VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #1775 2930528
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200528Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4243
INFO RUEHXQ/ALL EUROPEAN UNION POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 2008
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

UNCLAS MOSCOW 011775 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/IPE AND EUR/RUS HOLMAN; 
STATE PLS PASS USTR FOR ESPINEL, ERRION, COLLEY, MCCOY, 
FIELDS; 
USDOC FOR 4231/IEP/EUR JBROUGHER, MEDWARDS; 4110/SWILSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA IPR: OUTSPOKEN LIBERAL LEGISLATOR ON CIVIL 
CODE PART IV 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Not 
intended for Internet distribution. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Summary.  Federation Council Senator Ludmila 
Narusova shares our sense that the Duma will likely pass a 
flawed Part IV of the Civil Code this fall.  She intends to 
speak to Putin about her concerns, but warned that he keeps 
his own counsel.  The relevant Duma Committee met to consider 
proposed draft amendments October 19.  End Summary. 
 
¶3.  (U)  EconOffs met October 18 with Ludmila Narusova to 
discuss Part IV of the Civil Code.  Narusova is the widow of 
former St. Petersburg mayor and friend of Putin, Anatoliy 
Sobchak.  As Chair of the Federation Council's Committee on 
Information Policy, Narusova has been an outspoken critic of 
Part IV.  During the October 5 Duma hearing on the draft 
legislation, she challenged the drafters' assertion that 
international experts didn't understand Russia's situation, 
and called on the Duma to take its time in considering the 
law. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Narusova opined that the deputies are following the 
old Soviet tradition of rushing to carry out the perceived 
wish of the country's leader without questioning the 
substance of the proposal.  While agreeing that Part IV 
should conform to WTO and other international IP standards, 
she nevertheless expects a quick adoption of the flawed 
legislation and a lengthy amendment process down the road. 
She intends to speak to Putin about the problems in Part IV 
soon.  She cautioned, however, that the President keeps his 
own counsel and has ignored her advice in the past. 
 
¶5.  (SBU Comment.  On Part IV of the Civil Code, Narusova and 
many other politicians agree that hasty passage of a flawed 
text will only provoke a lengthy revision effort. 
Surprisingly few, however, are willing to predict that common 
sense will prevail and consideration of the draft text will 
be slowed down for a thorough examination. The Embassy will, 
however, continue to keep pressing for just that. 
BURNS