This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 002613 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: 06/09/10 
TAGS: PREL FI FI EUN RUPREL EUN RU
SUBJECT: FINNISH PRESIDENT HALONEN'S JUNE 7 
MEETING WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR EDELMAN REASONS 1.5 
(B AND D) 
 
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SUMMARY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HELSIN  02613  01 OF 02  121416Z 
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¶1. (C) FINNISH PRESIDENT TARJA HALONEN TRAVELED TO 
MOSCOW JUNE 7 FOR THE FINLAND-RUSSIA SUMMIT AND HER 
FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN.  THE MAIN 
PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS TO PROVIDE THE LEADERS AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO SIZE EACH OTHER UP.  OVERALL THE FINNS 
WERE IMPRESSED WITH PUTIN'S GRASP OF THE ISSUES, AND 
(AT LEAST ACCORDING TO FINNISH OFFICIALS) THE RUSSIANS 
WITH FINLAND'S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT.  HALONEN 
DELIVERED THE FIRM MESSAGE TO PUTIN THAT MANY OF 
RUSSIA'S POLICIES, FOR EXAMPLE IN CHECHNYA AND SERBIA, 
WERE INCONSISTENT WITH FUNDAMENTAL DEMOCRATIC AND HUMAN 
RIGHTS PRINCIPLES SHARED BY THE TRANSATLANTIC COMMUNITY 
TO WHICH RUSSIA ASPIRED. 
 
¶2. (C) HALONEN ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE TO THE 
EU-RUSSIA RELATIONSHIP OF THE IMMINENT EU MEMBERSHIP OF 
ESTONIA, LATVIA, AND LITHUANIA AND THE SUBSEQUENT 
LENGTHENING OF THE RUSSIA-EU BORDER.  PUTIN LAUNCHED 
INTO AN ATTACK ON THE BALTICS AND THEIR TREATMENT OF 
THE RUSSIAN MINORITIES. 
 
¶3. (C) ACCORDING TO FINNISH OFFICIALS WHO ACCOMPANIED 
PRESIDENT HALONEN, RUSSIAN VIEWS OF THE JUST-ENDED 
U.S.-RUSSIA SUMMIT TRACKED WITH WHAT THEY HAD HEARD 
FROM US.  FM IVANOV SEEMED UPBEAT ABOUT THE SUMMIT, BUT 
PUTIN APPEARED CONTENTIOUS AND SAID THAT A U.S. 
DECISION TO GO FORWARD WITH NMD WOULD UNLEASH AN ARMS 
RACE. END SUMMARY 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HELSIN  02613  01 OF 02  121416Z 
¶4. (C) IN ACCORD WITH THE AGREEMENT POTUS AND PRESIDENT 
HALONEN MADE DURING HALONEN'S RECENT VISIT TO 
WASHINGTON, HALONEN'S CHIEF OF STAFF JAAKKO KALELA GAVE 
AMBASSADOR EDELMAN A QUICK READ-OUT OF THE HALONEN- 
PUTIN SUMMIT IN MOSCOW ON JUNE 7.  MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR 
GENERAL FOR RUSSIA AND NIS RENE NYBERG ELABORATED ON 
THE VISIT JUNE 9, SHARING WITH US BOTH THE GOF'S 
REPORT TO OTHER EU MEMBERS (VIA COREU) AND A MORE 
DETAILED, INTERNAL GOF REPORT (PLEASE PROTECT). 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
RUSSIA'S POLICIES AT ODDS WITH WESTERN VALUES 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) PUTIN WAS VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN TAKING THE 
MEASURE OF HALONEN. THEIR DISCUSSION CENTERED ON 
CHECHNYA, KOSOVO/SERBIA, AND IRAQ.  HALONEN STRESSED 
THAT RUSSIAN POLICY IN ALL THESE AREAS PUT THEM AT ODDS 
WITH BASIC EU PRINCIPLES.  REFLECTINQ THEIR TRAINING AS 
LAWYERS, AT TIMES THE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO 
GAVE THE APPEARANCE OF TWO ATTORNEYS PLEADING THE CASE 
FOR THEIR CLIENTS.  KALELA SAID THIS WAS NOT A 
DISCUSSION OF "FACTS BUT VALUES."  ACCORDING TO KALELA 
(WHO HAS BEEN CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE LAST THREE FINNISH 
PRESIDENTS) HALONEN HELD HER OWN WITH PUTIN WHO, AT ONE 
POINT, EXCLAIMED "YOU ARE A VERY DANGEROUS WOMAN." 
NYBERG CONFIRMED THAT HALONEN MADE THE SAME GENERAL 
IMPRESSION ON THE OTHER RUSSIAN OFFICIALS PARTICIPATING 
IN THE PLENARY SESSION. 
 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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PUTIN'S RUDE WARNING TO FINNS: DON'T DISCUSS KARELIA 
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¶6. (C) PUTIN RAISED THE ISSUE OF THE TERRITORY FINLAND 
WAS FORCED TO CEDE TO THE SOVIET UNION AFTER WORLD WAR 
II (KARELIA) IN THE PRIVATE SESSION. 
 
