VZCZCXRO8440
RR RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUEHTL #0519/01 2250717
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130717Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0065
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TALLINN 000519 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR EUR/NB -- KATHERINE GARRY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV EN
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEEING WITH NEW FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
COMMITTEE CHAIR 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  On August 8, the Ambassador hosted a 
luncheon with Sven Mikser, Member of Parliament (MP) and 
the new Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC). 
The two discussed Estonia and the European Union's 
relations with Russia, Estonia's contributions in the 
global war on terror, and ideas on how to strengthen U.S.- 
Estonian relations.  Mikser reiterated Estonia's 
appreciation for U.S. support during its recent crisis with 
Russia, and reaffirmed the trends we have seen in 
Parliament: firm support for Afghanistan and division over 
Iraq.  Mikser believes U.S.-Estonian relations are strong, 
and is receptive to new ideas to strengthen the 
relationship.  End Summary. 
 
Russia 
------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) From the outset of the Ambassador's August 8 
introductory meeting with Sven Mikser, Social Democrat MP, 
FAC Chairman, and a former Estonian Defense Minister (2002- 
2003), the discussion focused on Russia.  Mikser said that 
since his election to the post in April, relations with 
Russia have dominated his Committee's activities and 
attention.  Mikser opined that Moscow's "over-reaction" to 
the GOE's movement of the World War II-era Bronze Soldier 
monument revealed the true colors of the Putin regime to a 
wider European audience.  While this has generated more 
discussion on a common EU stance vis--vis Russia, Mikser 
admitted that he has personally seen very little substance. 
Russia's strategy to divide EU members continues, and is 
highly effective when Russian gas and oil are involved. 
"During the German EU Presidency, Berlin said many times 
that we need a common EU energy security policy," Mikser 
said, "but the Germans continue to push the Nordstream 
pipeline to guarantee their share of Russian gas."  Mikser 
repeated the concerns of energy experts who believe 
Russia's lack of investment in upstream infrastructure will 
eventually lead to a drop in Russian energy production. 
Mikser believes Berlin most likely shares this fear, which, 
in his opinion, would explain Chancellor Merkel's continued 
support for Nordstream as an insurance policy to safeguard 
Germany's share of Russian gas in case of a drop in future 
production. 
 
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) When Parliament reconvenes in the second week of 
September, all three of Estonia's foreign mission mandates 
(e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo) will need to be 
renewed to avoid termination by the end of 2007.  Mikser 
did not foresee any difficulty renewing the Afghanistan and 
Kosovo missions, but admitted that Iraq would be a 
contentious vote.  Center Party, the largest opposition 
party in Parliament, and the People's Union Party have 
already indicated that they will furiously oppose the Iraq 
mission mandate renewal when it comes to a vote.  However, 
Mikser said that as long as there is another United Nations 
Security Council Resolution on Iraq, he believes the 
mission will be renewed.  While he admitted that the Social 
Democrats have been divided over Estonian troops serving in 
Iraq, he felt the majority of Social Democrat MPs would 
honor its coalition government agreement, ensuring the GOE 
has the votes it needs. 
 
U.S.-Estonian Relations 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Both the Ambassador and Mikser agreed that U.S.- 
Estonian relations remain strong and healthy.  Mikser said 
that U.S. support during Estonia's crisis with Russia was 
particularly important and deeply appreciated by the 
Estonian public which felt besieged.  In particular, he 
said the visit by Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves 
to the White House in June could not have come at a better 
time.  The Ambassador said that Estonia's crisis (e.g., 
economic sanctions by Russia, cyber attacks, its embassy in 
Moscow under siege) has raised the country's profile with 
the U.S. public.  The Ambassador suggested that the GOE use 
this higher profile as an opportunity to promote its 
advances in information technology, good governance, market 
reforms, and business savvy within the U.S. to lure more 
U.S. investment in Estonia and promote Estonian business 
opportunities in the U.S.  Mikser was highly receptive to 
this suggestion, and invited him to address the entire FAC 
later in the fall to further explore how to strengthen and 
deepen U.S.-Estonian relations. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment.  Several of the issues discussed at this 
meeting will be among the most pressing foreign policy 
 
TALLINN 00000519  002 OF 002 
 
 
matters that Parliament will wrestle with this fall. 
Mikser's assessment of the prospects for renewal of 
Estonia's mission mandates reaffirmed the trends we have 
seen in Parliament: firm support for Afghanistan and 
division over Iraq. 
 
PHILLIPS