1
500
3
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c2e3be064b91dd6af50aa3ab706627d2
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Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
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Declassified Documents Concerning Russia
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2012-1021-M
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02/04/2020
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This Mandatory Declassification Review contains material on Russian oligarchs from Transnational Threats director, Lee Wolosky. Included are email, letters, papers, and news articles. Topics include U.S. - Russian law enforcement cooperation and a Russian anti-crime and corruption initiative.
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National Security Council
Lee Wolosky
NSC Emails
NSC Transnational Threats Office (1998-2001)
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Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System
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Text
Clinton Presidential Records
Mandatory Declassification Review
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
Documents from this Mandatory Declassification Review were
released in full or released in part.
Those documents released with redactions have been restricted
under Section 1.4 (d) of E.O. 13526.
�Liechtenstein special prosecutor Spitzer ended his investigation on July 31, and
presented his report on August 31. Swiss press reports indicate that Spitzer found
indications of money laundering activities by prominent attorney Herbert Batliner,
including ties to a Latin American drug cartel (Joreg Reyes-Torres), Togo dictator
Eyadema, and Swiss-based precious metal dealer Marc Rich (indicted in U.S. courts
for racketeering, tax evasion and mail fraud).
In his final report, Spitzer wrote; "In all I can say that white-collar crime in the
principality of Liechtenstein is no different than in other European countries."
Spitzer's investigation triggered a defensive reaction from Liechtenstein's political
andfinancialleadership-particularly within its close-knit community of asset
managers. In June, Spitzer sent officers to seize documents from LGT Bank, owned
by the royal family, and several prominent citizens, including a MP and the brother of
the Deputy Prime Minister were arrested. The case sparked fears that major powersincluding the U.S. and France-could impose sanctions and hamstring the country's
role as a prime offshorefinancialcenter.
Prince Hans-Adam II and the Liechtenstein parliamentary president sounded
defensive notes in National Day speeches (Aug. 21) calling for increased national
unity and patriotism in response to "foreign" criticism.
When Spitzer was first appointed by Hans-Adam, the prince publicly announced that
he would dismiss any government minister who interfered with the special
prosecutor's investigation. Spitzer's complaints of stonewalling (by Liechtenstein law
enforcement and banking institutions) were ignored, however, by the prince and
government. Another Austrian, Robert Wollner, has been named to follow up on
Spitzer's findings.
Peter Ritter, Liechtenstein's Minister of Economics, is the brother of attorney and
SPAG/Trenton executive Rudolf Ritter, who according to the END is "an agent of
the Colombian drug cartel and Russian organized crime."
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�SECRET
2309
March 30,
1999
DECLASSIFIED IN PART
PER E. O. 13526
INFORMATION
MEMORANDUM FOR SAMUEL R. BERGER
THROUGH:
RICHARD A. CLARKE
FROM:
WILLIAM F . WECHSLER
SUBJECT:
EO 13526 1.4d
— A New Interagency Mechanism f o r
P r i o r i t i z i n g I n t e r n a t i o n a l Crime Targets
At long l a s t , the i n t e l l i g e n c e , law enforcement and national
security communities have begun working together t o establish
integrated t a r g e t i n g p r i o r i t i e s f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l organized
crime groups t h a t threaten U.S. national security (other than
those with a primary focus on drug t r a f f i c k i n g ) . Once targeted,
we w i l l enhance i n t e l l i g e n c e c o l l e c t i o n and begin new
operational i n i t i a t i v e s to arrest the leaders and disrupt the
a c t i v i t i e s o f these crime groups. This new mechanism, a major
goal of the P r e s i d e n t s International Crime Control Strategy, i s
patterned a f t e r the successful Linear
and Linkage mechanisms that c u r r e n t l y focus on drug t r a f f i c k i n g
syndicates i n L a t i n America and East Asia, respectively.
We were successful i n our e f f o r t s t o ensure that NSC i s
represented]
I the penultimate
policymaking body on'this subject. This w i l l allow NSC t o
ensure that, where necessary, issues related t o the work
w i l l be raised t o the Deputies or Principals,
NSC w i l l not be represented on
working groups that
w i l l direct s p e c i f i c law enforcement operations.
Possible Targets: Agencies are i n the process of nominating
potential t a r g e t s f o r consideration
Thus far f i v e organizations have been proposed, each of which
currently engages i n criminal operations i n the United States:
DECRET
Reason: 1.5(b) (e) (g)
D e c l a s s i f y On:
3/30/09
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�SCE
ERT
EO 13526 1 4
.d
Next Steps: By the end of A p r i l ,
complete the examination of nominated crime groups and determine
which groups should be targets f o r operations and which should
be targets f o r enhanced c o l l e c t i o n . At that point, we w i l l
inform you o f those decisions and recommend i f a Deputies or
Principals Committee meeting w i l l be necessary to review them.
Concurrences by:
Carlos Pascual, Ken Lieberthal, Susan
Braden, Erica Barks-Ruggles, Steve Ward,
Mary DeRosa
CECRET
~ U f l - o n - ' va?/o*
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�391FDE5E.FIN
Page 1 of 1
Exchange
Mail
DATE-TIME
04/21/2000 11:23:35 AM
FROM
Brzezinski, Mark F. (RUE)
CLASSIFICATION
CONFIDENTIAL •
CLASSIFICATIONREASON 1.5(d)
DATECLASSIFIEDON
04/21/2000
DECLASSIFYON
04/22/2010
SUBJECT
RE: Berezovsky [CONFIDENTIAL]
TO
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
CARBON_COPY
TEXT BODY
Extremely interesting - nothing like generating legitimacy through
charitable donations. MB
Original Message
From: Wolosky,
Lee S. (TNT)
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2000 11:23 AM
To: Brzezinski,
Mark F. (RUE)
Subject: Berezovsky ^GONFIDENTIAL]
Further to
our discussion yesterday, I learned this morning that Berezovsky
approached Princeton in connection with a major gift. I am told
that the size of the proposed gift was $8 million, and that in exchange
Princeton would agree to name a center for him. Princeton ultimately
rejected the proposal.
He might also have approached Harvard.
I am finding out more.
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
DECLASSIFIED
PER E.0.13526
3/^/15" KBK
�Page 1 of 9
39928426.FIN
Exchange
Mail
DATE-TIME
07/14/2000 8:57:28 AM
FROM
Kurtz, Paul B. (TNT)
CLASSIFICATION
•SECRET
CLASSIFICATIONREASON
1.5(c)(d)
DATECLASSIFIEDON
07/13/2000
DECLASSIFYON
07/14/2010
SUBJECT
FW: POTUS-Putin memo {SECRET}
TO
Weiss, Andrew S. (RUE)
CARBON COPY
Chen, Darren T. (INTERN/TNT)
Clarke, Richard A. (TNT)
Cressey, Roger W. (TNT)
Gordon-Hagerty, Lisa E. (TNT)
Grandrimo, Nicole M. (TNT/INTERN)
Green, Charles A. (TNT)
Hanley, Timothy P. (INTERN/TNT)
Hunker, Jeffrey A. (TNT)
Kurtz, Paul B. (TNT)
Lieberson, Donna P. (TNT)
Montgomery, Mark C. (TNT)
Mulligan, George D. (TNT)
Owens, Bernard M. Jr. (TNT/INTERN)
Pierce, Eric A. (TNT)
Robinson, Jack A. (TNT)
Rosa, Frederick M. (TNT)
Roundtree, Beverly (TNT)
Telleen, Erik K. (TNT/INTERN)
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
TEXT BODY
Andrew suggest we add a point on terrorism. See language in text.
Not sure i f l have the right name for the working group.
DECLASSIFIED
PER E.0.13526
Original
Message
From: Weiss, Andrew S. (RUE)
Sent: Thursday, July
13,2000 23:10 PM
To: @INTECON - Economic Affairs; @NONPRO - Export
Controls; Black, Steven K. (VP); Davidson, Leslie K. (VP); Hinckley,
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 2 of 9
Steedman (VP); @SEE - Southeast European Affairs; @EUROPE European
Affairs; Camp, Donald A. (NESA); Kurtz, Paul B. (TNT); Wolosky,
Lee S. (TNT); @MULTILAT - Multilateral and Humanitarian Affairs
Subject: POTUS-Putin
memo [SECRET]
Would appreciate comments by 10 a.m. Friday. Thanks.
TRANSLATED ATTACHMENT Okinawa Bilat - Putin.doc
MEETING WITH
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN
KEY OBJECTIVES
* Review Putin's plans on economy, reengagement with IFIs, Sovietera debt.
Stress need for deeds over words. Highlight risk of losing momentum.
* Press Putin for progress on Iran nuclear and missile nonproliferation
issues,
highlighting corrosive effect on relationship. Emphasize need for
decisive
action.
* Highlight mounting questions about Putin's support for democratic
principles,
rule of law. Stress need for political solution in Chechnya,
accountability for
human rights abuses.
CONTEXT OF THE MEETING
Putin primarily wants to use Okinawa to demonstrate that he is fully
accepted as
an international statesman. He also intends to make a low-key pitch
for support
of his economic gameplan, to deflect criticism of Russian brutality in
Chechnya,
and, possibly, to rally international opposition to NMD. Putin will be
very
sensitive about whether being accorded the same reception as Yeltsin
at previous
summits and about Russia's desire for "full" membership in the G-8.
BACKGROUND
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 3 of 9
Long Hot Summer. Putin's arrival in Okinawa coincides roughly with
the end of
his honeymoon period. The political situation at home is far hotter
than during
your visit to Moscow, exacerbated by Putin's relentless travel schedule
and
government disarray and divisions. Putin is preoccupied by the endgame in his
attempt to rein in Russia's governors. The bruising contest has
revealed the
limits of Putin's authority, alienated key constituencies, and sapped
momentum
from implementation of economic reforms and passage of legislation
by the Duma.
Unlike Yeltsin, who tried to play a balancing role among Russia's
fractious
elites, Putin is fighting several other battles simultaneously. The
recent
crackdown on prominent oligarchs - Gusinskiy/Media-MOST,
Alekperov/LUKOil,
Vyakhirev/Gazprom, Potanin/Oneksimbank ~ has clear political
overtones. While
thesefiguresare no angels, they also happen to own independent
media outlets
and relish their independence from the Kremlin. Other notorious
power-brokers
(Abramovich, Mamut) are escaping scrutiny from the tax police and
procuracy;
Putin's inner circle of security service veterans and the so-called
Yeltsin
"family" are reportedly pulling the strings.
The Putin administration is walking a very fine line between laying
down new,
more modem "rules of the game" and reverting to old methods of
centralization,
arbitrariness and intimidation ~ thus chilling the investment climate
and
damaging Putin's reputation abroad. While criticism of Putin's toughguy methods
and highly elastic political value system is mounting in the liberal
Russian
press, his approval rating is still over 75%.
Sound Thinking on Economics. Putin continues to say all the right
things on the
economy, but he has trimmed his sails somewhat regarding
international
assistance. Putin's chances of success depend on taking advantage of
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 4 of9
the current
fragile economic upturn, galvanizing the rusted and suspicious
bureaucratic
apparatus behind his plan and selling the reforms politically. The
boldness of
his government's economic plan and the key economic themes of
Putin's recent
state of the nation address is unmistakeable.
Implementation is everything. He recognizes that Russia must create a
more
inviting business climate that protects investor and property rights,
collects
reasonable taxes, enforces a predictable rule of law, and promotes
competitiveness and growth. He also wants to rationalize public
finance at all
levels of government, to reduce opportunities for corruption and state
interference in the economy, and to establish a sustainable social
safety net.
The likely timing of a new IMF program is slipping to fall 2000. But
Putin knows
the importance of good relations with the IMF. He is likely to appeal
for more
flexibility from the Fund on structural reforms in recognition that
Russia is
setting its own economic priorities. In view of Russia's strong current
financial position and strong resistance from key creditors, Putin is
unlikely to
make panhandling for debt relief (particularly reduction) a high
priority at
Okinawa. In his speech to parliament, Putin decried Russia's reliance
on foreign
handouts and beneficence.
Putin and PM Kasyanov have also recognized the tenuousness of the
current
economic "recovery," correctly chalking it up to external factors such
as the
high price of oil and other commodities. Because of current account
inflows, the
ruble is already under strong upward pressure undermining the
domestic
competitiveness, which has been such a boon to industry since late
1998. This in
turn is creating new pressures on monetary policy, posing serious
questions about
the right exchange rate and inflation targets.
AGENDA
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 5 of 9
Economic Program, IFIs, and Debt. You should applaud
announcement of a
systematic program and ask about specific priorities and plans for
implementation. You could explore what kind of political consensus
or coalitions
Putin expects to build in parliament, the regions, and the business
community.
You should express support for Russia's reengagement with the IMF
on a solid new
program, which would send a positive signal to investors. An IMF
deal would help
set the stage for another possible round of interim debt rescheduling
of
Soviet-era obligations. We also expect that the World Bank can play a
strong
supporting role on key structural reforms (e.g., reducing barter, fiscal
federalism, financial and social sector).
WTO. You should echo your big-picture message in Moscow about
the wisdom of
"going global" and accelerating efforts to join WTO. In the view of
USTR, the
key problem is the lack of high-level shepherds to coordinate the
technical and
legislative challenges. Putin's own buy-in for prioritizing WTO
accession is
fuzzy at best. He does not fully appreciate the benefits of using the
accession
process to leverage tough decisions on reforms.
Investment Climate. Most investors seem to be waiting for a track
record from
the new team. Bold, concrete moves would help, for example in the
area of tax
laws, corporate governance and shareholder rights, adoption of
international
accounting standards and enforcement of judgments. Our experts are
working
together on remaining issues in the Bilateral Investment Treaty.
Passage of a
solid money laundering law is a more distant prospect, but remains
important both
for international cooperation in the fight against cross-border financial
crime
and for improving Russia's business climate. We hope commercial
missions - Bob
Strauss, Commerce Secretary-designate Mineta - can be scheduled
later in the
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 6 of 9
year. Finally, Jim Harmon is headed to Moscow at the end of July to
seek
progress on pending EXIM deals.
Bilateral Trade. If Putin raises the old hobby-horse of "market
economy" status
in anti-dumping cases, you should say that our experts have done a
good job of
clarifying the legal process and the pros and cons of switching status
and that
it's up to the GOR to decide whether to initiate a petition. The
Bilateral Steel
Dialogue, which was announced at the Moscow summit, will hold its
first session
in September and provides a good opportunity to study questions of
structural
impediments in key sectors.
Regional Issues. You should briefly review status on several fronts,
beginning
with the upcoming inaugural session of a working group on
Afghanistan agreed at
the Moscow summit. Tom Pickering and former SVR Director (and
present Deputy
Foreign Minister) Trubnikov will lead. On NATO-Russia, we want to
send a signal
that Putin's interest in closer cooperation has sparked brainstorming
on our end.
On the Balkans you lay markers about Milosevic's destabilizing
moves and our
concerns about the situation in Montenegro. Putin will remain coy
about the
Milosevic problem, but you should call for creation of diplomatic
working group
modeled on the Afghan example. This group will help us attempt to
bring our
policies more in synch and deal with the problem of Russian credits
and other
support for the FRY regime. Finally, you should ask Putin for a
readout on his
trip to China and North Korea.
Arms Control. TO BE PROVIDED.
Nonproliferation. On the Iran nuclear issue, Putin is expecting a
serious
exchange, drawing upon your July 10 conversation and an extensive
message from
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 7 of 9
the Vice President spelling out the details of Iran's program and its
efforts to
obtain sensitive technology from Russia. Russian-Iranian nuclear
cooperation in
areas proscribed by the 1995 Gore-Chernomyrdin commitments has
intensified and
now covers all areas of the nuclear fuel cycle.
You should emphasize that unless we make progress quickly,
cooperative programs
may be put at risk. You should highlight that the problem is causing
serious
damage to our relations and has far-reaching implications for
international and
regional security. To get around Atomic Energy Minister Adamov, a
key source of
the problem, you should suggest a special channel to discuss this
issue. As a
test case of Russian intentions, we have identified a Russian entity,
the Efremov
Institute, that is providing uranium emichment technology. We have
threatened
to impose trade penalties unless the Russians take decisive action to
shut down
this activity. You should ask for an update on their investigation.
On the Iran missile problem, we have made some progress but have
not achieved any
breakthroughs, despite the efforts of our main interlocutors in the
Russian space
ministry. We need Putin to see the practical benefits of curtailing
missile
cooperation and implementing a work plan agreed on the margins of
the Moscow
summit. We have drawn a clear linkage between the work plan
(Holum-Koptev) and
allowing the commercial space launch quota to expire at the end of the
year,
which could be worth hundreds of millions to Russia. You should tell
Putin that
dramatic action to stop a habitual offender, Glavkosmos, could allow
us to move
forward on that decision, provided that it was matched by good faith
efforts
against the lesser offenders (MAI, MATI, et al).
Democracy, Chechnya. At the Moscow summit, you made clear to
Putin that his
support for democratic principles and freedoms was central to
continued
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 8 of 9
international support for Russia and its international integration. You
need to
reinforce that message, while informing Putin that the credibility gap
has
widened in the aftermath of Gusinskiy's arrest and recent moves
against
oligarchs. Putin will offer self-serving justifications for his actions,
but
does not appreciate how damaging these problems can be for his
international
reputation. Likewise, Putin is still in denial about Chechnya. You
should
emphasize the need to get the political track moving, to support return
of the
OSCE Assistance Group to the region, and to ensure proper
accountability for
human rights abuses.
