At a December 5 press conference, FM Lavrov criticized "Western partners" for undermining the Troika's efforts to find a negotiated solution by continuing to support Kosovo's "inevitable" independence. Memorial, a Russian human rights organization often critical of the GOR, iss [...] |
2007-12-07 16:05:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5765 |
REINVENTING THE RUSSIAN DRUG STORE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Much like Russia's booming pharmaceuticals market (Ref A), the Russian pharmacy business is rapidly expanding. Major Russian drug store chains are consolidating their market-leading positions, but the industry is still relatively unconcentrated, with the leading drug store chai [...] |
2007-12-10 03:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO ETRD EINV EIND RS |
| 07MOSCOW5770 |
VTB MANAGING DIRECTOR FOUND MURDERED NEAR MOSCOW [...] (U) On December 6, officials from the Moscow Oblast division of the General Procuracy's Investigation Committee discovered the body of VTB Managing Director for Corporate Clients Oleg Zhukovsky. He was found at the bottom of a swimming pool near his home in the Odintsovo region of suburban M [...] |
2007-12-10 14:33:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5771 |
PUTIN BACKS MEDVEDEV FOR PRESIDENT [...] (C) Representatives of United Russia, the Agrarian Party, Patriots of Russia, and Just Russia, headed by United Russia Chairman Gryzlov, asked December 10 for Putin's support for the presidential candidacy of First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev. The media report that Putin told Gryzlo [...] |
2007-12-10 15:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5773 |
ISTC Governing Board Meeting in Moscow [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: At the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) Coordinating Committee (CC) and Governing Board (GB) meetings held December 3-5, the Russians lamented what, in their view, is a lack of genuine partnership at the ISTC and the neglect of Russia's rights and privileges und [...] |
2007-12-11 04:22:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP PARM TSPL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5780 |
RUSSIA: OHR DECISIONS AND ALLEGATIONS ABOUT U.S. [...] (C) We delivered reftel demarche on Russian allegations about the U.S. Deputy High Representative to MFA Counselor for Bosnia Ivan Gorbunov on December 10. Gorbunov undertook to pass the points to his superiors, and suffered no further comment on the matter. The Ambassador will reinforce U.S [...] |
2007-12-11 14:54:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BK SRS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5781 |
NSC SENIOR DIRECTOR'S MEETING WITH FEDERAL COUNCIL [...] (C) Summary: Federation Council International Relations Committee Chairman Margelov told visiting NSC Senior Director Mary Warlick on December 11 that he was very satisfied with Putin's selection of First Deputy PM Medvedev as his successor. Margelov described Medvedev as the "best case scen [...] |
2007-12-11 15:11:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5782 |
MEDVEDEV'S CAMPAIGN STRATEGY - PUTIN [...] (C) Less than a day after Putin came out in support of Dmitriy Medvedev's candidacy for President, Medvedev revealed his campaign strategy: to run on the promise of picking Putin to serve as Premier. Endorsements of a host of regional authorities, as well as representatives of the President's [...] |
2007-12-11 16:54:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5784 |
GREF CENTER'S VIEWS ON RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC DIRECTION [...] (C) In a December 6 meeting, Ksenia Yudaeva, Director of Research at the Center for Strategic Research (CSR or the Gref Center), the economic brain trust for the GOR's economic reforms in the early years of President Putin's administration, told econoff that while reform momentum has slowed th [...] |
2007-12-12 04:55:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW579 |
RUSSIAN FEDERATION COUNCIL MEMBER ON IRAN, MIDDLE [...] (C) Summary: Federation Council Member Margelov briefed the Ambassador on efforts to deepen engagement with the U.S. Senate, including reaching out to GOR critics. He flagged his upcoming trip to Tehran and said that Iranian duplicity and obduracy were making it difficult to defend the regi [...] |
2007-02-09 08:35:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OREP RS IR |
| 07MOSCOW5790 |
RUSSIA UNLIKELY TO BACK DOWN ON BRITISH COUNCIL [...] (C) Summary: UK diplomats do not expect the GOR to back down from its threat to close two British Council centers on January 1, with the latest salvo from the MFA making the "tactical mistake" of linking Russian actions to the July measures taken by the UK in response to the Russian failure [...] |
2007-12-12 13:28:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SCUL RU UK |
| 07MOSCOW5794 |
UNION STATE PRESIDENCY NOT ON PUTIN'S AGENDA IN [...] (C) Summary. The MFA strongly denied press rumors that Putin's December 13-14 trip to Minsk would create him president of a Russia-Belarus Union State, making it clear that Belarus had a long way to travel before it would be a partner for Russia. Putin's trip will focus on reviewing 2007's " [...] |
2007-12-12 15:06:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ETRD MARR PARM BO RS |
| 07MOSCOW5795 |
RUSSIA SUSPENDS PARTICIPATION IN CFE TREATY [...] As expected, at midnight December 12, Moscow suspended participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE). According to the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Russia has suspended all actions under the Treaty, including exchanges of information on troop levels, and inspec [...] |
2007-12-12 15:18:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KCFE NATO MARR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5796 |
GETTING THE VOTE OUT: HOW UNITED RUSSIA PULLED OFF [...] (C) Summary: A comparison of electoral statistics from the December 2 Duma elections and the previous elections in a number of selected regions shows that United Russia's use of administrative assets to get out an increased number of voters made a difference in the December 2 Duma elections. [...] |
2007-12-12 15:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM PREL PHUM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5798 |
PSI 5TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE SAVE THE DATE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-13 13:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP KSTC PARM PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5800 |
THE MEASURE OF THE MAN - "WHO IS MR. MEDVEDEV?" [...] (C) Despite his prominence as First Deputy Premier, Gazprom Board Chair, and earlier as Head of the Presidential Administration, Medvedev remains only somewhat less an enigma than his mentor Putin was when the latter was picked as Yeltsin's successor eight years ago. In the near unanimous app [...] |
2007-12-13 13:58:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | RS PINR PGOV |
| 07MOSCOW5802 |
SHARING DRAFT IRAQ UNSCR TEXT WITH RUSSIA [...] (SBU) Poloff and UK Emboff jointly delivered draft Iraq UNSCR text and reftel points to MFA Counselor for International Organizations Yuriy Rudakov on December 13. Rudakov said that the MFA had received a copy of the draft from the Russian Mission in New York, and that the GOR had no major obj [...] |
2007-12-14 07:34:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM PREL UNSC EFIN MARR IZ RS |
| 07MOSCOW5803 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PARIS DONORS CONFERENCE [...] We delivered reftel demarche to MFA Middle East and North Africa Counselor Timur Zabirov. Zabirov said that the GOR appreciated the importance of the Paris donors conference and Foreign Minister Lavrov would head the Russian delegation. He could not provide information on the level of Russian [...] |
2007-12-14 07:36:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | AMCT PREL PGOV KWBC KPAL IS RS |
| 07MOSCOW5819 |
EMBASSY MOSCOW'S TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION [...] Embassy Moscow's Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer is: Kathleen Doherty, Deputy Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs, 7 (495) 728-5179, DohertyKX@state.sgov.gov, DohertyKA@state.gov. 2. The Deputy Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer is Clayton Hays, Financial Economist, 7 (49 [...] |
2007-12-14 13:19:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ETTC PTER KTFN RS |
| 07MOSCOW5823 |
KASPAROV DROPS OUT OF RACE FOR RUSSIAN PRESIDENT [...] (SBU) Summary: Garry Kasparov announced December 13 that he will not be a candidate in the March 2 presidential elections. Kasparov made the decision one day after the Central Election Commission (CEC) held firm on its decision that at least 500 members of the United Civil Front (UCF) which [...] |
2007-12-14 15:09:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5824 |
U.S., RUSSIA, AND EUROPEAN COOPERATION: FIRST WE [...] (C) Summary. MFA European Cooperation Director Ryabkov offered only partial reassurance on prospects for cooperation on European issues after a "stormy" round of international meetings, including strong disagreements on Kosovo and the OSCE. The MFA expected similar restrictions to be placed [...] |
2007-12-14 15:23:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KV EU OSCE GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW5825 |
RUSSIAN ELITES AHEAD OF RULING PARTY CONFERENCE [...] (C) Summary: A cross-section of establishment analysts and Putin critics approach the ruling party's December 17 convention convinced that it is time for liberals, the Kremlin, and the West to come to grips with the changed political landscape following the December 2 Duma elections. With t [...] |
2007-12-14 15:29:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5828 |
CSTO TO FUNNEL RUSSIAN AID TO AFGHANISTAN [...] (C) Summary: Russia has made the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) a key vehicle in expanding assistance to Afghanistan by committing itself to providing several hundred million dollars in military aid entirely via the CSTO. Russia's main priorities vis--vis Afghanistan are prev [...] |
2007-12-17 09:41:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR NATO PREL MASS AF RS |
| 07MOSCOW583 |
RUSSIAN ENERGY: AMBASSADOR MEETS GAZPROM'S MILLER [...] (C) SUMMARY. In a February 8 meeting with the Ambassador, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller praised recent moves on domestic gas price reform, and said gas price rises to FSU countries would move forward in tandem, and assets are a part of the payment mix. Miller stressed plans in play to develop Yam [...] |
2007-02-09 10:26:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5831 |
FEEL THE BURN: FITNESS CLUBS IN RUSSIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Russian fitness clubs are expanding and becoming increasing popular, suggesting that the notion of a healthy lifestyle may slowly be taking root in Russia. END SUMMARY. ------------------------ Fitness Clubs Pumping Up ------------------------ 2. (U) Although there are n [...] |
2007-12-17 09:42:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TBIO SOCI SCUL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5835 |
ROSNEFT CEO BOGDANCHIKOV OPTIMISTIC [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-17 12:57:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS PINR |
| 07MOSCOW584 |
UNHCR COMPLETES INTERVIEWS OF NORTH KOREANS [...] (S) UNHCR has completed its interviews of the North Koreans asylum seekers that arrived in Moscow in January and is finalizing its assessments of their cases (reftel). UNHCR Senior Protection Officer Gang Li said that all of them had indicated they had wanted to be resettled to the United Sta [...] |
2007-02-09 11:17:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | PREF PREL PHUM PGOV RS KN |
| 07MOSCOW5841 |
ATOMSTROYEXPORT'S APPROACH TO THE "NUCLEAR [...] (SBU) During a recent meeting at a Moscow think-tank, an official from Atomstroyexport outlined priorities for the construction of Russian nuclear power plants abroad. China, India, Iran, and Bulgaria are their top target markets. The official downplayed the importance of the failure of Russ [...] |
2007-12-17 14:04:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP ENRG PREL RS IN |
| 07MOSCOW5844 |
FORD WORKERS END STRIKE [...] (SBU) Summary. Workers at Ford Motor Co.'s plant near St. Petersburg ended a four-week strike today after management promised further negotiations on a new labor contract, including wage increases and a reduction of the night shift (reftel a). According to press reports, Ford management has [...] |
2007-12-18 04:29:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ELAB RS SOCI |
| 07MOSCOW5845 |
ROSNEFT'S LEADERSHIP RUMORS [...] (C) Summary: A recent shuffle in the top ranks of Rosneft, rumored to have been engineered by its Chairman Igor Sechin, has spurred speculation that CEO Sergey Bogdanchikov may be on his way out. If true, the company's plans and future may depend as much on politics as the company's plans an [...] |
2007-12-18 13:16:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW5847 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH TRADE MINISTER [...] (C) Summary. In a December 17th meeting with the Ambassador, Trade Minister Nabiullina acknowledged the GOR faced time pressures to conclude multilateral WTO discussions but was optimistic that a deal could be reached by mid-February. While issues such as state-owned enterprises and agricultur [...] |
2007-12-18 13:19:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD EINV RS |
| 07MOSCOW5848 |
GOR NOT DISAPPOINTED WITH TYMOSHENKO'S COMEBACK [...] (C) Summary. Within a few hours after the election of Yulia Tymoshenko as Ukraine's new Prime Minister, MFA officials welcomed her "return", while expressing relief that many bilateral decisions put on hold in the absence of a "functioning" government in Ukraine could be made and implemented [...] |
2007-12-18 16:15:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UP RS |
| 07MOSCOW5849 |
UNITED RUSSIA ACCEPTS MEDVEDEV AS CANDIDATE FOR [...] (C) Summary: The 511 delegates at the pro-Kremlin United Russia party's December 17 party congress performed to expectations, when they chose First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev as their candidate for President. Putin confounded the expectations of some commentators by agreeing, after a wee [...] |