--   NOTE: THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL ISSUE FOR MANY 
     FINNS.  OVER 400,000 KARELIANS LEFT THEIR HOMES IN 
     THE CEDED TERRITORIES AND WERE RESETTLED 
     THROUGHOUT FINLAND.  IT REMAINS A TOPIC OF LIVELY 
     PUBLIC DEBATE AND EVEN PLAYED A PART IN THE RECENT 
     FINNISH PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. END NOTE 
 
PUTIN SAID THAT CONTINUED DISCUSSION IN FINLAND ABOUT 
THE POSSIBLE RETROCESSION OF KARELIA TO FINLAND COULD 
DAMAGE THE RUSSIAN-FINNISH BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP.  HE 
SAID THAT IN HIS PERSONAL OPINION, STALIN HAD MADE A 
MISTAKE BY INVADING FINLAND DURING THE WINTER WAR. 
"RUSSIA HAD ENOUGH TERRITORY AND DIDN'T NEED MORE TO 
DEFEND ITSELF."  BUT NONETHELESS, IN HIS VIEW, WHAT WAS 
DONE WAS DONE AND THE TERRITORIAL BORDER BETWEEN 
FINLAND AND RUSSIA COULD NOT NOW BE UNDONE.  HE 
EXPLICITLY LINKED THE STATUS OF KARELIA TO THE 
SITUATION OF THE JAPANESE NORTHERN TERRITORIES AND 
ADDUCED THAT DISPUTE AS THE MAIN REASON WHY RUSSIA 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1445 
 
PAGE 01        HELSIN  02613  02 OF 02  121416Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  SMEC-00  INL-01 
      DODE-00  DOEE-00  ANHR-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00   FBIE-00 
      VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00 
      MCO-01   VCE-00   MOFM-04  MOF-03   M-00     AC-01    DCP-01 
      NRRC-00  NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OMB-01   PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00   SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    TRSE-00 
      T-00     USIE-00  SA-00    R-00     SNIS-00  NISC-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00   SWCI-00    /017W 
                  ------------------61C8AD  121417Z /38 
O 121359Z JUN 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1970 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HELSINKI 002613 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: 06/09/10 
TAGS: PREL FI FI EUN RUPREL EUN RU
SUBJECT: FINNISH PRESIDENT HALONEN'S JUNE 7 
MEETING WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN 
 
COULD NOT NOW LOOK AT ANY ADJUSTMENT WITH FINLAND. 
 
¶7. (C) HALONEN SAID THAT HER POSITION ON THE ISSUE WAS 
CLEAR: SHE DID NOT ADVOCATE REOPENINQ THE KARELIA 
QUESTION.  FINNISH VOTERS KNEW THAT WHEN THEY ELECTED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HELSIN  02613  02 OF 02  121416Z 
HER.  STILL, SHE COULD NOT PREVENT OTHER FINNS FROM 
EXPRESSING THEIR VIEWS.  PUTIN SAID HE HAD NO INTENTION 
OF RAISING THE ISSUE IN PUBLIC.  IN THE EVENT, IT WAS 
THE ONE QUESTION THAT THE FINNISH PRESS RAISED DURING 
THE PRESIDENTS' JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE.  PUTIN, WHO WAS 
SURPRISED, PERHAPS EVEN SHOCKED, BY THE QUESTION, GAVE 
A RESPONSE WHICH KALELA CHARACTERIZED AS "QUITE TOUGH, 
EVEN BRUTAL."  (THE FINNISH PRESS REPORTED THAT PUTIN 
SAID RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND FINLAND HAD BEEN 
QUITE GOOD FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS BUT THAT A DISCUSSION 
OF KARELIA COULD "DESTROY" THOSE GOOD RELATIONS.) 
 
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HALONEN DISMISSES PUTIN'S JUSTIFICATION FOR FORCE IN 
CHECHNYA 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶8. (C) PUTIN REPEATEDLY BROUGHT THE CONVERSATION BACK 
TO CHECHNYA, ARGUING THAT "YOU FINNS DEFENDED 
YOURSELVES DURING THE WINTER WAR.  WHY DON'T WE 
RUSSIANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST 
TERRORISM IN CHECHNYA?"  HALONEN'S RESPONSE WAS VERY 
DIRECT. "I JUST DON'T BUY THAT LINE OF ARGUMENT," SHE 
REPORTEDLY TOLD PUTIN. 
 
