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DE RUEHMZ #0317/01 2680620
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O 240620Z SEP 08
FM AMCONSUL MUNICH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4506
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0326
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0098
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0034
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUNICH 000317 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS NSC, AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE, MOSCOW 
COLLECTIVE, JOINT STAFF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2018 
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV EFIN US RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA/COUNTERTERRORISM:  RUSSIAN PLEDGES ETERNAL 
FRIENDSHIP; MAKES SMALL COMMITMENTS 
 
REF: A. REF MOSCOW 1865 
     ¶B. USOSCE DAILY DIGEST SEPTEMBER 17 
     ¶C. 2008 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Dell Dailey, S/CT, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: Ambassador Anatoliy Safonov and Ambassador 
Dell Dailey, coordinators of counterterrorism efforts by the 
Russian Federation and the United States, met privately in 
Munich on September 17 to discuss counterterrorism issues. 
Safonov took pains to confirm that bilateral relationship was 
intact "even with cold winds blowing."  Although Russia said 
it missed having U.S. participation at the September 4 
informal luncheon in New York to promote Russian 
public-private partnerships, he said the recent 
counterterrorism meeting on public-private partnerships at 
OSCE in Vienna went well.  Safonov agreed seriously to 
consider participating soon in a training demonstration by 
the Federal Air Marshals, as long as it was planned in 
conjunction with other business in Washington.  Safonov only 
acknowledged Ambassador Dailey's request that the Russians 
revive work on the comprehensive work plan covering weapons 
of mass destruction terrorism and several other areas. 
Dailey agreed to share ideas with Safonov on how the United 
States and Russia could cooperate in supporting the 
counterterrorism efforts of Pakistan.  Interestingly, Safonov 
raised no issue from the Russian side that would require USG 
action.  Georgia was not discussed.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Participating for the Russian Federation were 
Ambassador Anatoliy Safonov, Russian Special Presidential 
Representative for Counterterrorism, Vladimir Andreyev, 
Deputy Director of the Department of New Challenges and 
Threats, and for the United States, Ambassador Dell Dailey, 
Coordinator for Counterterrorism (S/CT), and Kit Traub, 
Chief, Political/Economic Section, Consulate General Munich, 
note taker.  The Russians provided an interpreter. 
 
"Durable Bond of Friendship" Supports the Working Relationship 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Safonov set a tone for the meeting that he returned 
to time and again when he said that with counterterrorism 
cooperation, the United States and Russia were engaged in "a 
business of principal importance that rises above the 
contradictions of our current circumstances."  Safonov said 
he did not want to go back to the days when the United States 
and Russia had "stared at each other through field glasses" 
and "nothing good had come of it."  "That we meet and speak 
openly in this way is very important," he said.  Throughout 
the meeting, unusually outgoing and voluble, Safonov put this 
cooperation in the context of his feelings of "personal 
friendship" with Dailey and insisted it would both endure and 
carry their counterterrorism work forward through the current 
crisis.  He said that Russia and the United States had made 
the "right strategic choice" to continue meeting over 
counterterrorism issues.  Alluding only obliquely to the 
current crisis in Russian/US relations, he poetically 
suggested it might be necessary for he and Dailey "to close 
the windows into our work room to protect us from the cold 
winds blowing around outside."  To make the point, the 
Russians presented USDel with small tokens of friendship and 
picked up the tab for what was a cordial dinner. 
 
CT Cooperation with the United States Formally 
Established by Moscow With its Embassies 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4.  (C)  Safonov said that the Russian Federation had 
instructed its Embassies to cooperate with the U.S. on 
counterterrorism matters.  Russia had also "warned critical 
third countries to waste no time trying to find holes in our 
mutual agreement to cooperate," he revealed.  Safonov said he 
regularly coordinated on counterterrorism matters with the 
Russian Ministries of Interior, Defense, Foreign Affairs, and 
Justice, Special Services, the Prosecutor General, Emergency 
Situation Service, Financial Intelligence, and Anti-drug 
Services. 
 
MUNICH 00000317  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5.  (C) Safonov pointedly noted that Russia had missed U.S. 
participation at the September 4 informal luncheon in New 
York to promote Russian public-private partnerships, but he 
said Ambassador Dailey's remarks at the Carnegie lecture had 
reassured Russia that the United States still supported 
cooperation with the Russian Federation.  Safonov said the 
United States and Russia had worked well together at the 
OSCE,s September 15-16 meeting on Public-Private 
Partnerships in Combating Terrorism (Ref. B). 
 
Safonov Agrees in Principle to Air Marshal Training; 
No Firm Commitment on WMD Work Plan 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Ambassador Dailey secured Safonov's agreement in 
principal to attend a training simulation by the Federal Air 
Marshals.  Dailey agreed to tailor the demonstration to the 
needs of the Russians and estimated it would last about 
one-half day.  Safonov said that Ambassador Kislyak, before 
he left for his new post heading the Russian Embassy in 
Washington, had encouraged him to keep working closely with 
Ambassador Dailey and encouraged him to come with a small 
group to visit Washington to continue their engagement. 
Safonov's only caveat was that the Marshals, training be 
made to coincide with other business in Washington for the 
Russian side.  Ambassador Dailey reminded Safonov that the 
USG still wanted to continue work on the comprehensive work 
plan on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Terrorism.  He 
noted that the United States understands Russia's refusal for 
now to include Consequence Management in this work.  Safonov 
acknowledged the request with a "yes, yes" without making 
firm commitments to really engage. 
 
Coordinating on Engaging Pakistan and India 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) Safonov mentioned that he will lead a delegation of 
military and special services to Pakistan in the second half 
of October and asked for USG advice on issues to raise.  "The 
U.S. and Russia remain allies on the subject of Pakistan 
because of its nuclear weapons and terrorism," he asserted. 
Ambassadors Dailey and Safonov agreed that Russia and the 
United States shared a dilemma on how to keep pressure on 
Pakistan to act against terrorist groups but not to push too 
hard politically, for fear of destabilizing President 
Musharraf in the past or new President Zardari, whom Safonov 
assessed as "even weaker than Musharraf."  Ambassador Dailey 
agreed with Safonov's assessment that Russia and the United 
States should encourage Pakistan accept the risk and engage 
its well-trained special forces against dangerous targets 
like bin Laden.  Ambassador Dailey agreed to get back to 
Safonov with suggestions on how better to engage with 
Pakistan.  Safonov will also travel to India in late October, 
he said. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Ambassador Dailey cleared this cable. 
NELSON