VZCZCXRO7896
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #3778/01 3661257
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311257Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1405
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 003778 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PARM KNNP OREP RS
SUBJECT: KOSACHEV MEETS CODEL TAUSCHER: MORE DIALOGUE NEEDED 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Duma International Relations Committee Chair 
Konstantin Kosachev told CODEL Tauscher on December 16 that 
parliamentary dialogue between the U.S. and Russia needed to be 
revitalized.  He suggested that the Duma International Relations and 
Defense Committees should meet with the House of Representatives' 
Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees in a "Parliamentary 
2 Plus 2" format.  He said the U.S. and Russia should cooperate more 
on short- and medium-range missile defense (MD), and argued that 
deploying MD systems in Poland and the Czech Republic would not 
alter the balance of power in Europe, but would erode trust between 
the U.S. and Russia.  He also suggested parliamentarians in the 
U.S., Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic should meet to discuss 
MD.  Kosachev noted the GOR could support sanctions to prevent Iran 
from developing nuclear weapons, but the IAEA should conduct 
inspections first.  According to Kosachev, NATO enlargement did not 
threaten Russian security, but did cause problems in other areas 
such as Afghanistan.  He also indicated the START Treaty would not 
be extended, and U.S. proposals for cutting nuclear forces would 
leave Russia at a strategic disadvantage.  The Conventional Forces 
in Europe (CFE) Treaty could not be salvaged as long as it was 
linked to the Istanbul Commitments because Abkhazia and South 
Ossetia were now independent countries.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
The Parliamentary 2 Plus 2 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a December 16 meeting with Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), 
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Doug 
Lamborn (R-CO), staff members, and the DCM, Duma International 
Relations Committee Chair Konstantin Kosachev argued that 
parliamentary dialogue between Russia and the U.S. was not going 
well.  He said the U.S. and Russian parliamentarians should consult 
more, and suggested that the Duma International Relations and 
Defense Committees should meet with the House of Representatives' 
Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees.  This 
"Parliamentary 2 Plus 2" could discuss a wide range of issues that 
affect the U.S. and Russia, and in the process build much-needed 
trust.  Kosachev added that there was much press interest in CODEL 
Tauscher's visit because it was "so unusual for our parliamentarians 
to meet."  He said he hoped one day it would be a normal occurrence. 
 
 
------------------------------------ 
Need To Cooperate On Missile Defense 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Calling MD a "unique issue in U.S.-Russian relations," 
Kosachev said the U.S. and Russia should cooperate to build a joint 
MD system to counter short- and medium-range missiles.  This 
cooperation could take place only if the U.S. did not more forward 
on its plans for long-range missile defense. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Kosachev conceded that placing ten interceptor missiles in 
Poland will not alter the balance of power in Europe.  He argued 
that it does, however, erode trust and confidence between the U.S. 
and Russia.  He rejected arguments that proposed MD sites in Poland 
and the Czech Republic do not pose a threat to Russian security, as 
Iranian missiles can reach only the Black Sea and therefore do not 
yet pose a threat to the United States.  "The U.S. makes up threats 
and then counters them," he argued.  He also expressed GOR concerns 
that the U.S. plans to develop a world-wide MD system to neutralize 
Russia's nuclear arsenal. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Kosachev criticized the U.S. approach to MD as not 
transparent.  He complained that the U.S. told Russia to talk to 
Poland and the Czech Republic regarding access to inspect MD sites. 
He also urged parliamentarians from Russia, the U.S., Poland, and 
the Czech Republic to hold MD discussions. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Iran:  Sanctions Not Yet The Answer 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Kosachev argued that the GOR could, in theory, support 
using a harsh sanctions regime to prevent Iran from developing 
nuclear weapons, "but we are not there yet."  He said the IAEA must 
conduct inspections in Iran before the UN Security Council should 
consider sanctions on Iran.  In any event, he added, sanctions often 
prove ineffective. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Russia Not Threatened By NATO Enlargement 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Kosachev posited that Russia does not feel threatened by 
NATO enlargement.  He said the GOR does not wish to rid Europe of 
NATO or U.S. soldiers.  NATO's enlargement does, however, pose 
problems in places like Afghanistan, he argued.  Kosachev complained 
that, because Afghan stabilization is a NATO project, Russia does 
 
MOSCOW 00003778  002 OF 002 
 
 
not effectively participate. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Kosachev said that NATO is a "comfortable" forum for the 
U.S., but it is not comfortable for Russia.  He said that the NATO 
does not take Russia's concerns seriously, and that is why Putin's 
February 10, 2007, Munich speech was so harsh.  Kosachev said that 
Putin told former Bavarian Minister-President Edmund Stoiber the 
only way to get the West to listen to Russia was to use such tough 
language. 
 
-------------------------- 
Plans For Life After START 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Kosachev told CODEL Tauscher that the START Treaty would 
not be extended; this, he said, had been agreed to at the November 
Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission meeting in Geneva.  He 
expressed GOR concerns that U.S. proposals for cutting nuclear 
arsenals would leave Russia at a strategic disadvantage.  "Strategic 
forces must be cut in a fair way," he argued. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
The Conventional Forces In Europe Treaty 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Kosachev expressed his doubts that an agreement could be 
reached on the CFE Treaty.  He said, "CFE is ruined, and I doubt 
anyone in Russia or the U.S. cares."  He said linking CFE with the 
Istanbul Commitments was simply not practical, as "the situation in 
Georgia has changed" and Abkhazia and South Ossetia were now 
independent.  He expressed hope, however, that a solution in Moldova 
could be found. 
 
¶11. (U) The delegation did not clear this message. 
 
BEYRLE