C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TALLINN 000290
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958:
DECL: 03/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, RS, EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIAN AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW REPORTEDLY ATTACKED
Classified By: DCM Jeff Goldstein for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

1. (C)
This is an urgent action request: see paragraph 5.

2. (SBU)
On the morning of May 2, the MFA called in resident
ambassadors to brief them on the security situation of
Estonia's embassy in Moscow. The briefing included a readout
of the April 30- May 1 visit of a delegation of Duma members
to Tallinn (septel). MFA Director General for Non-European
Russia, Simmu Tiik, told the meeting that Estonia considers
the situation at their embassy in Moscow to be a "gross
violation of the Vienna Convention and a matter for all of the
EU." He termed the situation "outrageous." Demonstrators have
blocked access to the embassy, and embassy officials are only
able to enter and leave after asking in advance for police
escort. From time-to-time the embassy is pelted with rocks and
eggs, and the protesters are keeping up a barrage of loud
music to prevent the Estonian staff (who live on the embassy
compound) from sleeping. The protesters have told the Estonian
press that they are financed by donations from private
sources, but Tiik made clear the GOE believes they are
financed by the GOR. (Note. Tiik also provided a list of
Russian government IP addresses that had been used in a denial
of service attack aimed at shutting down official Estonian
government web sites. The addresses came from institutions
such as the Main Division of Information Resources for States
Organs of the Russian Federation, located in the old Communist
Party Headquarters complex on Staraya Ploshchad, and from one
official in the Administration of the President of the Russian
Federation.)

3. (SBU)
Tiik indicated that, although Foreign Minister Lavrov told
Foreign Minister Paet that Russia would fulfill all its Vienna
obligations, the situation on the ground is quite different.
While in Tallinn, members of the Duma delegation stated that
the Russian authorities could clear away the blockade "in
three minutes," but "we prefer not to do so." Security
officials outside the embassy have unofficially told members
of the Estonian staff that "somebody else is in charge" of the
handling of the situation.

4. (SBU)
During the briefing, Tiik was interrupted by word that Russian
Ambassador to Moscow Marina Kaljurand, having left the embassy
under police escort to attend a press conference at the
headquarters of the newspaper Argumenty Fakty, had been
attacked with tear gas during the press conference, and that
her car, which was waiting outside the building, was
surrounded by rioting youth who ripped off the Estonian flag.
The MFA has also issued a press statement with this
information.

5. (C)
Action Request: The Estonians seem to have chosen to work
through the EU to seek a resolution to the security problems
at their embassy in Moscow. Post believes, however, that it is
important that the U.S. support the Estonians in light of what
appears to be a clear failure by the Russian government to
live up to its obligation as host to provide for the security
and safe working environment of a

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diplomatic mission from a country with which the U.S. is
allied. Post therefore requests that the Department demarche
the Russian embassy in Washington as soon as possible to
remind them of their responsibilities to the diplomatic
community in Moscow under the Vienna Convention. PHILLIPS