Terrorism. The first meeting of the US-Russian Counter Terrorism
Working group
is scheduled for late July. You should welcome this dialogue and
request Putin's
assistance in engaging other UNSC members on the need for
additional sanctions
against the Taliban, such as an arms embargo.
People-to-people. The Russians have proposed an early experts
meeting to discuss
their proposals on expanded cooperation on social and cultural issues exchanges, status of women, fighting drug abuse, cultural
preservation. You
should embrace their initiative and offer to send a high-level team to
Moscow.
You could also note that Donna Shalala will be in Moscow July 20-21
to work on
health issues under Binational Commission auspices.
2
-CONriDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAfc
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Reason: 1.5 (b)(d)
Declassify On: 07/05/10
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39928426.FIN
Page 9 of 9
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
�39F6BAAE.FIN
Exchange
Page 1 of 1
Mail
DATE-TIME
10/01/2000 10:49:17 AM
FROM
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
CLASSIFICATION
SECRET
CLASSIFICATIONREASON 1.5(c)
DATECLASSIFIEDON
10/01/2000
DECLASSIFYON
10/02/2010
r
SUBJECT
EO 13526 1.4d
[SECRET]
TO
Clarke, Richard A. (TNT)
CARBON COPY
Rosa, Frederick M. (TNT)
TEXT BODY
Berezovsky was in the US in late September, and was feted by US-Russia
Business Council (Bob Strauss's group) and the Council on Foreign
Relations. In New York, on the margins of UNGA, he met with U/S
Pickering.
Later this week (5-7 OCT), Harvard's Kennedy School
and the US-Russia Business Council host the 4th Annual US-Russian
Investment Symposium. Expected attendees include Mikhail
Khodorkovsky
(keynote speaker), Pyotr Aven (CEO Alfa Bank, which owns Tyumen
Oil),
German Gref (SPAG advisor) and Vladimir Evtushenkov (Chairman of
Sistema, Luzhkov's holding company).
DECLASSIFIED IN PART
PER E. O. 13526
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
s/iq/ir KSH
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<strong>Declassified Documents</strong>
Description
An account of the resource
This collection of declassified records focus primarily on foreign affairs. These records were declassified and made available to the public through a <a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/mandatory-declassification-review-requests">Mandatory Declassification Review</a> request.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Declassified documents concerning Russia
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2012-1021-M
Date Available
Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available.
9/21/2015
Description
An account of the resource
This Mandatory Declassification Review contains material on Russian oligarchs, from the files of Lee Wolosky, National Security Council Transnational Threats. Materials include a memo on international organized crime groups and correspondence between President Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
National Security Council
Lee Wolosky
NSC Transnational Threats Office (1998-2001) Office
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7585816">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Preservation-Reproduction-Reference
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
9/2/2015
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
2012-1021-M
7585816
Declassified
Foreign Policy
Russia
Vladimir Putin
-
https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/files/original/3a2cea10bb0c1b12b416cef9ec1fa50f.pdf
050a6728fc32ab729f8cb95d277c2393
PDF Text
Text
Clinton Presidential Records
Mandatory Declassification Review
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
Documents from this Mandatory Declassification Review were
released in full.
�Page 1 of 7
3936127D.FIN
Exchange M a i l
DATE-TIME
05/05/2000 6:19:46 PM
FROM
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
CLASSIFICATION
CONriDCNTIAL -
CLASSIFICATIONREASON
1.5(b)(d)
DATECLASSIFIEDON
05/05/2000
DECLASSIFYON
05/06/2010
SUBJECT
ALFA BANK CHIGF WARNS AGAINST UNREALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS FOR PUTIN'S TERM
•icomiDENTtxcp
TO
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
CARBON_COPY
TEXT BODY
-Message TextO N F LP E N T I A-fc SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 010365
E.O.12958:
DECL: 4/16/10
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, EINV, PGOV, RS
SUBJECT: ALFA BANK
CHIEF WARNS AGAINST UNREALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS FOR PUTIN'S TERM
(U)
CLASSIFIED BY A. DANIEL WEYGANDT, MINISTERCOUNSELOR FOR ECONOMIC
AFFAIRS. REASONS 1.5 (B) AND
(D).
14G>«UMMARY: IN A FAREWELL
MEETING WITH DEPARTING
ECON MINCOUNS, ALFA BANK CHIEF PETER AVEN
WAS NOT
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR MOVEMENT ON
ECONOMIC
REFORM
EARLY IN PRESIDENT-ELECT PUTIN'S FIRST TERI^gCLASSIFIED
32
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INSTEAD HE PREDICTED
"NOTHING TOO CATASTROPHIC,
NOTHING TOO GOOD" IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
AVEN
CONCEDED THAT NOMINATION OF ANDREY ILLARIONOV AS
ECONOMIC
ADVISOR WAS A POSITIVE SIGN, BUT SUGGESTED
THAT THE ABSENCE OF A
MANDATE FOR ECONOMIC REFORM, OF
A PROVEN ECONOMIC TEAM, OR OF DEEP
PRESIDENTIAL
COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE WOULD PRECLUDE SWIFT
ACTION.
AVEN
ADDED THAT THE LACK OF MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE IN
PUTIN'S ENTOURAGE
WILL ALSO BE A SERIOUS HANDICAP:
PUTIN NEEDS PEOPLE FROM BUSINESS,
HE ARGUED, WHO CAN
"MANAGE" WHAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A DIFFICULT
TRANSITION
AND TRANSLATE IDEAS INTO REALITY. FOR THAT
REASON, HE PREDICTED
THAT WHILE FDPM KASYANOV WILL BE
SELECTED AS PRIME MINISTER, HE
WILL ONLY BE AN INTERIM
FIGURE. PUTIN HAS NO ONE ELSE, HE SAID,
BUT"KASYANOV
IS NOT PREPARED FOR RADICAL STEPS." END SUMMARY.
2.
-^EXPECTATIONS: AVEN OFFERED A SOBER ASSESSMENT
OF RUSSIA'S IMMEDIATE
FUTURE UNDER PUTIN, OPINING THAT
RUSSIA WOULD NOT GET THE "REVOLUTION
THAT IS NEEDED IN
THE NEAR FUTURE." INSTEAD, HE PREDICTED "NOTHING
TOO
CATASTROPHIC, NOTHING TOO GOOD." HE AGREED THAT
INVESTMENT
WOULD BE MORE SECURE UNDER PUTIN THAN
YELTSIN, THOUGH "PERHAPS NOT
SECURE ENOUGH." HE
EXPECTED THE COUNTRY COULD MANAGE MODEST GROWTH
RATES
OF 2-3 PERCENT BUT NOTED THAT AS A RESULT RUSSIA
WOULD
CONTINUE
TO LOSE GROUND RELATIVE TO ITS TRADING
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COMPETITORS WHO ARE GROWING
AT FASTER RATES. HE
PREDICTED THAT THE PROBLEM OF REGULATION MIGHT
BECOME
WORSE RATHER THAN BETTER UNDER PUTIN.
3.-(RUTIN'S ADVISOR:
AVEN DID SEE GROUNDS FOR HOPE
IN THE APPOINTMENT OF ANDREY ILLARIONOV
AS ECONOMIC
ADVISOR TO PUTIN. THE APPOINTMENT WAS AN EXCELLENT
ONE,
HE SAID, IN THAT ILLARIONOV IS "WESTERN AND NOT
EASTERN" IN OUTLOOK
AND WILL BE VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD
WITH PUTIN, ALWAYS TELLING HIM
WHAT HE THINKS. AVEN
AGREED THAT AS ADVISOR ILLARIONOV WILL NOT
BE INVOLVED
IN CARRYING OUT DECISIONS, BUT EXPECTS HE WILL PLAY
AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN POLICY FORMULATION AND IN
IDEOLOGY.
"PUTIN
NEEDS LEAVENING AND EDUCATION IN THE ECONOMIC
SPHERE," AVEN SAID,
AND ILLARIONOV IS WELL-EQUIPPED TO
PROVIDE IT. HE EXPRESSED DOUBT
THAT PUTIN SUPPORTS
ALL OF HIS ADVISOR'S VIEWS, BUT EXPRESSED HOPE
THAT
ILLARIONOV WOULD HELP PUTIN "BECOME A BELIEVER" IN
ECONOMIC
REFORM. THE ABSENCE OF SUCH STRONG
PRESIDENTIAL COMMITMENT TO REFORM,
AVEN ARGUED, IS ONE
CONSTRAINT MITIGATING AGAINST A FAST START OUT
OF THE
BOX FOR A NEW PUTIN ADMINISTRATION. A PRESIDENT
NEEDS
SUCH
CERTITUDE HE SUGGESTED, GIVEN THE BROAD
OPPOSITION HE WILL FACE.