2007-12-19 04:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5850 |
SPS NOMINATES NEMTSOV, SEARCHES ITS SOUL [...] (C) The Russian liberal-democratic party the Union of Right Forces (SPS) held its party conference in Moscow on December 17 to nominate a candidate for president. A general party soul-searching and consideration of campaign mistakes occupied almost half of the conference agenda. In accepting [...] |
2007-12-19 04:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5857 |
TALKING POINTS ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS COMPLEX [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-19 10:40:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP PARM PREL |
| 07MOSCOW5868 |
FIFTH RUSSIAN DUMA TO BEGIN WORK DECEMBER 24 [...] (U) The fifth Russian Duma will begin its work December 24. Taking seats in the new Duma on behalf of the four winning parties -- United Russia, Communist Party (KPRF), Just Russia, and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) -- will be veteran politicians, youth movement leaders, businessmen an [...] |
2007-12-19 15:01:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM RS |
| 07MOSCOW5869 |
GOR EFFORTS TO ADVANCE MULTIPOLAR WORLD IN [...] Summary: While Russian officials view the October ministerial in Harbin as a "pivotal event" in accelerating the formation of a Russia, India, and China (RIC) triangle, fundamental differences in strategic vision, mutual distrust, and differing relations with the U.S. significantly limit Russ [...] |
2007-12-19 15:09:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW5878 |
THE RUSSIAN NGO LAW ONE YEAR LATER [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-20 07:24:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5879 |
MFA DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR ON IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, [...] (C) Summary: In a December 18 meeting, MFA Second Asia Department Director Maryasov reviewed the results of Iranian FM Mottaki's December 13-14 trip to Moscow, noting bilateral agreements on trade and cooperation, confirming the sale of 130 civilian aircraft was possible but premature, and re [...] |
2007-12-20 07:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IR AF RS |
| 07MOSCOW5884 |
THE RUSSIAN NGO LAW ONE YEAR LATER [...] (SBU) More than year after the implementation of controversial amendments with tougher reporting requirements for Russian non-governmental organizations, the fears of extensive, politically-motivated NGO closures have not materialized. A USAID-funded study, civil society assessments and Emba [...] |
2007-12-20 09:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5898 |
RUSSIA-MOLDOVA RELATIONS: BACK ON TRACK? [...] (C) Summary. While evaluating Russia-Moldova relations without the Transnistria conflict is difficult, there are a few signs that the GOR is continuing its efforts to "mend" the bilateral relationship through economic and other means. The MFA told us that Russia is hopeful that frequent high [...] |
2007-12-20 15:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON MD RS |
| 07MOSCOW5899 |
RUSSIA-CHINA RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary. The pragmatic pursuit of economic growth and political stability, and a determined effort to avoid "interfering" with each other's domestic political developments have brought an improvement in ties between Russia and China. The conclusion of two "national years" created a stro [...] |
2007-12-20 15:24:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ENRG CH RS |
| 07MOSCOW5918 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: ELECTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-21 12:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL UNGA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5924 |
RUSSIA'S LATEST STATE CORPORATION: HOUSING [...] (SBU) Summary. In an effort to revitalize Russia's housing, President Putin on July 27 signed the law creating the Fund to Assist Housing Maintenance. Minister of Regional Development Kozak will head the Fund's supervisory board and his protg, Konstantin Tsitsin, a Federal Council member, w [...] |
2007-12-21 14:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW5925 |
JCIC POINTS PASSED [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-21 14:46:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM KACT START JCIC US RS BO KZ UP |
| 07MOSCOW5938 |
RUSSIA SUPPORTS U.S. CANDIDATE FOR THE COMMITTEE [...] (SBU) In response to reftel C demarche, the MFA conveyed its support for Pierre Prosper, but stressed its expectation of reciprocal U.S. support for the candidacy of Professor A.S. Avtonomov in the same election. 2. (SBU) Text of MFA dipnote: No. 11521-n/dgpch The Department for Huma [...] |
