VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKV #0244 0360458
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050458Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KYIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7212
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0008
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS KYIV 000244 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT EINT PREL SO UP
SUBJECT:  FAINA: LETTER FROM FOREIGN MINISTER OHRYZKO 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified, please handle accordingly. 
Not for internet distribution. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Embassy was called in to the MFA Consular Department 
February 4 to receive a letter to the Secretary from Foreign 
Minister Ohryzko concerning the negotiations regarding the ship, 
Faina, held for ransom by Somali pirates.   Embassy has emailed a 
scanned copy of the original to EUR/UMB.   Begin informal Embassy 
translation: 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
 
February 3, 2009 
 
Honorable Ms. Clinton, 
 
I have the honor to address you asking for your assistance in an 
urgent matter because the lives of 20 innocent people are in 
danger. 
 
The crew of the vessel Faina has been in the captivity of Somali 
pirates for more than four months.  The crew consists of 17 citizens 
of Ukraine, two citizens of Russia and one citizen of Latvia. 
 
According to the established international practice, the owner of 
the vessel conducts the negotiations with the pirates about freeing 
of the sailors and the vessel, based on his financial solvency and 
keeping to the requirements of the Resolution of the UN Security 
Council (1851) dated December 16, 2008, which prohibits the 
excessive increase of ransom offered to the sea corsairs. 
 
Lately, the above-mentioned complicated negotiations process has 
been hindered by the active involvement into the process of Ms. 
Michele Lynn Golden-Ballarin, a U.S. citizen, DOB 08/31/1955, 
resident of Merhem, VA, an owner of the companies "Select Armour 
Inc.," "Black Star Holding," and the investment fund "Cambridge 
Wealth Management Ltd.," who is also using her developed connections 
in Somali and Great Britain. 
 
Having absolutely no authority from the owner of the vessel, the 
indicated person has become an intermediary of the sea corsairs in 
this negotiation process.  In fact, her actions incite the pirates 
to the groundless increase of the ransom sum offered by the owner of 
the vessel, thus creating an obstacle for the positive solution of 
this issue. 
 
Taking into consideration the deep concern of the Ukrainian side 
about the undesirable developments in the process of freeing 
"Faina", triggered by the actions of the abovementioned U.S. 
citizen, I address you with the request to facilitate the exclusion 
of Ms. Golden-Ballarin from the negotiation process with the 
pirates. 
 
I wish to renew my sincere assurances of the highest consideration. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
¶V. Ohryzko 
Minister 
 
Taylor