

Currently released so far... 6239 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
ASEC
AU
AORC
AF
AM
AFIN
AEMR
AR
ASIG
AMGT
AG
APER
AL
ABLD
ASUP
AA
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AE
AMED
AS
AGMT
APECO
AO
AFFAIRS
AJ
ACOA
AX
AROC
ATFN
ASEAN
AFGHANISTAN
ADCO
AFU
AER
ALOW
AODE
ABUD
ATRN
AID
AC
AVERY
APCS
CASC
CJAN
CVIS
CS
COUNTER
CD
CU
CI
CO
CG
CE
CA
CMGT
CH
CWC
CBW
CKGR
CR
CN
CPAS
CONS
CDG
CLINTON
CT
CJUS
CY
CV
COUNTERTERRORISM
CIA
CACM
CDB
CAN
COE
CM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CF
CONDOLEEZZA
CARSON
CL
CIS
CODEL
CTM
CB
COM
ECON
EFIN
ETRD
EAIR
EAID
ET
EFIS
ENRG
EPET
ETTC
ER
EG
EINV
EAGR
ELAB
EUN
EWWT
ENGR
EMIN
ECIN
ENIV
ES
EC
ECPS
EIND
EI
EU
ENVI
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ELTN
EZ
EINT
ELN
EUR
EUNCH
EN
EINVECONSENVCSJA
ELECTIONS
EINVEFIN
ENNP
ECUN
EXTERNAL
EK
EFINECONCS
ECINECONCS
ECIP
EINDETRD
EUC
EREL
ENVR
ECA
ENERG
ENGY
ETRO
EFTA
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
ECONEFIN
EINVETC
EINN
ESA
ETC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ESENV
ETRDECONWTOCS
IR
IZ
IWC
IC
ILC
IO
IAEA
IN
IS
IT
ICRC
INTELSAT
ILO
IBRD
IMF
ICAO
IMO
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
ITRA
ISRAELI
ICJ
IACI
INTERPOL
ID
IV
ICTY
IQ
IPR
INRB
ITPHUM
IIP
IL
IA
INR
ITPGOV
IZPREL
IRC
INRA
INRO
IRAJ
IEFIN
IF
KE
KCRM
KDRG
KIPR
KCOR
KSCA
KBIO
KDEM
KMCA
KMPI
KNNP
KJUS
KOMC
KGHG
KSUM
KSTC
KIRF
KTIP
KWMN
KZ
KG
KTFN
KHLS
KPAO
KFRD
KTIA
KOLY
KCFE
KISL
KFLU
KPKO
KWBG
KTBT
KTDB
KOCI
KUNR
KAWK
KICC
KPAL
KSTH
KN
KS
KGIC
KNPP
KWAC
KMDR
KAWC
KBCT
KIDE
KFLO
KWMNCS
KSEP
KU
KNEI
KVPR
KACT
KRAD
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCIP
KSAF
KV
KSPR
KPRP
KFSC
KCRS
KR
KRFD
KX
KO
KPWR
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGCC
KPIN
KHIV
KPLS
KIRC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KGIT
KBTS
KPRV
KBTR
KERG
KWMM
KRVC
KNSD
KVIR
KNUP
KTER
KDDG
KHSA
KMRS
KHDP
KTLA
KPAK
KNAR
KREL
KPAI
KTEX
KCOM
KNNPMNUC
KPOA
KLIG
KHUM
KDEV
KNUC
KCFC
KREC
KOMS
KWWMN
MASS
MP
MARR
MOPS
MNUC
MX
MO
MCAP
MY
ML
MU
MIL
MC
MTRE
MA
MD
MTCRE
MEPI
MAR
MRCRE
MR
MV
MPOS
MZ
MEPP
MOPPS
MAPP
MASC
MT
MERCOSUR
MK
MDC
MI
MAPS
MCC
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MTCR
MG
OVIP
OREP
OTRA
OSCE
OECD
OIIP
OEXC
OPCW
OPIC
OPDC
OPRC
ODIP
OVP
OSCI
OAS
OFDP
OTR
OSAC
OIC
OFFICIALS
OIE
PREL
PGOV
PHUM
PTER
PE
PINR
PINS
PARMS
PARM
PHSA
PA
PK
PBTS
PO
PREF
POL
PLN
POLITICS
PROP
PL
PM
PAO
PSI
PG
PEPR
POV
PALESTINIAN
PINT
PSOE
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PBIO
PECON
PAK
POGOV
PINL
PKFK
PMIL
PY
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PRAM
PMAR
PGOVLO
PUNE
PORG
PHUMPREL
PF
POLINT
PHUS
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PNAT
PGOVE
PRGOV
PRL
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
PINF
PEL
SNAR
SO
SENV
SU
SCUL
SOCI
SP
SC
SA
SMIG
SAN
SZ
SW
SN
SY
SR
SL
SEVN
SF
SYR
SI
SG
STEINBERG
SIPRS
SH
SNARCS
SOFA
SANC
SHUM
SK
ST
TERRORISM
TRGY
TZ
TX
TBIO
TSPA
TS
TSPL
TW
TU
TD
TIP
TURKEY
TP
TI
TC
TPHY
TH
TO
TK
TNGD
TINT
TRSY
TR
TFIN
TT
UG
UK
UP
UNGA
UNHRC
UZ
UN
UNAUS
USTR
UNSC
US
UNEP
UY
UNESCO
USUN
UNHCR
UAE
UNMIK
USEU
UV
UNO
UNDP
UNCHS
UNVIE
UNCHC
UE
UNDESCO
USAID
UNDC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08REYKJAVIK8, Iceland: Russian activities in region a growing concern
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08REYKJAVIK8.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
08REYKJAVIK8 | 2008-01-23 14:02 | 2011-01-13 05:05 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Reykjavik |
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHRK #0008/01 0231458
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231458Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3542
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE 0068
RHMFISS/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0036
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L REYKJAVIK 000008
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV RU IC
SUBJECT: Iceland: Russian activities in region a growing concern
Refs: A) 07 Reykjavik 247
B) IIR 6 872 2046 06 (DTG 231540Z AUG 06)
C) 07 Reykjavik 322
Classified By: Amb. Carol van Voorst for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C) Summary: Russian foreign policy continues to irritate and
puzzle the Government of Iceland. In the hour-long special on Russia,
broadcasted by an Icelandic television channel on January 15, Russian
Ambassador Tatarintsev claimed that recent Russian foreign policy
moves are tied to Russia's desire for a multipolar world, a notion
threatening to "American military and political circles that want to
dictate their political will to everybody else, and we Russians will
never allow it." The Ambassador's remarks did not win any fans at
the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, particularly when
Tatarintsev accused the Government of Iceland of "hanky panky" in
unfairly excluding Russian manufacturer Kazan from procurement of new
search and rescue helicopters for the Coast Guard here. While the
Russian Embassy here may be pleased for having aired their point of
view, they may have miscalculated just how poorly received it would
be among the government and public. END SUMMARY.
Russian Public Diplomacy: Not Quite Warm and Fuzzy
--------------------------------------------- -----
¶2. (SBU) Icelandic TV Channel 2 devoted its hour-long newsmagazine
"Compass" on January 15 to Russian foreign policy, both in a global
sense and regarding Iceland in particular. The first segment of the
show focused on the resumption of long-range aviation (LRA) activity
by Russia beginning in the summer of 2007 (Ref A) and centered on the
visit of the Compass crew to Engels Air Base in Russia, where most of
the recent LRA flights near Iceland have originated. (Note: Though
Compass noted that the Russian Embassy facilitated their crew's
travel to Engels as well as to the Kazan helicopter manufacturing
plant (para. 4), the assumption here is that the trip was largely
Russian-funded. Compass and Channel 2 are "flat broke," in the words
of one local media commentator. End Note.) During the visit, bomber
crews spoke in glowing terms of Iceland's beauty, which they noted
during their circumnavigations of the island. The crews also
downplayed any threat to Iceland from the flights, and avoided any
direct answer to concerns raised here regarding any possible danger
to civil aviation.
¶3. (U) The show's second portion turned to the broader question of
recent Russian activities on the global stage, and how President
Putin plays at home and abroad. The segment gave Russian Ambassador
to Iceland Viktor Tatarintsev ample speaking room. In his most
provocative comments, Tatarintsev opined: "What we are advocating for
is to have a multipolar world...there will not be any superpower that
thinks it can do whatever it wants to with everybody else as its
smaller servants. It will not be that way and the Americans know
that. Therefore, they are concerned with the growing power of
Russia, and we will become much stronger. It is a real threat to
Americans, not the American population, but a threat to American
military and political circles that want to dictate their political
will to everybody else, and we Russians will never allow it. It is
pretty simple and it is as simple as that."
¶4. (U) The show wrapped up with a lengthy explication of the
Icelandic Coast Guard's (ICG) SAR helicopter procurement efforts.
Starting in summer 2006 (Ref B), Tatarintsev has repeatedly claimed
that the Government of Iceland has unnecessarily shunned Russian
offers to present Kazan's MI-172 helicopter as an option for the ICG.
The Compass crew traveled to Kazan's manufacturing facility in
Tatarstan, and after devoting considerable screen time to the
MI-172's capabilities and its advocates, concludes that the aircraft
would not meet ICG needs as well as other options on the table.
Nonetheless, Tatarintsev complained that his embassy has never
received a written reply to GOR offers of assistance and dismissed
MFA responses that answers were provided orally. Terming the
handling of Kazan's offer and the recent Iceland-Norway agreement to
pursue a joint SAR helo procurement plan "hanky-panky," Tatarintsev
closed the program with the pledge that Russia "will not allow" such
discrimination to go forward.
Icelanders Not Impressed
------------------------
¶5. (C) In a January 16 meeting on an unrelated matter, Icelandic MFA
Permanent Secretary Gretar Mar Sigurdsson told the Ambassador that he
had repeatedly discussed the SAR helicopter issue with the Russian
Ambassador and was greately irritated by Tatarintsev's claim that the
MFA had not answered the mail. Sigurdsson further noted that he
found Tatarintsev's explanation about Russian foreign policy neither
comforting nor convincing. Separately, MFA contacts have mentioned
to Pol Chief their bewilderment at both the aims of the Russian
Ambassador's TV appearance as well as Russian goals in general.
¶6. (C) Comment: When Tatarintsev took up his posting here in summer
2006, he made a point in several interviews of mentioning his love of
Reykjavik's swimming pools and other Icelandic cultural touchstones,
leading many to believe this was a "new kind of Russian Ambassador."
With his comments to the press on the LRA resumption in August 2006
("These flights are just something that Icelanders will have to get
used to,") and in the January 15 Compass episode, many here now
believe Russia and her envoy are again showing their true colors.
Icelandic anxiety over Russian intentions worldwide and in the North
Atlantic neighborhood will continue to grow, translating directly
into greater interest in robust defense and security ties with the
U.S. and NATO. (Ref C).
van Voorst