2007-12-26 13:51:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL UNGA RS |
| 07MOSCOW5955 |
RUSSIAN ENERGY MINISTER'S END-OF-YEAR REVIEW [...] (C) Summary: Meeting with the Ambassador on December 21, the day after the formal signing of the Tri-Caspian (Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan) pipeline agreement, Minister of Industry and Energy Viktor Khristenko called it "a good note" on which to end the year. He commented on domestic en [...] |
2007-12-28 11:04:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PREL PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW5958 |
RUSSIAN DFM GRUSHKO ON OSCE DUES [...] (U) Local press seized on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko's December 26 statement about Russia's decreasing contributions to the OSCE budget. During an end-of-year press conference, Grushko said, "Russia is already reducing its financing of the OSCE. If we look at the evol [...] |
2007-12-28 13:34:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OSCE RS |
| 07MOSCOW5969 |
POINTS DELIVERED ON U.S. POLICY ON PAKISTAN'S [...] We delivered reftel points to the office of MFA Second Asia Department Director Aleksandr Maryasov. The MFA is closed for the holidays, but Maryasov's staff promised to pass the points to Maryasov immediately. RUSSELL [...] |
2007-12-31 10:08:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PINS PREL PTER SHUM PK RS |
| 07MOSCOW5971 |
DEMARCHES ON POTENTIAL S-300 SALE TO IRAN [...] (C) Summary: In response to multiple demarches from the DCM, senior MFA officials have alluded to, but not confirmed a potential sale of the S-300 air defense system to Iran based on an unspecified contract which predated UNSCR 1737. When challenged that a Russian Government agency has publicly [...] |
2007-12-31 11:11:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW598 |
RUSSIANS INFORMED OF NEW COMBATANT COMMAND FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2007-02-09 15:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MCAP PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW599 |
RUSSIA-GEORGIA: TINY STEPS FOR LITTLE FEET [...] (C) On January 22 Putin sent his ambassador back to Georgia with fanfare. On February 5-6 the two countries held constructive talks on restoring direct air links, with other talks soon to begin on restoring sea freight connections. The newly re-staffed Russian embassy in Tbilisi includes visa [...] |
2007-02-09 15:14:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ETRD PBTS MARR MOPS GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW601 |
RUSSIA-JAPAN RELATIONSHIP: NOT YET A NEW CHAPTER [...] (C) Summary. Despite growing economic ties and a newly launched strategic dialogue, improvements in Russian-Japanese bilateral relations will likely continue to move at a glacial pace. The disputed Kurile Islands remain a sticking point; oil-rich and confident Russians see little gain in mak [...] |
2007-02-09 15:54:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON JA RS |
| 07MOSCOW610 |
PUTIN WILL GO [...] (C) Although rumors swirl after each major public appearance, even diehard skeptics now agree that President Putin will leave office when his second term expires in May 2008. With each passing month the conspiracy theories, which most recently crested in the wake of the Litvinenko assassinati [...] |
2007-02-12 13:59:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW613 |
PUTIN IN MUNICH: SHARP TONE, BUT FAMILIAR [...] (C) Summary: Putin's February 10 remarks to the Munich Conference on Security Policy were a familiar litany of complaints about Russia's treatment by the West, and particularly the U.S. The substance of his critique of the dangers of unilateral U.S. actions, NATO enlargement, and ballistic [...] |
2007-02-12 15:31:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW626 |
RESPONDING TO RUSSIAN ACTIONS ON SEPARATIST [...] (C) We approached Russian MFA South Ossetia negotiator Popov and, separately, Transnistria negotiator Nesterushkin with reftel demarche. We stressed the change in Russian official practice, referring to separatist leaders as if they were legitimate, and asked whether Russia is not taking yet [...] |
2007-02-13 13:47:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MOPS MD GG RS |
| 07MOSCOW627 |
KOSOVO: DFM TITOV DETAILS PRINCIPLED DIFFERENCES [...] (C) Summary: Deputy Foreign Minister Titov told Special Envoy Wisner on February 8 that Russia's differences with the U.S. over Kosovo were strategic, not simply tactical, but should not color the broader bilateral relationship. Russia's vote at the UN would be predicated on whether Belgrad [...] |
2007-02-13 14:15:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW628 |