--------------------------------- 
PUTIN CRUDELY ATTACKS THE BALTICS 
--------------------------------- 
¶9. (C) ACCORDING TO NYBERG, PUTIN ATTACKED THE BALTICS, 
DRAWING ON FAR-FETCHED CLAIMS AND OUTRIGHT LIES.  PUTIN 
SAID THAT THE ESTONIANS "WERE STILL MAKING TERRITORIAL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HELSIN  02613  02 OF 02  121416Z 
CLAIMS AGAINST RUSSIA." HE ACCUSED THE BALTICS OF 
BLATANT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE RUSSIAN SPEAKING 
MINORITIES.  PUTIN ASKED, "DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE 
BALTICS TO DRIVE OUT THE RUSSIAN POPULATION ONLY TO 
MAKE ROOM (PRESUMABLY WHEN IN THE EU) FOR KURD AND 
ALBANIAN REFUGEES?" 
 
¶10. (C) HALONEN TOLD PUTIN THAT BOTH FINLAND AND THE EU 
TAKE SERIOUSLY THE PRINCIPLE OF FAIR TREATMENT FOR 
MINORITIES, ESPECIALLY IN EU COUNTRIES AND PROSPECTIVE 
EU MEMBERS.  TO UNDERLINE THIS, SHE ALLUDED TO THE 
SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH THE EU-14 HAD VIEWED THE 
PARTICIPATION OF THE FREEDOM PARTY IN THE AUSTRIAN 
GOVERNMENT -- AN EU MEMBER.  HALONEN NOTED THAT THE 
BALTICS WERE COMPLYINQ WITH OSCE RECOMMENDATIONS 
REGARDINQ SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND THAT FINLAND WAS 
CONTINUING TO HELP THESE COUNTRIES PREPARE FOR EU 
MEMBERSHIP AND ESPECIALLY IN HELPING BUILD UP RULE OF 
LAW.  RESPONDING TO PUTIN'S STATEMENT ABOUT ESTONIA'S 
"TERRITORIAL CLAIMS," SHE REMINDED HIM THAT ALREADY 
DURING PRIMAKOV'S TENURE, PRIMAKOV HAD ASKED HER AS 
THEN FOREIQN MINISTER TO FACILITATE THE TALKS ON A 
BORDER TREATY BETWEEN ESTONIA AND RUSSIA. 
 
---------------------- 
PUTIN POLEMICAL ON NMO 
---------------------- 
 
¶11. (C) KALELA SAID THAT DURINQ THE KREMLIN DINNER HE 
SAT NEXT TO FM IVANOV, WHO BRIEFED HIM ON THE CLINTON- 
PUTIN SUMMIT IN ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME TERMS THAT THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HELSIN  02613  02 OF 02  121416Z 
AMBASSADOR HAD BRIEFED KALELA AND VALTASAARI BEFORE 
THEIR TRIP TO MOSCOW.  THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HAD BEEN 
THAT IVANOV WAS VERY UPBEAT AND OPTIMISTIC, RATHER THAN 
STRICTLY FACTUAL IN HIS BRIEFING.  PUTIN'S CONVERSATION 
WITH HALONEN ON THE SUBJECT AT DINNER WAS SLIGHTLY MORE 
"POLEMICAL."  IN DISCUSSING NMO HE HAD TAKEN AN ALMOST 
THREATENING TONE, SAYING THAT AN AMERICAN DEPLOYMENT 
COULD CAUSE A "NEW ARMS RACE."  HE HAD NONETHELESS 
EXPRESSED HIS SATISFACTION WITH THE SUMMIT MEETING WITH 
POTUS AND SAID HIS RELATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT WERE 
"QUITE GOOD." 
 
---------------------------------- 
PUTIN'S GRASP OF ISSUES IMPRESSIVE 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (C) ALL OF THE FINNS WERE QUITE IMPRESSED BY THE 
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PUTIN AND YELTSIN.  PUTIN WAS VERY 
MUCH ON TOP OF HIS BRIEF.  HE SPOKE FLUENTLY AND 
LUCIDLY WITHOUT ANY NOTES.  STATE SECRETARY VALTASAARI 
NOTED THAT PUTIN WAS ABLE TO NAME ALL 26 FINNISH- 
RUSSIAN BORDER CROSSINQS (INCLUDINQ THE 4 UNDER 
CONSTRUCTION) WHICH EVEN THE FINNS COULD NOT HAVE DONE 
WITHOUT NOTES. 
 
EDELMAN