Cablegate: Finnish Response - Demarche On Possible Russian

VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHE #0067 0461314
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 151314Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4069
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0117
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0012
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0035
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0741
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 0197
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 0027

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000067

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PREL GG RU FI
SUBJECT: FINNISH RESPONSE - DEMARCHE ON POSSIBLE RUSSIAN
RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA

REF: SECSTATE 14840

Classified By: POLCHIEF GREG THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

(C) PolChief delivered subject demarche Feb. 15 to Antti
Vanska, Deputy Director of the Finnish MFA Unit for Russia.
The GoF views Russian unilateral recognition of Abkhazia as
unlikely. Some Russian officials had suggested months ago
that they might consider recognizing Abkhazia, "back when
they still thought they could derail the Kosovo independence
process," Vanska said. Now that the Kosovo process has
advanced, however, this possibility has diminished. Russian
FM Lavrov recently stated publicly that Russia would gain
nothing by recognizing Abkhazia, Vanska said, adding that the
GoF has heard suggestions along similar lines from Russian
officials in private.
HYATT

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