KOSOVO: SPECIAL ENVOY WISNER HEARS RUSSIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Fresh from meetings in Pristina, Belgrade and Vienna, Special Envoy for Kosovo Final Status Frank Wisner held consultations in Moscow on February 9 to gauge Russian opinion on Kosovo's independence and emphasize the need for Contact Group unity. In meetings with DFM Titov (septel) [...] |
2007-02-13 14:39:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW629 |
PORTUGUESE INITIATIVE: EU-US-RUSSIA TRILATERAL [...] (C) During a February 13 conversation with the Ambassador, Portuguese Ambassador Curto previewed a Portuguese initiative, as incoming President of the European Union in July 2007, to organize a trilateral EU-US-Russian summit. Curto explained that the Portuguese government was interested in [...] |
2007-02-13 14:45:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW644 |
RUSSIA: LIBERAL PARTIES STRUGGLE TO STAY IN GAME [...] (C) Political observers believe that the prospect of a liberal political party winning representation in the State Duma is slim, but statistically possible. However, local efforts by ruling party officials to remove the liberal-minded Union of Rightist Forces and Yabloko from some ballots in [...] |
2007-02-14 12:16:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PHUM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW645 |
MOSCOW FORUM OFFERS INNOVATION CORNUCOPIA [...] (U) SUMMARY: Moscow's Seventh International Salon of Innovations and Investments, February 5-8, offered a cornucopia of products, services and financial programs for the developing innovation economy. In contrast to last year's Salon (REFTEL), there were significantly more exhibitors, and the [...] |
2007-02-14 12:17:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINT ETRD TNGD TSPL IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW648 |
RUSSIA AND INDIA: MAKE NEW FRIENDS, BUT DON'T [...] (C) Summary: Russia's goal is to "revitalize" its ties to India by concentrating on energy security and hi-tech joint projects according to the MFA, which provided a readout on Putin's trip to India and a look ahead at high-level meetings in February. Moscow heralded an agreement to sell f [...] |
2007-02-14 13:07:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG KNNP MASS ETRD IN RS |
| 07MOSCOW655 |
HAITI: RUSSIA SUPPORTS SIX-MONTH MINUSTAH MANDATE [...] (C) We raised reftel points on February 13 with Vladimir Safronkov, Chief of the UN Political Affairs Section in the MFA's International Organizations Department, who told us that Russia would support only a six-month extension of the MINUSTAH mandate. He argued that a mandate of six months [...] |
2007-02-14 14:53:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC KPKO HA RS |
| 07MOSCOW656 |
OREL: VULNERABLE GOVERNOR CREATES OPPORTUNITIES [...] (SBU) Meetings during an early-February visit to Orel region suggested that a variety of factors could combine to make the March 11 regional elections very competitive. Rumored infighting in United Russia (YR) and an unpopular YR-affiliated governor have allowed the Communist Party (KPRF) to [...] |
2007-02-14 14:56:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR KDEM SOCI RS |
| 07MOSCOW66 |
RUSSIAN ENERGY: UPDATE ON BELARUS-RUSSIA OIL ROW [...] (SBU) On January 11, Econoff spoke to Shawn McCormick (please protect), head of government relations at TNK-BP, who confirmed press reports that Russian crude is flowing again through Belarus along the Druzhba pipeline and his company was sending their "normal" volumes through and was not requ [...] |
2007-01-11 12:25:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW664 |
RUSSIA: PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS UPDATE [...] (SBU) The February 14 start to Moscow Arbitration Court proceedings against PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) on charges of falsifying its 2002-2004 audits of former oil giant Yukos was relatively quiet. The composition of the three-person panel was approved, with PWC and the prosecution each bein [...] |
2007-02-15 13:22:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON RS |
| 07MOSCOW666 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, Kirishinefteorgsintez, Kirishi, Russia. The company is listed on BIS [...] |
2007-02-15 14:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW667 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: WORLD HUNTING [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, World Hunting Technology Ltd., St. Petersburg, Russia. The company i [...] |
2007-02-15 14:01:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW668 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: ARGON LLC, [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, Argon LLC, Balakovo, Russia. The company is listed on BIS license ap [...] |
2007-02-15 14:01:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW669 |
EXTRANCHECK: PRE-LICENSE CHECK: ENERGOCASCAD, [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel requested a Pre-license check to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end-user, Energocascad, Moscow, Russia. The company is listed on BIS license a [...] |
2007-02-15 14:01:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW670 |
EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: [...] Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. 2. Reftel 1 requested a Post-shipment verification to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end- user, Eurochim Spb, St. Petersburg, Russia. The company is lis [...] |
2007-02-15 14:02:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP ETRD ETTC RS |
| 07MOSCOW673 |
THE CHECHEN PRESIDENCY: KADYROV PROPOSES, BUT [...] (C) Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov, seeking to be president, is pushing hard against President Alu Alkhanov. Kadyrov aims either to force Alkhanov to make way for him and resign, or to persuade Putin to remove Alkhanov. Press articles inspired by one or another side appear frequently b [...] |
2007-02-15 14:22:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PTER MOPS RS |
| 07MOSCOW674 |
RUSSIA-MOLDOVA: TIME OUT ON TRANSNISTRIA [...] (C) Russia and Moldova began negotiating a package in secret after the reconciliation last August between SIPDIS Presidents Putin and Voronin. The package included the status of Transnistria within a neutral Moldova, the modalities of governance and peacekeeping, and assurances that Transn [...] |
2007-02-15 14:23:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PBTS MARR OSCE MD RS |
| 07MOSCOW677 |
RUSSIANS SUPPORT AFRICAN UNION FORCE IN SOMALIA [...] (C) On February 15 we delivered reftel points to Oleg Dadayev, chief of the MFA's Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea Section, urging support for an African Union force in Somalia. Dadayev said the GOR would support an African Union Force as well as the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia. [...] |
2007-02-15 15:16:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | KPKO MOPS PHUM PREL EUN SO RS |
| 07MOSCOW692 |
RE-SHUFFLE ADVANCES SUCCESSION PROCESS [...] (C) President Putin's late February 15 government re-shuffle has brought presidential contender Sergey Ivanov to the same starting line as his rival Dmitriy Medvedev, relieved him of the albatross that is the Ministry of Defense, and given him issues that could potentially resonate with the Ru [...] |
2007-02-16 12:02:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR RS |
| 07MOSCOW693 |
PUTIN DISPOSES: ALKHANOV DISMISSED, KADYROV ACTING [...] (C) President Putin dismissed Chechen President Alu Alkhanov late February 15, acting before the escalating tensions between Alkhanov and strongman PM Ramzan Kadyrov (Ref. A) got out of hand. Alkhanov was given a sinecure as Deputy Justice Minister. 2. (C) Putin named Kadyrov acting Presid [...] |
2007-02-16 12:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PTER MOPS RS |
| 07MOSCOW695 |
NGOS: SILVER LINING BUT A LOOMING DARK CLOUD [...] (C) SUMMARY: After initial difficulties in getting re-registered, our U.S. and foreign NGO contacts have resumed normal activities and express little concern over the follow-on reporting requirements. The Federal Registration Service (FRS) surprisingly has even expressed interest in working [...] |
2007-02-16 12:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM EAID RS |
| 07MOSCOW697 |
RUSSIA: KHODORKOVSKIY/LEBEDEV CHARGES DETAILED [...] (C) Summary. Russia's Attorney General has charged Mikhail Khodorkovskiy and Platon Lebedev with two counts of embezzlement and two counts of money-laundering (under Articles 160 and 174 of the Russian Criminal Code), which carry a maximum sentence of 15 and 10 years, respectively. The case i [...] |
2007-02-16 12:53:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW705 |
PUTIN'S MUNICH SPEECH: ONE WEEK LATER [...] (C) Summary: One week after delivery, Putin's Munich speech continues to draw praise among Russian analysts as a direct expression of Moscow's foreign policy views and a needed corrective to Western assumptions which take Russian interests for granted. Among Moscow experts, there was littl [...] |
2007-02-16 15:04:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV RS |
| 07MOSCOW707 |
RUSSIA: OVERSIGHT AGENCY HEAD TAKES STOCK [...] (C) SUMMARY. During a February 14 discussion with the Ambassador, Rostekhnadzor Director Pulikovskiy said Russia will focus on training and safety when it expands its nuclear energy network. No one wants to repeat the "bitter experience" of Chornobyl, he said. He looks forward to a product [...] |
2007-02-16 15:13:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PREL ETRD PARM RU KS KN |
| 07MOSCOW749 |
