R 280509Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2809
INFO MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000094 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: RS OPRC PREL
SUBJECT: NW RUSSIA REACTIONS TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S VISIT 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. Reaction to President Obama's recent Moscow 
visit generally has been positive in Northwest Russia, despite 
some lingering apprehensions about the future course of 
U.S.-Russian relations.  Local polls show the general attitude 
towards the United States in St. Petersburg following the visit 
improved slightly, although that improvement varied depending on 
the demographic category.  Most Russians we talked to here after 
the visit viewed it positively as an important bridge-building 
step.  Some local contacts, however, expressed doubts about 
whether the visit would produce any substantive, positive 
changes in U.S.-Russia relations.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) We recently discussed President Obama's July visit to 
Moscow with a well-respected political science professor from a 
university in the Arkhangelsk region.  The professor said 
Russians thought President Obama's visit had provided a useful 
foundation for improved bilateral relations.  It was evident 
that President Obama had forged a closer relationship with 
Russian President Medvedev than he had with Prime Minister 
Putin, he added, although some Russians thought that President 
Obama did so in order to drive a wedge between the "power 
tandem" of President Medvedev and PM Putin.   Nevertheless, the 
President's visit also firmly demonstrated that the United 
States wanted a strong ally to work with on an array of issues. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In our post-visit discussion with a group of local 
academics, some analysts stressed that while it appeared a 
positive relationship had developed between President Obama and 
Medvedev, PM Putin still held the key levers of power when it 
came to substantially reshaping foreign policy.  This was 
problematic, they said, since Putin had used the United States 
to his advantage in the past as a foil in order to justify his 
tightened grip on domestic policy and developments.  As a 
result, regardless of any genuine desire on either side to 
improve cooperation, Putin would not likely support 
significantly improved bilateral relations unless they would 
provide substantial benefit to Russia, while allowing his 
government's current internal policies and grip on the "vertical 
of power" to remain intact. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Most of the Consul General's contacts, including 
prominent cultural figures, academics, and other members of the 
local intelligentsia, were positive about the visit.  The 
majority, including some supporters of PM Putin, expressed the 
hope that it would lead to a more productive, balanced 
relationship.  Business leaders said they were hopeful a more 
balanced relationship would also lead to improved trade and 
investment ties between the two countries. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A prominent opposition political leader in St. 
Petersburg said he believed President Obama was a leader with 
strong and sincere beliefs regarding the positive role democracy 
could play in Russia.  He also viewed the Obama administration's 
"reset" as a refreshing departure from past USG approaches to 
Russia.  That said, he expressed disappointment with the 
President's remarks on civil society, asserting that they 
appeared to fall short in comparison to his remarks on other 
topics.  In addition, the President had not, in his view, 
emphasized strongly enough the need for greater Russian 
adherence to international human rights norms.  Although he 
believed the "reset" between the United States and Russia was an 
important step forward, he also said much work remained to be 
done to reform Russian internal policies - which he hoped the 
United States would actively support. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Media coverage specific to President Obama's visit was 
generally limited in St. Petersburg, although it did provide 
interesting insights into Russian perceptions of the visit.  One 
prominent analyst noted with approval that it was apparent 
President Obama purposefully had refrained from making his 
relationship with the Russian leadership personal, and had 
instead stuck to a clear focus on accomplishing concrete goals 
at the summit.  The analyst further asserted that it appeared 
President Obama genuinely wanted to improve the tone of 
U.S./Russia relations, and that his actions would in time 
positively alter the Russian public's perception of America. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Several discussions we had with typical St. Petersburg 
citizens, as well as a poll performed by the regional polling 
company ASI, suggested the visit only marginally affected the 
average Russian's opinion with respect to the United States. 
The positive impact of the visit was much more notable among 
younger demographic groups, with an increase of 20-30 percent 
expressing a favorable view of the U.S., according to the poll. 
These results were mirrored in our discussions with local 
citizens.  One journalism professor at a local university told 
us that the visit had been positively received by the majority 
of his students.  Older members of local families we talked to, 
however, were much more restrained in expressing positive 
feelings about America in general.  While most interlocutors 
noted a positive difference in the tone of US foreign policy 
under the new administration, most were personally ambivalent 
about Russia's relations with the US, and believed that 
political developments in Russia were best left to the 
politicians and intellectuals to guide and shape. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment. The general feeling towards the United States 
among contacts in our district, and especially among younger 
Russians, seems to have improved following President Obama's 
visit.  Though this is a move in the right direction, some 
Russians in our district continue to view the U.S. either with 
ambivalence or negatively, in large part due to the deep seated 
and long-standing cynicism regarding what America's real 
intentions are towards Russia - a cynicism aided and abetted by 
anti-American content in some local and regional press. 
 
 
GWALTNEY