4.
- M O T H E R CONSTRAINTS: ADDITIONAL CONSTRAINTS
IDENTIFIED BY AVEN
INCLUDE THE ABSENCE OF A MANDATE
FROM THE ELECTION FOR ECONOMIC
REFORM, AS PUTIN
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LARGELY AVOIDED OFFERING A DETAILED PROGRAM
DURING
THE
CAMPAIGN, AND THE LACK OF A COHERENT ECONOMIC
TEAM TO
DEVELOP
AND CARRY OUT POLICY. ILLARIONOV MUST HELP
ASSEMBLE A TEAM, AVEN
ARGUED, AS "PUTIN KNOWS NO ONE"
BEYOND THE SMALL GROUP ALREADY IN
GOVERNMENT OR IN THE
STRATEGIC RESEARCH CENTER. OF THESE FIGURES,
MOST
LIKE DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER KUDRIN OR GERMAN GREF
LACK MANAGERIAL
EXPERIENCE AND THE ABILITY TO
TRANSLATE IDEAS INTO REALITY. AVEN
NOTED THAT THIS
HAS HAMPERED THE WORK OF THE STRATEGIC RESEARCH
CENTER,
WHICH IS STILL LARGELY FOCUSED ON CONCEPTS AND
IDEAS RATHER THAN
ON THEIR PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION.
5.-(€>KASYANOV: TURNING TO
PRESIDENT-ELECT PUTIN'S
LIKELY CHOICE AS PRIME MINISTER, AVEN SUGGESTED
THAT
KASYANOV IS "VERY ORIENTAL," DESCRIBING HIM AS
"MUTNY"- THE
RUSSIAN WORD FOR "CLOUDY WATER" THAT
DOES NOT REVEAL ITS DEPTH.
HE TERMED HIM A TYPICAL
RUSSIAN BUREAUCRAT, THOUGH "ONE OF THE
BEST," AND SAID
PUTIN WILL CHOOSE HIM AS PRIME MINISTER BECAUSE
HE HAS
NO ONE ELSE. "HE WILL STAY FOR A WHILE," AVEN ADDED,
BUT
NOT FOR LONG AS HE IS "NOT PREPARED FOR RADICAL
STEPS."
6.^
BUSINESS-PEOPLE: AVEN WAS CATEGORICAL THAT IN
THE NOT-TO-DISTANT
FUTURE PUTIN WILL HAVE TO TURN TO
PEOPLE FROM BUSINESS TO RUN THE
GOVERNMENT. HE
POINTEDLY EXCLUDED HIMSELF, NOTING THAT HE HAS NO
INTEREST
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IN SUCH A CHANGE OF CAREER, BUT POINTED TO
CONFI D E N T I N
-fc-SECTION 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 010365
E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/16/10
TAGS:
ECON, EFIN, EINV, PGOV, RS
SUBJECT: ALFA BANK CHIEF WARNS AGAINST
UNREALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS FOR PUTIN'S TERM
YOUNG STEEL MAGNATE
MORDASHEV, HEAD OF THE SEVERSTAL
STEEL MILL IN CHEREPOVETS AS THE
TYPE OF FIGURE PUTIN
NEEDS. "WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN BUILD SOMETHING,"
AVEN
SAID, ARGUING THAT THE NEW CLASS OF PROFESSIONALS
IN THEIR MID-THIRTIES
WHO HAVE STUDIED ABROAD AND ARE
FLUENT IN THREE TO FOUR LANGUAGES
FIT THE BILL. IF A
RUSSIAN LEADER CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH A "SENSE
OF
MISSION," AVEN ADDED, THEN THEY WILL BE PREPARED TO
MAKE THE
SACRIFICES NECESSARY TO PURSUE SUCH A CAREER.
7rfe^AVENS WISHLIST:
ASKED ABOUT HIS OWN PRIORITY
LIST OF REFORMS THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT
PUTIN SHOULD
PURSUE, AVEN CITED A FAMILIAR LITANY OF NEEDED
CHANGES,
INCLUDING LEGAL REFORM, TAX REFORM, REFORM OF
THE STATE APPARATUS,
DEREGULATION OF NATURAL
MONOPOLIES, AND A STRONG ANTI-CORRUPTION
PUSH. ON THE
LATTER, AVEN JUDGED THAT PUTIN COULD BEST ACT BY
SETTING
A GOOD EXAMPLE: "A NON-CORRUPTED TOP WILL
SPREAD" DOWN THROUGH THE
RANKS. AVEN ARGUED THAT
PUTIN CAN DO THIS FOR HE IS NOT BEHOLDEN
TO ANY
OLIGARCHS AND IS INSTEAD VERY INDEPENDENT. AVEN
DISCOUNTED
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THE IDEA OF A SPECIAL TIE TO BEREZOVSKIY,
NOTING THAT HE HIMSELF
HAD INTRODUCED THE TWO. PUTIN
PERIODICALLY MEETS AND SPEAKS TO
THE OLIGARCHS, AVEN
SAID, BUT THEY HAVE NO "INSTRUMENT OF INFLUENCE
OVER
HIM." AVEN CLAIMED TO SEE PUTIN ABOUT ONCE A MONTH
FOR BROAD
DISCUSSIONS OF REFORM.
8.-f€3rBANKING: AVEN NOTED THAT CBR CHAIRMAN
GERASHCHENKO
IS CONDUCTING HIMSELF AS IF HE IS SURE
THAT HE WILL STAY ON IN THE
NEW ADMINISTRATION. IT
APPEARS THAT HE HAS A DIRECT PROMISE, AVEN
SAID, AND
AS A RESULT HE JUDGED THAT THERE IS VIRTUALLY "NO
CHANCE"
FOR SERIOUS REFORM OF THE BANKING SECTOR.
AVEN NOTED THAT SBERBANK,
THE STATE SAVINGS BANK,
CONTINUES TO KILL ITS COMMERCIAL COMPETITION,
WHICH
CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE RATES IT OFFERS. HE ARGUED
THAT
SBERBANK, INSTEAD OF DOMINATING THE FIELD OF
CORPORATE LENDING AS
IT DOES, SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN
RETAIL LENDING, FOR CONSUMER PURCHASES
AND THE
MORTGAGE MARKET. HOWEVER, HE STRESSED THAT ALFA IS
DOING
WELL, PARTICULARLY IN ITS INTERNATIONAL
OPERATIONS.
COMMENT:
AVEN IS AN OPINIONATED AND EXTREMELY
WELL-CONNECTED INTERLOCUTOR.
HIS APPRAISAL OF THE
RUSSIAN SCENE WAS NOTABLE FOR ITS GENERALLY
PESSIMISTIC
TONE, AND ITS CAUTION ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR
DRAMATIC REFORMS IN THE
SHORT TERM. HE ALSO DID NOT
REITERATE HIS RECENT COMMENTS IN THE
PRESS THAT RUSSIA
NEEDS A "PINOCHET" TO HELP IT TURN THE CORNER
ON
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3936127D.FIN
ECONOMIC REFORM." END COMMENT.
COLLINS
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39AAAC57.FIN
Exchange
Mail
DATE-TIME
08/04/2000 6:15:50 PM
FROM
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
CLASSIFICATION
•CONFIDENTIAT
CLASSIFICATIONREASON 1.5(b)
DATECLASSIFIEDON
08/04/2000
DECLASSIFYON
08/05/2010
SUBJECT
THE KREMLIN AND BIG BUSINESS: A NEW ERA?
[CONFIDEMTfrtfcfr
TO
Rosa, Frederick M. (TNT)
CARBON_COPY
TEXT BODY
Message Text
Q N F-j-D C N T I M r SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 015383
E.O.12958:
DECL: 8/3/10
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, EINV, PGOV, RS
SUBJECT: THE KREMLIN
AND BIG BUSINESS: A NEW ERA?
REF: MOSCOW 14664
(U) CLASSIFIED
BY A. DANIEL WEYGANDT, ACTING DEPUTY
CHIEF OF MISSION. REASONS
1.5 (B) AND (D).
1.^SUMMARY: PRESIDENT PUTIN'S CORRECT, BUT
FAR
FROM CORDIAL JULY 27TH MEETING WITH LEADING RUSSIAN
BUSINESSMEN,
TOGETHER WITH THE RECENT WAVE OF
INVESTIGATIONS INTO TAX FRAUD AND
OTHER MISDEEDS BY
LEADING RUSSIAN FIRMS AND BUSINESSMEN, SUGGESTS
THAT A
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TN
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�39AAAC57.FIN
Page 2 of 9
NEW ERA IN RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS RELATIONS
MAY
BE
OPENING. IN PLACE OF THE INTERMIXING OF ECONOMIC
AND POLITICAL
POWER THAT LED TO THE COINING OF THE
TERM "OLIGARCH," PUTIN APPEARS
DETERMINED TO DISTANCE
GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS, DRAWING ON BUSINESS'
EXPERTISE
AND CONNECTIONS WHEN IT IS USEFUL TO HIM,
BUT MAKING CLEAR THAT
HE IS AN INDEPENDENT ACTOR WITH
NO DEBTS TO PAY. WHETHER HIS STATED
GOAL OF KEEPING
ALL BUSINESSMEN "EQUIDISTANT" FROM THE STATE WILL
BE
FULFILLED, HOWEVER, REMAINS UNCLEAR. WHILE THE
RECENT
CRACKDOWN
SUGGESTED THAT CERTAIN BUSINESS LEADERS
CLOSELY TIED TO THE GOR
ARE STILL OFF-LIMITS, COMMENTS
BY PUTIN AND GOR OFFICIALS HINT THAT
EVEN BUSINESSES
WITH TIES TO KREMLIN ALLIES, SUCH AS SIBNEFT, COULD
BE
BE TARGETED FOR TAX VIOLATIONS. END SUMMARY.
2.-{erWORDS:
FROM THE TIME HE ASSUMED THE RUSSIAN
PRESIDENCY ON AN ACTING BASIS
AT THE START OF THE
YEAR, PRESIDENT PUTIN HAS SENT CLEAR VERBAL
SIGNALS
THAT THE YELTSIN ERA, WITH ITS INTERMIXING OF
ECONOMIC
AND
POLITICAL POWER, IS OVER. THE THEME MADE ITS
FIRST MODEST APPEARANCE
IN HIS "OPEN LETTER ON THE EVE
OF THE MILLENNIUM," WHERE HE SPOKE
OF THE NEED FOR
OLIGARCHS TO BE KEPT "EQUIDISTANT" FROM THE STATE.
SOON,
IN THE PRE-ELECTION PERIOD, PUTIN'S RHETORIC
BECAME TOUGHER. HE
TOLD RADIO MAYAK IN AN INTERVIEW
IN FEBRUARY, FOR INSTANCE, THAT
THOSE WHO SEEK TO
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"MESH" THE STATE AND CAPITAL WOULD NO LONGER EXIST
AS
A CLASS. PUTIN ALSO REPEATEDLY EMPHASIZED THAT ALL
SHOULD BE
EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW, FROM SO-CALLED
OLIGARCHS TO THE NODEST SHOE
REPAIRMAN. HE ALSO
PLEDGED NOT TO INTERFERE IN ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS
OF
THE PROCURACY AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
AUTHORITIES.
3.-(€)—
AND DEEDS: WHETHER PUTIN'S RECENT ACTIONS LIVE
UP TO THIS AMBITIOUS
AGENDA HAS BEEN HOTLY DEBATED IN
MOSCOW. CRITICS POINT TO THE FACT
THAT THE CRACKDOWN
OF RECENT MONTHS HIT KREMLIN CRITICS, INCLUDING
MOST
NOTABLY MEDIA-MOST MAGNATE VLADIMIR GUSINSKIY,
AND
LEFT UNSCATHED
SUCH KREMLIN INSIDERS AS BORIS
BEREZOVSKIY AND RONAN ABRAMOVITCH.
OTHERS WHO WERE
TARGETED ALSO HAD CONNECTIONS TO THE POLITICAL
OPPOSITION:
LUKOIL'S VAGIT ALEKPEROV, FOR INSTANCE,
LIKE GUSINSKIY, SUPPORTED
"FATHERLAND-ALL RUSSIA".
SOME CRITICS, LIKE FORMER "UNITY" PARTY
DEPUTY
VLADIMIR RYZHKOV, SUGGESTED THAT VLADIMIR POTANIN
(NORILSK
NICKEL) AND ANATOLIY CHUBAYS (UES) HAD BEEN
TARGETED FOR THEIR SUPPORT
OF THE "UNION OF RIGHT
FORCES." GIVEN THAT PARTY'S STRONG SUPPORT
FOR PUTIN,
HOWEVER, SUCH SUGGESTIONS SEEN STRAINED. CHUBAYS,
IN
FACT,
HAS BEEN HARDLY INCONVENIENCED BY THE AS YET
UNPURSUED PLAN OF THE
ACCOUNTING CHAMBER TO LOOK INTO
FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF UES SHARES,
A MOVE THAT IN ANY
EVENT WAS INITIATED BY THE DUMA RATHER THAN THE
GOVERNMENT.
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INTERESTINGLY, WHILE SPS LEADER BORIS
NEMTSOV TOLD THE AMBASSADOR
IN JULY THAT HE BELIEVED A
"PERSONAL VENDETTA" EXPLAINED THE ASSAULT
ON
GUSINSKIY, HE OFFERED NO POLITICAL/PERSONAL
RATIONALE
FOR THE
OTHER INVESTIGATIONS.
4.4G^A TELLING DEFECTION: THE RECENT POLITICAL
TRAJECTORY
OF BORIS BEREZOVSKIY SUGGESTS, HOWEVER,
THAT MORE THAN SETTLING
SCORES MAY BE AT WORK. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT F
ROM AN EARLY STAGE
IN THE PUTIN
ADMINISTRATION, BEREZOVSKIY LOST HIS PRIVILEGED
ACCESS
TO
THE KREMLIN, AND WAS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR
PERMISSION EACH TIME
HE WISHED TO VISIT THERE. HIS .
DECISION TO LEAVE THE
DUMA AND PUBLICLY OPPOSE PUTIN'S
FEDERAL REFORMS IS A CLEAR SIGNAL
THAT HE NO LONGER
FELT SURE OF KREMLIN PROTECTION. THE RECENT
INVESTIGATION
INTO AVTOVAZ, IN WHICH BEREZOVSKIY
REPORTEDLY HAS AN INTEREST, THE
REOPENING OF THE
INVESTIGATION INTO EMBEZZLEMENT FROM AEROFLOT,
AND
APPARENT PLANS BY THE GOR TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF
ORT
TELEVISION
CHANNEL MAKES CLEAR THAT HIS PERCEPTION OF
HIS CHANGING FORTUNES
WAS NOT FAR OFF.
S.^efTHE UNTOUCHABLE?: CENTRAL TO CONTINUED
CRITICISM
OF THE KREMLIN FOR FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THE
PRINCIPLE OF "EQUIDISTANCE"
HAS BEEN THE CONTINUED
IMMUNITY OF ROMAN ABRAMOVICH FROM INVESTIGATION.
KREMLIN
INSIDER GLEB PAVLOVSKIY MADE CLEAR TO POLOFF
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C 0 N T I D E-N T I
^-trSECTION 02 OF 03 MOSCOW 015383
E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/3/10
TAGS:
ECON, EFIN, EINV, PGOV, RS
SUBJECT: THE KREMLIN AND BIG BUSINESS:
A NEW ERA?
IN JULY THAT THE KREMLIN PERCEIVES A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
HIM AND POTANIN, BEREZOVSKIY AND GUSINSKIY.
IN CONSTRAST TO THE
LATTER, HE SUGGESTED, ABRAMOVICH
IS A "GOOD" OLIGARCH WHO DOES "HELPFUL"
WORK IN THE
OIL BUSINESS, AND DID NOT CROSS THE KREMLIN THROUGH
TAX
AVOIDANCE, FUNNELING MONEY TO THE REGIONS, OR
SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITION.
6.
-{e)-NEXT IN LINE?: MORE RECENTLY, HOWEVER, A CHANGE
IN TONE HAS
OCCURRED. FINANCE MINISTER KUDRIN
RECENTLY COMMENTED CRITICALLY
ON THE TAX RECORD OF
ABRAMOVICH'S SIBNEFT OIL COMPANY (WHICH PAYS
SEVENFOLD LESS IN TAXES ON EACH BARREL OF OIL IT PRODUCES
THAN
ITS RIVALS, INCLUDING LUKOIL). PUTIN HIMSELF
SHARPLY QUESTIONED
SIBNEFT OFFICIALS ON THE ISSUE
DURING THE JULY 27TH ROUNDTABLE.
HOWEVER,
ABRAMOVICH'S BUSINESS EMPIRE EXTENDS FAR BEYOND
SIBNEFT
AND ANY MOVE AGAINST SIBNEFT COULD BE LIMITED
TO THE COMPANY AND
NOT TOUCH ABRAMOVICH PERSONALLY.
FURTHERMORE, GIVEN THAT THE KREMLIN
HAS BEEN THE
OBJECT OF CRITICAL PRESS DUE TO THE LACK OF
"EQUIDISTANCE"
OF ABRAMOVICH, MAMUT AND DERIPASKA,
COMPARED TO OTHER OLIGARCHS,
THE SWIPES AGAINST
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SIBNEFT COULD BE AN ATTEMPT TO DEFLECT SUCH
CRITICISM.
