[Australia]: Message to Russia [SEC=TOP SECRET]

[Owen]

​

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET (ENCRYPTED)​

26 December 2004

Dear Minister Albrecht, I'm reaching out because there are some areas of concern and cooperation that we see between Australia and Russia. First of all, the maneuvers earlier this month through the Coral and Tasman Sea by the Russian Navy were unprecedented. We have not seen an uninvited foreign fleet get that close to Australia in a long time. We also expected better communication from those vessels directly which did not occur, it was complete radio silence. A pre-warning from the Russian Embassy would have also been appreciated. We expect that this situation doesn't occur again. In terms of cooperation, the Australian Parliament recently overturned a legislation ban on nuclear energy. As you may be aware we had a memorandum of understanding when it came to nuclear energy from our meeting earlier this year. We are looking at finally expanding the energy sector in Australia to include nuclear energy in the mix, albeit only a small percentage of it. We want Russian assistance and cooperation when it comes to getting a nuclear energy sector online in this country. Secondly, we are aware from media reports that the President of Russia is concerned about the Swedish occuaption of South Africa and is keen to put an end to it. We would also like to propose that this be extended to all Swedish occupation of the Southern Hemisphere and having a partner like Russia on Australia and New Zealand's side in that matter would be invaluable. Sweden has for too long, restricted any other nation from operating in Antarctica, exercises sovereignty over almost the entire continent and does not allow for territorial claims by nations who are actually adjacent to the continent such as Australia and New Zealand. They are also illegally occupying the Australian territory of the Heard and McDonald Islands. This has not been a foreign policy priority for our government for a while but with a waning Sweden in terms of global power and influence and increasing frustration by major nations such as Russia and the United States, we are definitely eyeing 2005 up as the year where things begin to change. I would like to propose a meeting between our two selves to discuss these matters. Potentially in Vladivostok so I don't need to travel as far as Moscow or in Canberra. Let me know what your preference is. Yours sincerely, Kevin Rudd.

Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700​

Protective Marking:	Business Impact Level:	Compromise of Information Confidentiality:	Required to be Encrypted:
UNOFFICIAL	No Business Impact	No damage. This information does not form part of official duty.
OFFICIAL	Low Business Impact	No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive	Low to Medium Business Impact	Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised.
PROTECTED	High Business Impact	Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
SECRET	Extreme Business Impact	Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
TOP SECRET	Catastrophic Business Impact	Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.

Jay

 

[Owen]

Jay

 

[Jay]

With the email sent during the official Christmas Holidays, a response would be given in a secured and encrypted cable after the work holiday, on January 6, 2005.

МИД РФ Ministry of Foreign Affairs​

AUTHENTIC COMMUNIQUE OF THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Security Clearance: Secure and Encrypted​

[Recipient]: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Australia < Owen > [Sender]: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation < @LCAlbrechtMOFA.ru.gov > [Subject]: [Confidential] RE: Diplomatic Relations

Dear Minister Rudd, I hope this correspondence finds you well. I am happy to see that your Government finds new value in a partnership with the Russian Federation and would be happy to arrange a visit in Vladivostok for the two of us to meet and discuss the parameters of this partnership. The Government of the Russian Federation is happy to engage with opportunities to expand Russo-Australian ties in areas of civilian nuclear energy cooperation. If it is convenient timing, a meeting for January 16th, 2005 at the Government Offices, Svetlanskaya Street, 41, Vladivostok, Russian Federation can be arranged. I look forward to a substantive conversation on the Russo-Australian portfolio and to hearing your government's desired areas of assistance from Russia to help develop Australia and our partnership. Regards, Lucie Albrecht Minister of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation

 

[Owen]

As it was obvious to the Foreign Minister that the Russian Government had completely no desire to acknowledge or discuss the recent movements of their vessels in the South Pacific or the situation with Sweden he would officially note the Russian Government as "serial ghosters" and to engage in "superficial cooperation or discussions only".

​

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET (ENCRYPTED)​

6 January 2005

Dear Minister Albrecht, Given the parameters of the discussion only seem to include nuclear and energy cooperation, I am instead proposing that the Minister for Energy, Senator Stephen Conroy, instead take my place in Vladivostok for this meeting, as I am pre-occupied with the AUKMIN consultations in the UK. It would be more beneficial if his Russian counterpart for energy instead took your place for this meeting and this will be the key focus of the meeting. Yours sincerely, Kevin Rudd.

Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700​

Protective Marking:	Business Impact Level:	Compromise of Information Confidentiality:	Required to be Encrypted:
UNOFFICIAL	No Business Impact	No damage. This information does not form part of official duty.
OFFICIAL	Low Business Impact	No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive	Low to Medium Business Impact	Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised.
PROTECTED	High Business Impact	Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
SECRET	Extreme Business Impact	Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.
TOP SECRET	Catastrophic Business Impact	Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals.

Jay

 

[Jay]

МИД РФ Ministry of Foreign Affairs​

AUTHENTIC COMMUNIQUE OF THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Security Clearance: Secure and Encrypted​

[Recipient]: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Australia < Owen > [Sender]: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation < @LCAlbrechtMOFA.ru.gov > [Subject]: [Confidential] RE: Diplomatic Relations

Dear Minister Rudd, I am happy to wait until are available given our desire, as stressed in my previous email, to discuss the parameters of the partnership. This would be a comprehensive look. However, if your Government wishes to amend that and is content with a focused meeting to discuss energy cooperation, then the appropriate minister will be assigned to meet your assigned delegation. If no changes are to be made, a meeting for January 16th, 2005 at the Government Offices, Svetlanskaya Street, 41, Vladivostok, Russian Federation can be arranged. Please provide a list of the passport information of the delegation, its size, aircraft manifesto, and flight plan to ensure their orderly arrival. I wish you the best of luck in your consultations. May they be fruitful as much as I hope the energy talks will be. Regards, Lucie Albrecht Minister of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation