VZCZCXYZ0024
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #3763 3651400
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301400Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1384
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 2035
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2153
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0218
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1204
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1922
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0452

UNCLAS MOSCOW 003763 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT KCRM MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN MFA UNDECIDED ON LEAD DEPARTMENT FOR 
SOMALI PIRACY CONTACT GROUP MEETING 
 
REF: A. STATE 133199 
     ¶B. STATE 133750 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  In response to reftel requests, Post sent 
invitations for the January 13-14, 2009 inaugural meeting of 
the Contact Group on Somalia Piracy (CGSP) in New York and 
the January 13 pre-meeting of key countries to the Legal, 
International Organizations, and North Americas Departments 
of the Russian Foreign Ministry.  According to our contacts 
in the International Organizations Department, the MFA has 
not yet decided which of its departments will have lead 
responsibility for the piracy issue.  It is possible that the 
Department of New Threats and Challenges, which already has 
experience with special operations such as counter-terrorism 
and counter-narcotics issues, may be given the portfolio. 
Our contacts indicated that the MFA will let the U.S. know, 
most likely through the Russian UN mission in New York, as 
soon as a decision is made on who will lead the Russian 
delegation to the CGSP meeting. 
 
¶2.  (U)  The Russian government is closed for a long official 
holiday January 1 - 9, 2009. 
RUBIN