7.
-(€^A CHILLY EMBRACE: THE NEW DYNAMICS OF
RELATIONS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT
AND BUSINESS WERE ON
DISPLAY AT THE JULY 27TH ROUNDTABLE, WITH PUTIN
STERNLY
ADMONISHING LEADING BUSINESSMEN THAT THEY
THEMSELVES HAD HELPED
CREATE THE RUSSIAN STATE IN ITS
CURRENT FORM, AND SHOULD NOT COMPLAIN
AT THE
REFLECTION THAT FACED THEM IN THE MIRROR AS A
RESULT.
IN
CONTRAST TO MEETING INITIATOR BORIS NEMTSOV, WHOSE
INITIAL MORE
ROBUST VISION OF THE SESSION INCLUDED
CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT
BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND
BUSINESS DELINEATING THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
EACH SIDE, PUTIN REJECTED ANY SUCH EFFORT TO PUT
GOVERNMENT AND
BUSINESS ON AN EQUAL FOOTING. THE
KREMLIN ALSO BLOCKED SUGGESTIONS
THAT GUSINSKIY,
BEREZOVSKIY AND AMBRAMOVICH BE INCLUDED IN THE
GUEST
LIST.
8.
-f€)-STRAIGHT TALK: IN HIS EXCHANGES WITH LEADING
BUSINESSMEN, ALL
OF WHOM HE OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK, PUTIN WAS TERSE AND
DIRECT. HE REITERETED HIS
LONGSTANDING POLICIES, REASSURING THOSE
PRESENT THAT
THE WHOLESALE REOPENING OF PAST PRIVATIZATIONS IS
NOT
ON
HIS AGENDA. BUT HE RULED OUT A GENERAL AMNESTY FOR
PAST WRONGDOING,
SAYING THAT HE WILL NOT INTERFERE
WITH INVESTIGATIONS BY LAW-ENFORCEMENT
AUTHORITIES.
AS NOTED ABOVE, HE QUESTIONED SIBNEFT CHIEF YEVGENIY
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SHVYDLER
OVER WHY HIS FIRM PAID SO LITTLE TAX. HE
WARNED ALL PRESENT THAT
THEY SHOULD ABANDON ATTEMPTS
TO PUT THEIR SUPPORTERS IN GOVERNMENT
"POWER
STRUCTURES." TO VLADIMIR POTANIN, WHO HAS PROTESTED
HIS
INNOCENCE IN RESPONSE TO PROCURACY ALLEGATIONS
THAT HE UNDERPAID
BY 140 MILLION USD FOR A CONTROLLING
STAKE IN NORILSK NICKEL, PUTIN
ASKED IF HE WAS SURE HE
COULD DEMONSTRATE THIS FACT IN COURT. WHEN
POTANIN
REPLIED AFFIRMATIVELY, PUTIN REPORTEDLY RESPONDED
"WELL,
GO AHEAD AND PROVE IT," ADDING "WHAT ARE YOU
AFRAID OF THEN?"
9.
-4G)-¥HE KREMLIN'S STATEMENT: IN PLACE OF THE
AGREEMENT AND JOINT
STATEMENT NEMTSOV ENVISIONED, THE
KREMLIN PUT OUT A SIMPLE STATEMENT
OUTLINING THE
MEETING'S CONTENT. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE
BUSINESSMEN'S
CONCERN ABOUT ONGOING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
THE STATEMENT INCLUDED
PUTIN'S ASSURANCE THAT
PRIVATIZATIONS WOULD NOT BE REVIEWED, BUT
ADDED THAT
HE MADE THE POINT THAT IT IS "UNACCEPTABLE FOR
COMPETING
COMPANIES TO TRY TO USE STATE STRUCTURES AND
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS." IN
THE ONE CONCRETE RESULT OF THE SESSION,
THE STATEMENT
NOTED THAT AN ADVISORY COUNCIL WOULD BE SET UP TO
ADVISE
THE PRESIDENT AND THE GOVERNMENT ON ISSUES OF
INTEREST TO BUSINESS.
THIS SUGGESTION OF PRIME
MINISTER KASYANOV, WHO WITH MINISTERS
KUDRIN AND GREF
ALSO ATTENDED THE SESSION, CLEARLY AIMS TO CALL
ON
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BUSINESS WHEN
IT IS IN THE GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST TO DO
SO. THIS HAPPENED MOST
RECENTLY JUST IN THE WEEK
BEFORE THE MEETING, WHEN KASYANOV CONVENED
BUSINESS
LEADERS AND URGED THEM TO LOBBY THE FEDERATION
COUNCIL
IN
FAVOR OF TAX REFORM.
l O . ^ M J X E D REACTIONS: THOSE PRESENT PUT
THE BEST
FACE ON THE MEETING AFTERWORDS, CITING PUTIN'S
ASSURANCE
THAT PRIVATIZATION WOULD NOT BE REOPENED.
BORIS NEMTSOV SAID THE
SESSION WAS A SIGN THAT THE
"PERIOD OF PRIMITIVE ACCUMULATION OF
CAPITAL" IS AT AN
- C O N F I D E N T I A L-SECTION 03 OF 03 MOSCOW
015383
E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/3/10
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, EINV, PGOV,
RS
SUBJECT: THE KREMLIN AND BIG BUSINESS: A NEW ERA?
END, AND
BUSINESS CAN NOW GET DOWN TO NORMAL WORK.
"THE OLIGARCHS HAVE
BECOME SICK OF BEING OLIGARCHS,"
HE TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE, AND
WANT TO BE "LAW-ABIDING
TAXPAYERS." NOT ALL PRESENT SHARED NEMTSOV'S
POSITIVE
APPRAISAL. SEVERAL COMMENTED ANONYMOUSLY IN THE
MOSCOW
PRESS THAT THE MEETING HAD NOT BEEN USEFUL. IN
A POST-MEETING PRESS
CONFERENCE, KAKHA BENDUKIDZE OF
URALMASH, UNITED MACHINE-BUILDING
PLANTS, DISTANCED
HIMSELF FROM THE POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF OTHER
PARTICIPANTS,
COMMENTING IRONICALLY THAT PERHAPS HE
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HAD BEEN IN A DIFFERENT MEETING.
11.
4G)-€0MMENT: FROM THE KREMLIN'S PERSPECTIVE, THE
GOAL OF THE SESSION
(AS WAS ADMITTED BY ONE ANONYMOUS
SOURCE IN THE BUSINESS DAILY "VEDEMOSTIY")
WAS TO "PUT
THE OLIGARCHS IN THEIR PLACE," AND DISPEL ANY
PRETENSIONS
THEY MIGHT CONTINUE TO ENTERTAIN AS TO
THEIR INFLUENCE OVER NATIONAL
POLICY. UNLIKE YELTSIN,
PUTIN CLEARLY DOES NOT FEEL INDEBTED TO
BIG BUSINESS,
AND APPEARS DETERMINED TO REIN IT IN, AS HE HAS REINED
IN
THE NATION'S REGIONAL ELITES. REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER ANY FORMER
"OLIGARCH" IS EVER PROSECUTED, THE
RECENT CRACKDOWN HAS MADE PUTIN'S
POINT: THE FORMER
UNTOUCHABLES HAVE BECOME TOUCHABLE. PUTIN IS
NOT
DEPENDENT ON OLIGARCHS, THEY ARE DEPENDENT ON HIM,
AND
IT IS
NOT CLEAR AT THIS POINT THAT HE WILL HELP THEM.
124G^FHE OUTCOME
OF THIS CAMPAIGN MAY BE TO TURN
OLIGARCHS INTO SOMETHING RESEMBLING
TAXPAYING
BUSINESSMEN, AS NEMTSOV SUGGESTS THEY WANT TO BE.
TO
THIS
POINT, SOME ARE BEING JAWBONED INTO IT
(ABRAMOVICH, CHUBAYS) AND
OTHERS INTIMIDATED
(ALEKPEROV, POTANIN) AND STILL OTHERS FORCED
(GUSINSKIY).
THE TREATMENT METED OUT TO EACH APPEARS
TO BE RELATED TO POLITICS
AND PERSONALITIES, NOT
UNUSUAL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. END COMMENT.
ORDWAY
CLINTON LIBRARY P O O O Y
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39F6B6D1.FIN
Exchange M a i l
DATE-TIME
10/01/2000 10:32:00 AM
FROM
Wolosky, Lee S. (TNT)
CLASSIFICATION
-CONPIDENTIAL
CLASSIFICATIONREASON 1.5(b)(d)
DATECLASSIFIEDON
10/01/2000
DECLASSIFYON
10/02/2010
SUBJECT
TO
U/S PICKERING MEETING WITH BORIS BEREZOVSKIY
-jCONITDCNTIACT
Rosa, Frederick M. (TNT)
CARBON_COPY
TEXT BODY
fyi
-Message TextO N F I D C N T I A L STATE 190013
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/10
TAGS:
PGOV, PHUM, RS
SUBJECT: U/S PICKERING MEETING WITH BORIS BEREZOVSKIY
(SEPT.
18,2000, NEW YORK)
CLASSIFIED BY U/S FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS THOMAS
R.
PICKERING. REASONS: 1.5 B AND D.
1. fe)-SUMMARY: RUSSIAN MEDIA
MAGNATE BORIS BEREZOVSKIY
TOLD U/S PICKERING IN NEW YORK THAT PUTIN
IS GOING DOWN
THE PATH OF PERON OR PINOCHET - NOT SEEKING AN
AUTHORITARIAN
STATE PER SE, BUT PURSUING THE GOAL OF A
DEMOCRATIC STATE VIA AN
AUTHORITARIAN PATH. PUTIN, HE
SAYS, HAS UNDERMINED THE INDEPENDENCE
OF THE SEPARATE
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT AND IS INTENT ON RE-
CENTRALIZING
DECLASSIFIED
CLINTON LIBRARY P O O O Y PERE.O.13526
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�Page 2 of 8
39F6B6D1.FIN
POWER.
HE HAS STRIPPED THE REGIONS OF THE RIGHT TO PURSUE
THEIR OWN FOREIGN
INVESTORS AND FIRED ELECTED MAYORS AND
GOVERNORS. PUTIN IS ALSO
PURSUING STATIST ECONOMIC
POLICIES WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE PRIVATE
SECTOR. PUTIN
NOW SEEKS TO GAIN "TOTAL CONTROL" OF THE THREE TV
STATIONS
THAT DOMINATE THE MASS MEDIA. (BEREZOVSKIY HAS THUS
PLACED
HIS ORT TELEVISION HOLDINGS IN A SPECIAL TRUST HELD
BY A GROUP
OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS.) BEREZOVSKIY
CLAIMED TO WANT TO BUILD
A SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC "LOYAL
OPPOSITION" AND NOTED THAT, IN VIEW OF
THE PRESTIGE OF THE
UNITED STATES AMONG MOST RUSSIANS, MORE PUBLIC
U.S.
CRITICISM OF PUTIN'S MEASURES WOULD FIND RESONANCE
IN
RUSSIA.
HE ADMITS HE LACKS A LEADER FOR THIS APPROACH; A
CRITICAL FACTOR
FOR SUCCESS. HE ADDED THAT PUTIN FEARS
NEITHER THE U.S. NOR NATO,
BUT THINKS THE U.S. HOLDS
POSITIONS THAT RUN COUNTER TO RUSSIAN
INTERESTS.
PICKERING NOTED THAT, WHILE YELTSIN HAD A CLEAR
STRATEGY
BUT
WAS CONFUSED ON TACTICS, PUTIN WAS AT THE MOMENT
UNPREDICTABLE IN
BOTH STRATEGY AND TACTICS. END SUMMARY.
2.-feHUJSSIAN MEDIA MAGNATE
BORIS BEREZOVSKIY CALLED ON
U/S PICKERING OCTOBER 18 ON THE MARGINS
OF THE UNGA IN NEW
YORK. BEREZOVSKIY WAS ACCOMPANIED BY ALEC
GOLDFARB
AND
VLADIMIR VORONKO. U/S PICKERING WAS ACCOMPANIED BY
P
STAFF
(NOTETAKER). BEREZOVSKIY OPENED BY OUTLINING HIS
w
i—
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THREE GOALS FOR
HIS TRIP TO NEW YORK: TO GIVE HIS VISION
OF CURRENT STATE OF EVENTS
IN RUSSIA; TO SEND A MESSAGE ON
THE NEED FOR DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION
TO PUTIN; AND, TO OPEN
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE RUSSIAN EXPATRIATE
COMMUNITY IN
THE UNITED STATES. OVERSEAS RUSSIANS, HE SAID, NEED
TO
DEVELOP A MODERN AND SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIP TO
MOTHER
RUSSIA.
NOTING HE WAS GOING STRAIGHT TO BRIGHTON BEACH
AFTER THE MEETING,
HE PLACED THE NEW YORK CITY RUSSIAN
COMMUNITY AT 900,000 AND 4 MILLION
IN THE ENTIRE U.S. (A
FIGURE PICKERING SAID SOUNDED HIGH).
3.
-(Q^EREZOVSKIY BEGAN BY RECOUNTING THAT YELTSIN
HAD
INITIATED SOUND,
LOGICAL REFORMS, NOT ONLY LAYING THE
FOUNDATION FOR NEW ECONOMIC
SYSTEM BUT CHANGING THE
RUSSIAN MENTALITY. NO LONGER DO PEOPLE DEPEND
ON THE
STATE, HE SAID, BUT ON THEMSELVES. PUTIN, HE AVERRED,
NEEDS
TO CONTINUE WITH THIS LONG EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS.
YELTSIN TURNED
THE COUNTRY 180 DEGREES, BUT PUTIN NOW
APPEARS INTENT ON CONTINUING
SOME OF YELTSIN'S OWN
STRATEGIC MISTAKES WHILE ADDING NEW ONES OF
HIS OWN.
PUTIN IS CONTINUING YELTSIN'S ERRORS IN CHECHNYA, HE
SAID,
AS
WELL AS THE FAILING TO ATTEND TO THE ISSUE OF
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
PUTIN, CLAIMED BEREZOVSKIY, IS
DESTROYING THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM
BY HIS MOVES AGAINST THE
COURTS AND THE LEGISLATURE. THE DUMA,
HE SAID, IS "NOW
JUST A RUBBER STAMP OF THE KREMLIN."
CLINTON LIBRARY
DM
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OY
�Page 4 of 8
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4 . ^
PICKERING CONCURRED THAT PUTIN HAS UNDERMINED
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENTAL BRANCHES, WHILE DOING
AWAY WITH THE FEDERATION
COUNCIL AND LIMITING THE AUTONOMY
OF THE OBLASTS. THE GOAL APPEARS
TO BE THE
RECENTRALIZATION OF POWER. BEREZOVSKIY STATED THAT
CONTROL
OF THE MASS MEDIA IS ALSO BEING CONCENTRATED,
CLAIMING THAT 90 PERCENT
OF ALL TV INFLUENCE IS
CONCENTRATED IN THE TOP THREE CHANNELS: ORT,
NTV ("NOT
MASS MEDIA, IT HAS GOOD URBAN, BUT NOT RURAL OR
NATIONAL
COVERAGE")
AND RTR ("WEAK, WITH NO POLITICAL POWER").
5.-(BEREZOVSKIY
STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THAT PUTIN
DOES NOT ACTIVELY SEEK THE CONSTRUCTION
OF AN
AUTHORITARIAN STATE, JUST THAT HE BELIEVES A
DEMOCRATIC
STATE
CAN BE ESTABLISHED VIA THE AUTHORITARIAN PATH. HE
LIKENED PUTIN
TO PERON AND PINOCHET. ASKED IF HE THOUGHT
PUTIN WAS ALSO MOVING
TOWARDS A STATIST ECONOMY,
BEREZOVSKIY REPLIED "ABSOLUTELY," NOTING
THE REGIONS WERE
NO LONGER PERMITTED TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN BUSINESS
RELATIONS
WITH FOREIGN INVESTORS. STILL, BEREZOVSKIY
SAID, "PUTIN IS BETTER
THAN PRIMAKOV," ALTHOUGH HE IS "NO
INTELLECTUAL." HE ADMITTEDLY
INHERITED A TERRIBLE
SITUATION, SAID BEREZOVSKIY, BUT SEEKS SIMPLE
SOLUTIONS
WHERE THERE ARE NONE. NONETHELESS, HE CLAIMED, HE IS
OPTIMISTIC
THAT THE COUNTRY IS GENERALLY PROCEEDING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION
(PUTIN ASIDE) AND "MILLIONS OF RUSSIANS
REMAIN OPTIMISTIC."
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�39F6B6D1.FIN
Page 5 of 8
6.
-(€)-ASKED ABOUT HIS OWN BUSINESS SITUATION,
BEREZOVSKIY STATED "THEY
CAN PUT ME IN JAIL BUT IT WON'T
HELP." HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAS
PLACED HIS OWNERSHIP
SHARES OF ORT TV INTO A SHARE TRUST CONTROLLED
BY A GROUP
OF JOURNALISTS. HE STRESSED HE WAS NOT DIVESTING
HIMSELF
OF
ORT. THE PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA COULD PROPOSE TO
REPLACE
THE CURRENT
GENERAL MANAGER ("NOT A STRONG MAN, BUT..").