CONGRESSMAN LANTOS' MEETING WITH FM LAVROV [...] (SBU) Summary: Congressman Tom Lantos, meeting with FM Lavrov February 19, underlined the importance of building strong ties between Russia and the U.S. by reinvigorating links between legislators and working together on issues like nuclear nonproliferation. Lavrov welcomed closer legislati [...] |
2007-02-21 11:34:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV OREP RS |
| 07MOSCOW753 |
HIRC Chairman Lantos Meeting with Russian Security Council [...] (SBU) Summary: In a February 19 meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Ivanov, HIRC Chairman Lantos announced his intent to introduce legislation repealing Jackson-Vanik and inaugurate a formal congressional working group with Russian Duma Chairman of the International Relations Com [...] |
2007-02-21 12:47:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV OREP RS |
| 07MOSCOW754 |
IRAN: SANCTIONS DECREE SUBJECT OF INTERAGENCY [...] (C) We discussed reftel requests regarding implementation of UNSCR 1737 (Iran) with Vladimir Safronkov, Chief of the UN Political Affairs Section in the MFA's International Organizations Department. Safronkov told us that a draft presidential decree necessary to implement the sanctions regim [...] |
2007-02-21 13:03:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM KNNP EFIN ETTC KTFN IR RS |
| 07MOSCOW770 |
MISSILE DEFENSE INTERCEPTOR LAUNCH NOTIFICATION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-02-22 13:39:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR MNUC OPRC PARM PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW774 |
RUSSIA: PROSECUTORS COMPLETE KHODORKOVSKIY [...] (C) Summary. On February 16, the Russian General Prosecutor's Office announced that it had completed the preliminary investigation in the new criminal case against Mikhail Khodorkovskiy and Platon Lebedev (Reftel). The case file will now be turned over to the defendants and their lawyers for [...] |
2007-02-22 14:07:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KCRM KJUS PGOV PREL RS |
| 07MOSCOW777 |
BOSNIA: RUSSIANS NOT KEEN ON EXTENDING OFFICE OF [...] (C) Vadim Gorelov, Chief of the MFA's Bosnia and Herzegovina Affairs Section, told us February 21 that the GOR would not be able agree to extend the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner (OHC) at the February 26-27 Peace Implementations Council's Steering Committee meeting. Gorelov s [...] |
2007-02-22 16:00:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BK RS |
| 07MOSCOW78 |
ISKANDER-E MISSILE FOR LIBYA: RUSSIA HEDGES ON [...] (S) On January 11 we conveyed to the MFA U.S interest (ref) in a technical experts meeting in Moscow before January 29 to discuss issues relating to Libya's possible purchase of the Iskander-E missile. Sergey Petlyakov, Chief of the Arms Technology and Transfer Division of the Foreign Ministr [...] |
2007-01-11 14:56:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | PARM PREL MCAP KNNP LY UK RS |
| 07MOSCOW81 |
RUSSIA ENERGY: PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS' TAX CASE [...] (SBU) The Moscow Arbitration Court judge in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Yukos case reftel has twice in two days delayed a ruling on PWC's request for extension. At a January 10 hearing, the judge postponed by one day a decision on the extension, as well as a request for arbitration by P [...] |
2007-01-11 16:20:00 | Embassy Moscow | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON EINV RS |
| 07MOSCOW825 |
RUSSIAN MFA CITES DIP NOTE ON SMUGGLED HEU SAMPLE [...] (S) As instructed by REF A, we met February 26 with Mikhail Kondratenkov, of the MFA's Department of Disarmament and Security Affairs (DVBR), and asked him to clarify Moscow's purported request to the Georgian Government for an additional sample of the HEU that was seized in Georgia in Februa [...] |
2007-02-27 15:10:00 | Embassy Moscow | SECRET | KNNP MNUC ENRG PARM ASEC |
| 07MOSCOW827 |
RUSSIA: THE CASE FOR LIMITED U.S. FUNDING OF RFFE [...] (C) The U.S. Mission strongly supports continued limited USG funding for the Russian Foundation for Free Elections (RFFE) under its existing grant. U.S. monies would be used only to train election observers and to operate a voter hotline. While RFFE does receive some government support, cont [...] |
2007-02-27 16:27:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID KDEM PREL PGOV PHUM RS |
| 07MOSCOW828 |
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HAMAS VISIT, SYRIA, AND IRAQ [...] (C) Summary: Deputy Foreign Minister Saltanov told the Ambassador February 27 that the MFA saw Hamas as evolving in its views on Israel following a February 26-27 Moscow visit by Hamas Politburo Chief Mishal. While Mishal was not willing to directly address publicly the question of recogni [...] |
2007-02-27 16:37:00 | Embassy Moscow | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPAL |