UNCLAS USNATO 000292 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR, MOPS,
NATO, PINR, PREL, GG, RS SUBJECT: TFGG01: RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR ROGOZIN 
RESCINDS REQUEST FOR EXTRAORDINARY NRC MEETING 

1. (SBU) On Monday, 
August 18, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to 
NATO, Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin, circulated a letter to the Deputy 
Secretary General and distributed to all delegations rescinding his 
request for an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC). 
The text of the letter follows. 

2. (SBU) Brussels, "18" August, 2008 
Dear Mr. Deputy Secretary General, In view of continuing uncertainty 
regarding our request to convene the NRC extraordinary meeting on events
in and around South Ossetia I revoke this application as irrelevant 
under the present circumstances. Making our request we proceeded from a 
clear understanding that extraordinary meetings of the NRC provided for 
in the Organizational arrangements are needed to exchange opinions on 
topical issues in the framework of Russia-NATO political dialogue and 
have to be treated as a matter of urgency by all NRC member states. It 
is of particular importance at a time when our positions significantly 
differ. Please, distribute this letter to all NRC delegations. Sincerely
yours, /s/ D. ROGOZIN H.E. AMBASSADOR CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO DEPUTY 
SECRETARY GENERAL NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION Brussels VOLKER