A QUALIFIED MAJORITY
OF THREE-FOURTH'S OF THE TOTAL
SHARES, HOWEVER, WOULD BE NEEDED
IN ORDER TO APPROVE SUCH
A MOVE. ASKED BY PICKERING WHY THE KURSK
AFFAIR WAS
HANDLED SO POORLY, BEREZOVSKIY REPLIED THAT
PAVLOVSKY
AND
THE FSB LEADERSHIP WERE "STALINISTS" WHO DID NOT
UNDERSTAND
THAT THESE ARE NOT SOVIET TIMES. NOT ONLY ARE
OTHER INFORMATION
STREAMS AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE, BUT THE
PEOPLE HAVE ALSO CHANGED IN
THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR
GOVERNMENT.
7.^-BEREZOVSKIY STATED
THAT THIS WAS A CLEAR EXAMPLE
OF WHY, IF RUSSIA TRULY WANTED TO
DEVELOP A LIBERAL
SYSTEM, IT NEEDED TO CREATE "A REAL OPPOSITION,
NOT A
POTEMKIN ONE." BEREZOVSKIY HAD SOUGHT TO DEVELOP,
HE
SAID,
A SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION. "BUT PUTIN MOVED
LEFT, SO I ASKED
FOR A RIGHT OPPOSITION." EVEN AFTER HE
EXPLAINED THE IDEA OF A LOYAL,
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION TO
PUTIN, HE SAID, PUTIN "REACTED AGGRESSIVELY,"
CLINTON LIBRARY P O O O Y
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CHALLENGING
AND QUESTIONING BEREZOVSKIY'S EVERY MOVE. PUTIN
MADE
A
STRATEGIC ERROR, HE ANALYZED, "BY PICKING A FIGHT
WITH THE
BUSINESS
ELITE." THE GOVERNORS HAD BEEN DIVIDED IN 1999.
BUT AFTER PUTIN
ATTACKED ONE OF THEM, THEY WERE UNITED IN
SUPPORTING PUTIN. AFTER
HE BECAME PRESIDENT, EACH OF THE
GOVERNORS SAW PUTIN AS "HIS" PRESIDENT
- ONLY TO FEEL
BETRAYED AFTER HE REDUCED THEIR POWER AND TOOK
THEM
OUT OF
THE FEDERATION COUNCIL.
S.-fC^-THE CENTRAL ISSUE NOW,
SAID BEREZOVSKIY, IS
WHETHER RUSSIAN SOCIETY ACCUMULATES ENOUGH
OF THE "POWER
OF FREEDOM" TO LIMIT PUTIN. TACTICALLY, HE SAID HE
HAS
CONCLUDED THAT "IT IS USELESS TO FIGHT PUTIN; IT IS
BETTER
TO
PRESS HIM." THE FSB HAS SOME POWER OVER PUTIN, BUT
IVANOV HAS THE
MOST INFLUENCE. VOLOSHYN, HE ARGUED, IS A
BIGGER INTELLECT THAN
PUTIN, BUT HAS "NO CHANCE AT ALL" OF
REPLACING PUTIN. ONLY HIGH
WORLD OIL PRICES WERE KEEPING
THE ECONOMY AFLOAT, AND PUTIN, WHO
DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR OR THE EFFECTS OF HIS OWN
DECISIONS, HAS NO
IDEA OF HOW TO HELP THE ECONOMY. THE YOUNGER
GENERATION
IS
LEAVING RUSSIA, HE CLAIMED, TRUSTING NEITHER PUTIN
NOR
THE FUTURE.
GOVERNMENT CONFISCATIONS AND TAXES WERE ALSO
FORCING MORE OF THE
ECONOMY UNDERGROUND AND TOWARD HIDING
THEIR ASSETS.
CLINTON LIBRARY P O O O Y
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�39F6B6D1.FIN
Page 7 of 8
BY PICKERING IF PUTIN FEARS EITHER THE
UNITED STATES OR NATO, BEREZOVSKIY
REPLIED, "NO, BUT HE
THINKS THE U.S. HOLDS A POSITION (THAT IS)
AGAINST THE
INTERESTS OF RUSSIA." PUTIN'S MAIN GOVERNMENTAL
SUPPORT
RESTS
ON THE MILITARY AND THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES. HE
FEARED THAT PUTIN'S
INNER CIRCLE IS ISOLATED AND "DO NOT
KNOW REALITY." ONE EXAMPLE:
PUTIN TRULY BELIEVES
MILOSEVIC WOULD WIN A FAIR VOTE IN SERBIA BECAUSE
THE FSB
TELLS HIM SO. PUTIN, SAID BEREZOVSKIY, MEETS EVERY
TWO
WEEKS
WITH YELTSIN. YELTSIN HAS REPORTEDLY TOLD PUTIN TO
JETTISON MANY
OF THE FSB PEOPLE SURROUNDING HIM, BUT PUTIN
HAS REFUSED TO DO SO.
WHEN HE FEELS THREATENED,
BEREZOVSKIY SAID PUTIN WITHDRAWS, SUSPECTS
THE WORST AND
LOOKS FOR THE SIMPLEST OF SOLUTIONS. HE SAID PUTIN
DOES
NOT LIKE THE CURRENT DEFENSE MINISTER AND WILL
LIKELY
NOMINATE
A CIVILIAN POLITICIAN (ONE ACCEPTABLE TO THE
MILITARY LEADERSHIP)
TO REPLACE HIM. HE SPECULATED THAT
SERGEI IVANOV OR KUDRIN MIGHT
BECOME PRIME MINISTER. HE
SAID THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND ZUGANOV ARE
TRYING TO SUPPORT
PUTIN. HE PLACED ZHIRINOVSKY'S POPULAR SUPPORT
AT LESS
THAN FIVE PERCENT, NOTING HE HAD SUPPORTED PUTIN'S
REFORM
OF
THE FEDERATION COUNCIL. HE SAID ROSSEL, RUTSKOI AND
SHAYMEYEV WERE
THE STRONGEST GOVERNORS WORTH WATCHING.
lO.tCTPICKERING SUMMARIZED
THE VIEW AT THIS JUNCTURE.
RUSSIA'S FUTURE REMAINS IN PUTIN'S HANDS.
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39F6B6D1.FIN
HE IS
NONETHELESS CONFUSED AND UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD
ON MAY
ISSUES
THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE UNITED STATES. AN
ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT
MIGHT HELP SOME (AND OIL EXPORTS ARE
HELPING), BUT WE SEE NO LONG-TERM
EFFORTS BY PUTIN IN THAT
REGARD. YELTSIN MAY HAVE BEEN UNPREDICTABLE
IN TACTICS,
BUT HE HAD A PLAN - AND CONFIDENCE IN THAT PLAN.
PUTIN
IS
PROVING UNPREDICTABLE IN BOTH TACTICS AND STRATEGY.
BEREZOVSKIY NOTED "ORT IS SILENCED, WE CANNOT
CRITICIZE HIM; NO
CHANCE." ORT'S MOST INFLUENTIAL
JOURNALIST AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION
MANAGER HAD BOTH
BEEN FIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT. BEREZOVSKIY WAS
STUMPED
WHEN
THEN ASKED BY PICKERING WHO NOW COMPETES WITH
PUTIN
FOR NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP OR HOW A NATIONAL OPPOSITION COULD
BE DEVELOPED IF
ORT WAS, AS BEREZOVSKIY PUT IT, "90
PERCENT MUZZLED." BEREZOVSKIY
SAID LEADERS WOULD ARISE IF
THE PEOPLE WERE NOT AFRAID TO STEP FORWARD.
THE USG, HE
ARGUED, SHOULD BE MORE CRITICAL PUBLICLY OF PUTIN'S
MISTAKES.
THE USG IN GENERAL, AND PRESIDENT CLINTON IN
PARTICULAR, ENJOY
BROAD PUBLIC SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION.
TALBOTT
CLINTON LIBRARY P O O O Y
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�
Dublin Core
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Title
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<strong>Declassified Documents</strong>
Description
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This collection of declassified records focus primarily on foreign affairs. These records were declassified and made available to the public through a <a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/mandatory-declassification-review-requests">Mandatory Declassification Review</a> request.
Provenance
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Clinton Presidential Records
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Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
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Title
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Declassified Documents concerning Russia
Identifier
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2012-1021-M
Description
An account of the resource
This Mandatory Declassification Review contains material on Russian oligarchs from the files of Transnational Threat director, Lee Wolosky. Included are Department of State cables from the U.S. embassy in Moscow to the Secretary of State regarding various Russian political and business leaders.
Creator
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National Security Council
Lee Wolosky
NSC Transnational Threats Office (1998-2001) Office
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<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7585816" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
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Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Date Created
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2/6/2015
Source
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2012-1021-M
Declassified
Foreign Policy
Russia