Cablegate: Mission Usnato

VZCZCXRO1591
PP RUEHDBU RUEHSL
DE RUEHNO #0004 0061043
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 061043Z JAN 10
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3760
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE
RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

S E C R E T USNATO 000004
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO RS
REF: 09 USNATO 595

Classified By: Political Advisor Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4 (b/d).

1. (S) A usually reliable source on January 5 conveyed
additional details to us about NATO SYG Anders Fogh
Rasmussen,s December 17 interactions in Moscow with
President Medvedev and PM Putin that were not reflected in
the SYG,s report on the visit (reftel). Based on
information from someone present at the Moscow meetings, the
source reported that while Russian President Medvedev was
polite, neither he nor PM Putin had expressed any real
interest in cooperating with NATO. Putin allegedly told
Rasmussen that NATO no longer has a purpose and it was in
Russias interest that NATO no longer exist.

2. (S) The source claimed that in the SYG meeting with the
PM, Putin had not let Rasmussen sit down before challenging
him with the allegation that NATO planned to put missiles in
Bulgaria, and demanding further information. This reportely
threw the SYG off balance, although the source did not
indicate how he responded.

3. (C) Private Office Deputy Director Signe Brudeset
maintained the same positive tone as the SYG,s trip report,
when queried whether START or missile defense were discussed
during the Moscow visit. PM Putin and President Medvedev
focused on the European Security Initiative, she said, adding
that FM Lavrov had observed that Russia was not in debt to
the United States for the U.S. change in missile defense
plans in the Czech Republic and Poland. In her view,
Medvedev and Putin had decided for the time being to try to
"play ball" with NATO to see if it could be useful or
beneficial to Russia.
HEFFERN

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