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 KIEV 000593 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2016 
TAGS: PTER PREL
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR HOLDS CTAG, DISCUSSES 
GAS DEAL, IRAN 
 
Classified By: Ambassador for reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  Russian Ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin told 
a G-8(ish: see para 2) Counter-Terrorism Action Group 
gathering February 13 that he assessed the terrorist threat 
in Ukraine as low, but the Russian government had some 
concern over the presence of Chechen separatists on the 
Crimean peninsula and the possibility of separatist agitation 
among the Crimean Tatar community.  Ambassador Herbst 
observed that Crimean Tatars observed a moderate form of 
Islam and instead highlighted concerns over the activities of 
the Islamic community organization, Arraid.  Chenormyrdin 
blamed Ukraine for precipitating the natural gas crisis with 
Russia, while his guests expressed concern over the 
non-transparent involvement of RosUkrEnergo.  When 
Chernomyrdin implied the U.S. was responsible for the current 
nuclear dispute with Iran, Ambassador noted Russia's own 
culpability in providing Iran nuclear technology.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin 
invited a group of ambassadors to lunch February 13 in 
response to Russian MFA instructions to its embassies in 
countries of the former Soviet Union to hold a G-8 
Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) session.  Despite the 
rationale, the gathering did not include the Japanese but did 
include the Swiss and Spanish ambassadors. 
 
Low Terrorism Threat 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Chernomyrdin noted that G-8 countries had a common 
interest in combating the terrorism threat but the 
possibility of a significant terrorist action in Ukraine was 
fairly low.  Cooperation between the Ukrainian and Russian 
governments in combating the terrorism potential was good. 
On the law enforcement front, the Russian government was more 
concerned about the trafficking of narcotics originating in 
Europe and crossing Ukraine into Russia.  The Swiss 
ambassador agreed, saying that his government was also 
concerned about narcotics trafficking through Ukraine. 
Chernomyrdin said the Russian government was also mindful of 
the presence of Chechen separatists in Ukraine.  He claimed 
that Chechen separatists found the Crimean peninsula a 
convenient refuge for rest and recuperation.  The Russian 
government also had some concern that the Crimean Tatar 
community had some interest in gaining further political 
autonomy or something more. 
 
¶4. (C) Ambassador responded that Tatars had not been a 
problem in Ukraine.  By and large, Crimean Tatars observed a 
moderate form of Islam.  Of greater concern was the Muslim 
community organization Arraid (Ukrainian Muslim Interregional 
Association of Civic Organizations), which received financial 
and political support from Arab states of the Persian Gulf 
and manifested some anti-West, radical Islamic tendencies. 
When officials from those countries visited Ukraine, for 
example, they would meet with Arraid, but not with the more 
moderate Grand Mufti of Ukraine (who is of Lebanese origin). 
Another concern was the possibility that Hizb ut-Tahrir might 
make inroads on the Crimean peninsula.  (Comment: 
Chernomyrdin's evocation of an alleged Crimean Tatar 
separatist threat is also off-base given that the real 
agitators for Crimean separatism -- such as the group Proryv 
(Breakthrough), which set up a mock border post between 
Crimea and the rest of Ukraine in mid-January -- tend to be 
ethnic Russians, advocate reunification with Russia and are 
believed by Ukrainian officials and experts to be 
funded/directed by the Russian FSB intelligence service.) 
 
Natural Gas Arrangements 
------------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Chernomyrdin blamed Ukrainians for forcing the recent 
crisis that led to new arrangements under which Russia would 
supply natural gas to Ukraine with the March 2005 GOU 
decision to renegotiate gas supply arrangements.  The 
Ukrainians had never seriously addressed the issue until the 
final weeks of 2005, Chernomyrdin charged.  The German 
ambassador said his and other EU governments had serious 
reservations about the enhanced role for gas supply middleman 
RosUkrEnergo.  Chernomyrdin claimed the Russian side had been 
transparent but the Ukrainian side had not.  The German 
ambassador retorted that the situation was more complicated 
than Chernomyrdin's characterization.  Chernomyrdin said 
Russia's primary interest was to put the gas supply 
arrangement on a market footing.  The British, German, and 
Canadian ambassadors said that, while a desire for market 
prices was legitimate, price increases needed to be gradual. 
Chernomyrdin responded, "Your countries are rich, so why 
don't you support Ukraine." 
 
¶6. (C) Ambassador observed that, if obtaining market pricing 
was Russia's motivation, then prices of Russian gas to other 
countries, such as Belarus, should have risen, too.  If there 
had been no political overtones, then Russian television 
would not have broadcast the shut-off of the valve regulating 
the natural gas supply to Ukraine.  Chernomyrdin acknowledged 
that the broadcast should not have occurred, but it had 
happened. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶7. (C) The European ambassadors expressed their concern over 
Iran's nuclear intentions and the possibility that the 
situation could spin out of control.  When Chernomyrdin said 
that perhaps they should address their concerns to the U.S. 
ambassador, Ambassador observed that the situation with Iran 
might not have reached a point requiring action by the 
international community if some countries (i.e., Russia) had 
not agreed to provide their advanced nuclear technology to 
Iran. 
 
The Russian Residence 
--------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Note:  Chernomyrdin's residence (85/17 Vyshhorodska 
Street) is located in a nine-acre, sylvan setting, with a 
brook running through it, next to the Ukrainian foreign 
minister's official residence.  The primary residence is a 
grand country manor, while another largish house is located 
near the entrance to the grounds.  The house, which once 
belonged to a wealthy Ukrainian-American, is equipped with a 
movie theater with photographs of the likes of Clark Gable 
and Jean Harlow.  When Ambassador, tongue in cheek, remarked 
on the displays of famous Russian actors, Chernomyrdin, who 
has no ear for irony, sought to correct him, saying the 
photographs were of American actors. 
 
¶9. (U) Visit Embassy Kiev's classified website: 
www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. 
HERBST