815 LTNCLASSIFIED UNCI A SSIFIBD 07677 01 0F 03 PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-01 MOSCOW INFO DOEE-OO TEDE-OO NP OO SRPP-OO I TR-OO ArD-OO DS-00 I AB-01 CIAE OO FBIE-OO M-00 AC-01 NRRC-OO PA -o0 PM-OO PRSI-OO NSAE OO ACS-OO sso-00 TRSE-OO usrE-00 PMB-OO DSCC-00 PRM-01 LOG-00 o_ ___ s e s-00 28t60 -z L-00 sA-o1 DRt-02 o 2815372 lrAR 00 RELEASED IN FULL PTQs29t SMEC-00 IITED-OO MCO-o1 NSCE-00 INL-01 vc-01 DODE OO MOFM-04 oMB-01 MOF-03 P-00 IIP-OO scT-00 sNrs-00 c-00 Nrsc-00 FDIC-01 NFAT-OO ___448 c8 28L6otz 38 EM AI EMBASSY IIfOSCOVI TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATts 0243 INFO MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE CIS COLI ECTIVE uNcrAs sEcTroN 01 0F 03 Moscotf 007677 SENSITIVE E O L2958 DECL N a TAGS PGOV RS SUB IECT RUSSLAII PRESIDENTIAI ELECTIONS FREE A ID FAIR SENSITIVE BUT UNCIASSIEED - -- R ASONABLY PLP-ASB TRP AT ACCORDINGIY UNCI ASSIFIBD PAGE 02 MOSCOW 07677 01 0F 03 28t60LZ SUMN ARY 1 SBU MORE TItAlr TWO-TTTIRDS OF AI L OF RUSSDil'S ELfGIBLE VOTERS CAST THErR VOTES ON litARCH 26 FOR RUSSIA'S NEXT PRESIDENT THIS COMPI ETED THE FIRST E ZER DEM@RATIC TR N SFBR OF PRESIDENTIAI POT BR IN THIS COT'NTRY THE EI EqIIONS BY ALt ACCOUNTS I ERE CARRTED oul vrrTHoIIr INCIDSNT AitD rN A MAIINER GENERAILY CONSISTENT WITH RUSSTA'S EIECTION LE f AND VTITH INTERNATIONAT STA IDARDS A ID DEMOCRATIC PRTNCIPI ES THIS CONCTUSION IS BASED ON REPORTS E ROM US MISSION OBSERVERS IIHO VISITED POLIING PIACES IN 19 OF RUSSTA'S MOST POPULOUS REGIONS THROUGHOIIT TIIE SEDERATION IT IS NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY FRANK H PEREZ DATE CASE ID 04 SEP 2007 200702380 UNCLASSIFIED H-01 oPrc-01 sP-00 LINCLASSIFIED WITH TIIE OBSERVATIONS OF THE OSCE'S INTERNATIONAI EI BqTTON OBSERVATION MISSION A ID WTTH CONCTUSIONS OF OTHER INTBRNATTONAI OBSER IERS END CONSTSTENT THE ST'M ARY CAII PAIGN PRESSTTRES 2 SBU RUSSIA'S l'tARCH 26 r T r gITONS AppE AR TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED OIIT IN A I ANNER CONSISTENT WITH ITS ELEqIION LAW IN AII EIWIRONMENT GBNERATLY SREE AND FATR THIS CONCLUSION DOES NOT DISMISS REPORTS AIID OBSERVATIONS OF PROCEDT'RAI POLLING TRREGT'I ARITIES OR THE FAITURE OF THB INDEPENDENT A ID STATE-CONSROLLED MEDIA TO CONSISTENTLY PROVIDE EQUAJ ACCESS rO AI D IMPARTIAL TNFORMATION ABOTXT THE CANDIDATES TO THE UNCI ASSITIED pAcE 03 MOSCOW 07677 01 0F 03 28L60tZ PUBLTC NE ZERTHET ESS TRREGULARTTTES OBSER ED WERE SIGNIFICANT A D OUI D TIKELY NOT HAVB AI'EECTED THE NOT OUTCTOME 3 SBU THE r ACK OF COMPLETE FAIRNESS OF BOTH STATECONIB OtLED A ID INDEPENDENT MEDIA DURING THB C tr PAIG WHILB A SERIOUS PROBLEM rN ITSELF DID NOT REELECT HO EVER A MP AIITNGFUL rACK OF DTVERSTTY Al D PLt RAtrrY oa vlBws oR A LACK oP cHoIcE oF MEDIA SOTRCES FOR THE VOTERS IN THIS CONTEXT THE MEDTA GENBRAILY REAI ECSED THE POPUI AR VIEWS OF THB VOTING PT'BLIC AS A RESULT TI 8 I ACK OF COMPI ETE FAIRNESS PROBABTY HAD NO MEASURJABLE AFEECT ON THE FINAI OUTCOT B TITIS IS TN CONTRAST IITH THE DUMA CAI PAIGII DURING T HICH FAVORITISM BY TTIE MEDIA ESPECTALLY OF THE STATE-RUN OR STATE-AILIED MEDTA APPEARS TO HA IE IIAD A MUCH MORE SIGNIFTCANT IMPACT ON TTTE ELECTION RESULTS 4 SBU THOUGH MITED IN COMPARISON TO THE CONTEI TIOUS 1999 DI'T''A CAMPAIGNS THE PRESIDENTTAI ELECTION SE ASON HAD ITS OI N SHARE OF MEDIA BATTLES SMEAR CAII PAfGNS AIID REPORTS OF KREMLIN-INSPIRED MA IEUVERI IG AIID BACK ROOM BARGAINING BUT IT ALSO DIFFERED EROM THE DT'MA CAI'IPAIGN IN THAT IT wAs NOT ARKED BY SUBSEQITENT DR AT'IATIC SWINGS IN POLLING PREFERENCES ON THE coNlRARY THE CONSTSTENCY OF POT LING PRESERENCES FORECASTTNG A Ptl TIN VICTORY WORRIED CAMPAIGN ACTIVISTS A ID ELECTION OFFICTALS AIIKE BECAUSE OF THE PROSPECT TITA T FEWBR THAII 50 PERCENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS TIIB MINIMT'M NEEDED TO VAIIDATE THE VOTE WOUI D TURN O IT UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED HOI E ER DURING THE LAST WEEKS OF THE CAMPAIGN MANY UNCIASSIFTED pAcE 04 MOSCOW 07677 01 0F 03 28t60LZ IA 'OR POLLS CONSISTENTLY SHO IED TIIAT MORE THA I 50 PERCENT OF THE EI ECTORATE WOUID VOTE ON INRCH 26 AWAITING THE 5 FINAI TALLY - AIID COMPIAINTS rT WrLr TAIG SE ERAI DAYS TO DEIERMINE IIHBTHER THE VOTE COUNTS WERE ENTIRELY EREE OF ERROR OR AI IPUIATION AS THE BAI LOTS ADE THEIR WAY EROM THE BAI IOT BOXES TO THE FI AI OFFICIjAI VOTE TAI LY SHEETS IN MOSCO T ACCORDING TO RUSSIAN CENTRAL EI SCIION CoMMISSION CEC CHAIRI IAIMSHNYAICOV THE OFFICTAL VOTE TAILY IS EXPEqTED TO BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 4 AFTERT HICH THE RESUI TS WOUI D BE PI'BLTSHED HE HAS EXPLAINED HOr ts ZER TITAT THB CEC tAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TIME TO COMPI ETE THE OFFICTAI TALLY AS IT DID AFTER THE DI MA ELBCTIONS AND TIIAT THE FINAL OFFICTAL RESULTS MIGHT BE DEI AY ED UNTIL APRII 8 SBU 6 SBU THE PATH OP THE BATLOT EROM VOTE TO BALTOT BOX DESCRTBBD BY OBSERVER ACCOUNTS I AS TITHOUT IA 'OR OBSTACI E OR 14 IIPULATION CEC CHAIRT A I VESHNYAI OV HAS REPORTED THAT NO FORITIAI COMPLAINTS HAVE YET BEEN FILED REGARDING VIOIATIONS DURING THE COURSE OF THE PRESIDENTTAI ELECTIONS ON IIARCH 28 THE PROCT'RACY UNCI ASSIFIBD UNCI ASSIFIED PAGE 01 ACTION EUR-O MOSCOW 07677 02 0F 03 9TQ5292 28L60LZ INFO LOG-OO NP-OO AID-OO CTAE-OO SMEC-OO INL-01 DOEE-oo SRpp-oo DS-00 EBrE-oo urED-oo vc-01 CEDE-0O INR-00 LAB-01 L-00 MCO-01 MOFI I-O4 DODE-OO H-01 MOF-03 M-00 Ac-01 NRRC-oo NSAE-oo NSCE-oo 0MB-01 oPrc-01 pA-00 pM-00 pRs-00 AcE-00 P-00 scr-00 sP-00 sso-00 TRSE-oo usrB-oo sA-01 rrP-00 sNrs-oo Nrsc-00 pMB-00 Dscc-oo PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 FDrC-ol NFAT-OO sAs-00 lo21-w o 28L5372 r tAR OO FM AII EMBASSY t'tOSCOVf TO SECSTATE WASITDC IMMEDIATE 0244 --4487DL 28L6022 38 UNCLASSIFIED INFO CIS MOSCOW POLITICAI COTLBCTIVE LTNCLASSIFIED COLLECTI ZE uNcr As sEcrroN 02 0F 03 Moscow 007677 SENSITI IE E O 12958 DECt N a TAGS PGOV RS SI'Bi'ECT RUSSIFTN PRESIDENTI AI EI ECTIONS EREE A ID FAIR -- REASONABLY GENERAI REPORTED THAT ITS OVIN IN ZESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS FII ED WITI REGIONAL PROCURACIES RS IE AIED NO SERIOUS VIOI ATIONS THAT COT'I D ITA IE AFSECTED THE OUTCOMB I TNCI ASSIFIED pAeE 02 MOSCOW 07677 02 0F 03 28L60tZ OF THE EI ECTIONS A PROCT'RACY SPOKESMAN CITED A TOTAL OF FIVE CRTMINAT CASES A ID 14 LESSER CASES HA IE BEEN OPENED IN CONNECTTON WITH ELECIION VIOI ATIONS 7 SBU ACCORDING TO OBSER ZER REPORTS COMMUNIST PARTY OFFICIAIS IN SE IERAI LOCAIITIES COMPI AINED OF VIOIATIONS RAIIGINC FROM UNFAIR ACCESS TO THE MEDIA TO BAI IPT STUFFING KPRF LEADBR ZYUGA IOV PUBLICLY CHARGED IHAT EI EqIION VIOIATIONS I ERE OBSERVBD OR DISCOVERED IN SEVERAL CONSTITT'ENCIES TIIOUGH HE ITAS YBT TO FILE A FORTnI COMpr ArNT TNTERESTTNGIY WHrr E KPRF OBSER ERS I ERE I'BTgUITOUS DT'RING THE DT'MA ELEqTIONS THIS 'AS NOT THE CASE ON IIARCH 26 THEY IIERE CONSISTENTLY PRESENT AT POLLING PI ACES WHERE THERE ATSO WERE OTHER oBSERVERS Btrr OFTEN DrD NOT STAY OR FATLED TO SHOII UP AT PRECINCTS WHERE NO OTHER CA IDIDATE REPRESENTATI IES I ERE PRESENT THIS IS CURIOUS SINCE ZYUGANOV BEGAI I I EVELING CIIARGES OF POSSIBI E FRAUD AT LEAST A EEK BEFORE THE BI ECTION - A SIGII THAT SUCH ALLEGATIONS IAY T1AVE HAD MORE PROPAGAI DA VAI UE TIIAN A IYTHING ELSB OBSER ER NOTES 8 SBU N ARLY 70 US MTSSTON OBSERVERS FROM EMBASSY IN ST PETERSBURG YEKATERINBIRG VISITED PRECINCTS IN 9 CONSTITUENCIES MOSCOW AI ID CONSULATES AND ILADIVOSTOK THROUGHOTIT THE RUSSTA T FEDE RATION TO OBSER iE THE PRESIDENTIAI ELECTIONS ON IARCH 26 THE CONCLUSION REACHED rS THAT I HrLE NOT PBRFECT THE VOTTNG WAS UNCI ASSIFIED YfB UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 MOSCOW 07677 02 0F 03 28L60LZ RAASONABLY FREB AIID FAIR WTTH GENERAILY EEWER PROqEDURAL IRREGUI ARITIES TIIAN DI'RING THE DECE AER D 'MA ELBCIIONS IiIE BASE THAT ON CRITERIA SIMIIAR TO THE INTERNATIONAL STN DARDS USED BY OSCE -NONDISCS IMINATORY REGISTRATION BQUAL ACCESS TO POTLING STATIONS ACCESS TO CANDIDATE INFORMATION SECRET BALLOTING ABSENCE oF INTIMIDATION Al D TRAIISPAREIIT VOTE COT'NT 9 SBU OlrR OBSSR 'ERS REPORTED THAT FOR Tr E MOST PART POLLING SITES ERE ORDBRLY AND COMPETENTLY STASFED AltD THE PROCESS AT EACH SITE WAS CARRIED OIII IN A MORE PROSESSIONAT I'IA INER THA T IN DECEMBER VOTERS vuTH IDENTIFICATION WERE ABLE rO VOTE THOUGH SOME VOTERS HAD TO PRO IE THEIR RESIDENCY I HEN TIIEIR NAlrlEs DID NOT APPEJAR ON THE REGISTRATION LTSTS THERE I ERE NO REPORTS BY OBSER ZERS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO VOlrER ACCESS TO POLLING STATIONS 10 sBu UNLIKE DURING THE DUt'tA ET BCTTONS THERE I ERE NO OBSERVER REPORTS OF CAII PAIGIT ACTIVISTS ILLEGALLY DISTRIBUTING OR POSTING LP AFLETS IN VIOI ATION OF THE ELEqTION I A I WHILE THERE ERE NLIMEROUS REPORTS OA ''FAI IILY VOTING'' A ID NON-OBSERVANCB OF SECRET BATLOTING IN ALL REPORTED CASES IT WAS BY PREEERENCE OF VOTERS I HO ERE TNDTEEERENT TO THB SBCRECY OR BECAUSE OF LACK OF SUFFICTENT BOOTIIS POLLING STATION OEFICIALS QI'ERTED BY OBSERVBRS ON THE LEGAIITY OF FA 'ILY voTrNG BY AllD LARGE IATNTATNED - TNCORRECTLY - THAT SUCH PRAqTICES WERE NOT AGAINST THE I AW THERE IIERE NO REPORTS OF INTIMIDATION THOUGH A CCORDING TO ONB UNCI ASSIFIED PAGE 04 MOSCOW 07677 02 0F 03 28L60LZ REPORT A CA IDIDATE OBSER ZER USED HIS ACCESS TO THE POLLING SITE TO TRY TO PERSUADE VOSERS TO VOTE FOR HIS CE IDIDATE 11 SBU VOTING GENERAI LY PROqEBDED SMOOTHIY IRREGUI ARTTIES ERE EEW THOSE PROBLEMS THAT DID OCCUR APPEARED TO BE MORE DT'E TO A IACK OA ATTSNTION TO PROPER PROCEDURE OR CAREI ESSNESS TEA I PREMEDITATED oBSERVERS REPORTED TIIAT VOTE COUNTTNG WHrLE SLOPPY rN soME ARP AS GEIIERAILY AS TRATISPARENI A ID ABSENT OF FRAUDUI ENT INTENT COMMENT UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED L2 SBU OBSER ZERS NOTBD CONSISTENTLY THAT ELECTTON PROqEDLRES COMING ONLY THREE MONTHS AFTER THB DUI A ELEqrIONS WERE CARRIED OUT MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY AND PROEESSIONAILY TIIA I IN DECEI'GER THE MOST VISIBLE PROBTEMS REPORTED ARE ' ORE ASSOCTATSD WITH CULTURAL PECUTIARITIES I 8 FAMrty VOTTNG AIID A LACK OF IATIJRITY OF DEMOCRATIC PRAqTICES THAI WILLEUL INTENT TO COMMIT FRAUD THE HIGH VOTER TURNOIII DEIiIONSTRATES THE CONFIDENCE RUSSIA TS HA IE IN THE VOTE AS A MEJAI S TO T TAICE THEIR VOTCES HE ARD A ID TO DETERMINE THE FATE OF THEIR UNCI ASSIFIED T'NCI ASSTFIED PAGE 01 ACTION EI 'R-01 MOSCOW 07677 03 0F 03 INFO LOE-OO NP-OO AID-OO DOEE-OO SRPP-OO DS-OO TEDE-OO INR-OO I AB-01 M-00 Ac-01 NRRC-oo PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 sso-00 TRSE-oo uslB-oo Nrsc-oo PMB-00 Dscc-oo NFAT-oo SAS-00 2aL60LZ CIAB-OO FBIE-OO L-OO NSAB-oo ACE-00 DODE-OO urED-00 INL-o1 vc-01 MCO-01 NSCE-00 MOE -04 oMB-01 MOF-03 P-00 R-00 DRL-02 scT-00 IIP-OO c-00 SMEC-00 sA-01 PRM-01 O2tW --448 D5 o 28153 2 ltAR OO FM AMEMBASSY PTO3946 28t6O2Z lSe MOSCOW TO SECSTATE IASTIDC IMMEDTATE 0245 INFO MOSCOT POLITICAT COTLECTIVE CIS COTLECTI IE tNcrAs sEcTroN 03 0E 03 Moscow 007677 SENSITIvE E O X2958 DECL U e TAGS PGOV RS SUBJECT RUSSLFTN PRESIDENTLAI ELECTIONS EREE A ID FAIR -- RE hSONABLY COI'rflIRY DESPISE OUR OI$I rIEW TIIA T THE ETECTIONS WERE CARRIED OTIT IN A CENBRATLY EREE A TD FAIR I'TADINER RUSSIA'S RIII E OF I AW'' INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS WEAI AITD UNCI ASSIFIBD PAGE 02 MOSCOW 07677 03 0F 03 28t60LZ UNCLASSIFIED H-01 oPIC-01 sP-00 sNrs-00 FDIC-01 lr r TJNCLASSIFIED OPEN TO' ABUSE THE I4A INBR IN IIIIICH THE 1 7 MEDTA IS ST'Bi'BCT TO STATE ATD OTHBR PRESSURES TO INFLT'BbICE VOTERS CONTINI'ES TO PRESENT A PROBLEM IN RUSSIA I S DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT AI THOUGH TIIE CONTINUED WTDE ARRAY OF MEDIA SOI'RCES ACTS A s A I IMPORTENT COUNTERBAIANCE 13 SBU WHILE OBSER 'ER REPORTS ARE TNSITFFTCIENT TO TEAT THE VOTE TAITIBS Ei TERYTIHERB ARE TITHOTXT ERROR CONCREIE COMPLAINTS HA IE rBT TO SURFACB pARTy A ID CAI DIDATE OBSBR IERS I ERE PRESBNT AT NB ARLY ALL CONCLT'DE STATIONS I HERE B BASSY OBSERVARS O TERSA T VOEE TABT'IATION PROCEDT'RES NONE I BRE REPORTED AS HAVIIIG IADE AIIY OBi'BETIONS IF THB DT' A EI ECTIONS ARE AN T GUIDE SI'BSTAIITI 'E PROCEDURATT COMPTATNTS pROBABr y mLL BE MADE AIID I n tY MAy HA 'E MBRIT IN THE EtlD HOITB ER IT APPE ARS I'NLIKELY SUCH COMPLAI ITS TILL CIIAI I ENGB TIIE END RESULTS COTLINS I'NCI ASSIFIBD END OF DOSIN'ENT UNCLASSIFIED