Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 5959 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Yemen Jordan

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
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

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 86 88 89 90 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1986/05
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/07 2001/10
2002/02 2002/03 2002/11 2002/12
2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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 Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul
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 Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan
Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
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
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AR AJ ASEC AE AEMR AF AMGT APER AG AM AS AU AORC AGMT AFIN ABUD ATRN AL APECO ACOA AO AX AMED ADCO AODE AFFAIRS AC ASIG ABLD AA AFU ASUP AROC ATFN AVERY APCS AER ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AEC ASEAN AID
BU BM BEXP BR BA BRUSSELS BL BK BO BILAT BTIO BH BE BX BIDEN BY BG BF BB BC BBSR BMGT BTIU
CH CU CJAN CMGT CVIS CO CA CE COUNTER CASC CBW CG CLINTON CI CS CDG CIA CACM CDB CD CV CF CN CAN CIS CM CONDOLEEZZA COE CR CY CTM COUNTRY CLEARANCE CPAS CWC CT CKGR CB CACS COM CJUS CARSON CL CODEL COUNTERTERRORISM
DJ DA DEAX DR DHS DOE DEA DK DISENGAGEMENT DS DTRA DOD
EINV ECON ENRG EPET ETRD EAGR ELAB EUN EFIN EU EAID EIND ETTC EG ECPS EWWT ES EXTERNAL EMIN ECIP EINDETRD EN EAIR EZ ER ET EUC EI ELTN EREL ECIN EFIS EINT EC ETC ECONEFIN ENVR ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ECA ELN EFTA ENIV EINVETC EINN ENGR EUR ESA ENERG EK ENGY ETRO ETRDEINVTINTCS ESENV ENVI ETRDECONWTOCS ECONCS ENNP ELECTIONS ECUN EINVEFIN
FR FJ FINR FAO FTAA FREEDOM FI FARC FBI FMLN
GM GZ GG GTMO GOI GV GH GA GE GT GR GTIP GCC GAZA GANGS GY
HO HURI HILLARY HA HU HR HUMAN HYMPSK HK HSTC
IR IS IZ IN IT INRB IAEA ID IO IV ICTY IQ ICAO INTERPOL IPR IRAJ INRA INRO IC IIP ILC ITPHUM IWC ISRAELI IRAQI ICRC IMO IF IEFIN INTELSAT IL IA IBRD IMF INR IRC ITRA IACI ICJ ITALY ITALIAN
JAMES JA JO JOSEPH JP JOHNNIE JM JUS
KCRM KCOR KDEM KPAO KG KTIP KICC KNNP KV KBCT KPAL KTFN KU KSPR KJUS KHLS KTIA KWBG KMDR KGHG KN KUNR KS KIRF KISL KFRD KIPR KAWC KPWR KCIP KSUM KWAC KMIG KOLY KZ KAWK KSEC KIFR KDRG KDEMAF KFIN KGIC KOMC KGCC KPIN KBIO KHIV KSCA KE KPKO KNUC KPLS KIRC KACT KRAD KCOM KMCA KHDP KFLO KVPR KDEV KWMN KMPI KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTLA KCFC KPRP KCFE KOCI KTDB KMRS KLIG KGIT KSTC KPAK KNEI KSEP KPOA KFLU KNUP KNNPMNUC KO KTER KHUM KRFD KBTR KDDG KWWMN KSAF KBTS KPRV KNPP KNAR KWMM KERG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTBT KCRS KRVC KSTH KREL KNSD KTEX KPAI KHSA KOMS KVIR KR
LY LG LE LH LU LI LTTE LO LOG LT LAB
MCAP MO MNUC MARR MASS MPOS MOPS MAR MD MX MZ MY MEPP MA MR ML MIL MTCRE MOPPS MTCR MAPP MU MG MASC MCC MK MTRE MP MDC MEPI MRCRE MI MT MQADHAFI MAPS MUCN MASSMNUC MERCOSUR MC MV
NATO NI NZ NG NU NO NL NIPP NPT NRR NE NS NAR NPG NK NSG NA NT NASA NGO NP NSF NATIONAL
OVIP OTRA OPRC OSCI OTR OVP OREP ODIP OPDC OIIP OFFICIALS OSAC OAS OEXC OFDP OECD OSCE OPIC OPCW OIE OIC
PINR PGOV PBTS PREL PTER PE PO PROP PHUM PBIO PARM PECON PINS PM PHSA PK PREF PL PAK PINT POGOV PINL POL PSOE PKFK PGOF PA PUNE PARMS PORG PMIL PTERE PF PALESTINIAN PY PGGV PNR POV PAO PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PRGOV PNAT PROV PEL PINF PGOVE POLINT PRL PRAM PMAR PGOVLO PHUMBA PLN PHUS PHUMPREL PG PGOC POLITICS PEPR PSI PU POLITICAL PARTIES
QA
RS RU RO RW REGION RP RIGHTS RICE ROBERT RF RFE
SP SOCI STEINBERG SN SA SY SNAR SMIG SO SENV SCUL SR SF SG SW SU SL SZ SHUM SYR ST SANC SC SAN SIPRS SK SH SI SNARCS SEVN
TI TX TS TU TW TC TERRORISM TPHY TRGY TIP TBIO TSPA TH TR TT TO TFIN TD TSPL TZ TK TNGD TINT TRSY TP
UK UZ UNMIK UN US UG UNSC UP USEU UV UY UNGA UNO USUN UNESCO UNHRC UE UAE UNEP USTR UNHCR UNDP USAID UNCHS UNAUS UNCHC UNDC UNDESCO
VE VZ VT VTPREL VN VM
WI WTRO WTO WA WZ WMO WTRQ WHO WWARD WB WBG WEU WHA
XF XA XG XT XM XR XS XL XK XH XY XC XZ XW XD XE
YI YM YE YMCS
ZP ZR ZI ZU ZB ZF ZK ZANU ZOELLICK ZA ZO ZJ

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 08LONDON2556, GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS STEALS THE THUNDER FROM

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.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
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. #08LONDON2556.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08LONDON2556 | 2008-10-07 12:12 | 2011-02-04 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy London

`

    VZCZCXRO0185
    PP RUEHBL
    DE RUEHLO #2556/01 2811210
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 071210Z OCT 08
    FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0020
    INFO RUEHBL/AMCONSUL BELFAST PRIORITY 1134
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LONDON 002556

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR EUR/WE/UK
    NSC FOR BRADLEY

    EO 12958 DECL: 10/07/2018
    TAGS PREL, PGOV, UK
    SUBJECT: GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS STEALS THE THUNDER FROM
    THE TORY PARTY CONFERENCE

    REF: LONDON 2496

    ¶1. Summary and comment. (C) The Conservative Party’s fall conference, which closed the UK political party conference season on October 1, ended with a whimper rather than the expected bang. Turmoil in the world’s financial markets overshadowed Tory leader David Cameron’s attempts to portray his party as the government in waiting. Following the initial vote in the House of Representatives against the Bush Administration’s financial recovery plan on September 27, Conservative Party Leader David Cameron adroitly moderated his tone and the conference’s agenda in an attempt to avoid charges of partisanship. Cameron departed from the conference organizers’ planned program to deliver an emergency statement on September 30 in which he promised to cooperate fully with the Government’s attempts to shore up the UK’s financial markets, offering his party’s full support to help the Brown Government address the crisis, in a deliberate contrast to what the UK media described as political partisanship in the U.S. In the event, the Tory party high command’s initial fears at the start of conference -- that with a double digit opinion poll lead over a tired looking Labour Government, the Conservatives might end up looking hubristic and over-confident - proved unfounded as Cameron battled to keep his conference in the headlines, and his party looking relevant as the eyes of the public and media turned to PM Brown at a time of financial turmoil.

    ¶2. (C) Comment cont. Conservatives were pleased that their unified front contrasted starkly with Labour’s conference the preceding week, which had been punctuated by in-fighting and an obsession with the faltering leadership of Gordon Brown, but Cameron had to leave Birmingham troubled that PM Brown’s jibe at the Labour party conference -- “now is no time for a novice” -- has gained traction with the voters and given Labour a bump in the polls. Cameron attempted to rebut the charge in his keynote address (ref), but it is clear the inexperience charge is a winner for Labour and that voters, though tired of Labour, are not yet sold on Cameron. Although both parties got what they needed from their annual conventions, Gordon Brown will be the more relieved of the two men that media coverage of the financial crisis has taken the spotlight off his continuing leadership difficulties and off the Conservative Party’s attempts to position themselves as the next Government. End Summary and comment.

    Conservatives Worry About Over Confidence...at First
    --------------------------------------------- -------

    ¶3. (C) The Conservatives gathered for their annual fall conference in Birmingham with high hopes. Under the banner slogan, “Plan for Change,” this was to be the Party’s chance to lay out its plans to govern, providing the UK media and public with the “meat of its policies” and an opportunity to present itself as a credible alternative to Labour. Polls before the conference found that although voters were definitely tired of Labour and wanted change, there were still lingering doubts about Tory policies and ability to govern. Conservative politicians were under strict instructions from the Tory high command not to turn off voters by appearing too cocky or overconfident. But with a sustained double digit opinion poll lead over Labour, that was always going to be difficult. Cameron’s fears of appearing “to take victory for granted” soon disappeared, however, as financial markets continued to implode. The UK media turned its attention back to Prime Minister Brown, as the only man in a position to actually influence events, and the conference slogan was quickly dubbed “Change of Plan” by wags in the media as Cameron was forced into a radical and nimble rewrite in order to keep the press interested in events at Birmingham.

    ¶4. (C) It all had started off so differently: on the first day of the conference, speeches to conference delegates as well as a succession of meetings with MPs revealed that although Conservative troops might be sticking to their strict instructions not to appear too cocky in front of a watchful press, this would not stop them from “sticking the boot” to the government. Shadow chancellor George Osborne’s tax proposals were the main topic of conversation on the first day. He hoped to repeat his success of the previous year when his unexpected and highly popular announcement that inheritance taxes would be radically increased had shaken the Labour Government so much that Gordon Brown canceled his plans to call an early election. This time round, Osborne pleased the party faithful with his announcement that any future Conservative Government would freeze council tax levels (a local taxation) for its first two years. Both the
    LONDON 00002556 002 OF 003
    party’s vice-chairman, Oliver Letwin MP, and the editor of the popular website “Conservative Home,” Tim Montgomerie, told us that Osborne’s tax announcement was very popular with party members and would be a good plank for the next campaign.

    ¶5. (C) By the second day of the conference, the mood had changed dramatically following events in Washington. David Cameron clearly needed to change the narrative to keep the media focus on his conference and to nimbly avoid charges of partisanship. In one swipe, Osborne’s tax announcement was wiped off the front pages (although on closer inspection of the small print, much of the media dismissed Osborne’s plans as unworkable anyway) and even at the conference itself, the main topic of conversation became events in the U.S. Julie Kirkbride, Conservative MP and spouse of former Shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Andrew Mackay, summed up the conference’s real focus by the second day when she told poloffs, “we’re all looking at what you’ll do.”

    Changing the Narrative and the Narrator
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶6. (C) In an adroit reaction to world events, Cameron succeeded in keeping the spotlight trained on his conference by giving an unplanned emergency statement on the economy on September 30, in which he pledged full support to the Government, “in stark contrast,” he added, to the partisanship of politicians in D.C. Later, in a private meeting, a Cameron insider told poloffs that the decision had been taken that it should be Cameron who delivered the speech rather than shadow chancellor George Osborne as private party polling indicated that the public feel Osborne lacks the necessary “gravitas.” Somewhat unfairly, party officials thought, polling indicated that Osborne was seen as lightweight and inexperienced, in part due to his high-pitched vocal delivery. This party insider also revealed that Brown’s charge that Cameron was a “novice” at a time of crisis had gained significant traction with voters. Internal Tory spot polling had found, worryingly for the Conservatives, that contrary to the general consensus, if an election were held the next day, Gordon Brown would be re-elected, albeit with a vastly reduced Labour majority.

    Tories Still Oppose 42 Day Detention Bill
    -----------------------------------------

    ¶7. (C) Outside the conference hall, Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve was outspoken in his criticisms of the Government, and scornful of Government plans to continue to push through legislation increasing the time suspects can be held, without charge, to 42 days. The legislation has already passed through the Commons after a very close vote and will be voted upon in the Lords this month, where it is certain to be amended, requiring another vote in the Commons.  Grieve expressed doubt that the legislation would pass a second time in the Commons.

    Tories on Foreign Policy
    ------------------------

    ¶8. (C) In further meetings on the margins of the conference hall, David Lidington, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister for the Middle East, briefed poloffs on his recent visit to Iran which he summed up as “great people, terrible government.” Keith Simpson, another member of Hague’s foreign affairs team who referred to his shadow portfolio as covering “the rest of the world,” and a strong supporter of the Atlantic relationship, said that Cameron’s reaction to world events, and his attempts to moderate the partisan tone of conference, were “spot on,” as did Shailesh Vara, the Conservative Party’s Deputy leader. Vara was equally frank about the party hierarchy’s instructions not to appear cocky, and the “ban on champagne” at receptions in order to avoid charges of hubris - instructions which had proved unnecessary as the financial news darkened throughout the week.

    Cameron’s Closing Speech
    ------------------------

    ¶9. (C) The conference wound up with a keynote speech by Cameron that, in subsequent press reporting, was viewed as well-judged and providing sufficient, if undetailed, policy discussion to allow the Tories to challenge the Labour claim Cameron is a flash in the pan. He addressed early, and head on, Gordon Brown’s central criticism that with the world in economic chaos, “now is no time for a novice” by arguing that what matters more than experience is “character and judgment” (ref). If Cameron’s aim was to convince the public that he has serious policies and will bring changes, then he
    LONDON 00002556 003 OF 003
    succeeded in the eyes of much of the press. Cameron may have faced criticism that his speech failed to lay out, in specifics, the party’s plans for government but no doubt he is trying to avoid the fate of previous leaders who, having set out a detailed platform far in advance of any general election, later had their best ideas taken by the Labour Government.
    Visit London’s Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
    LeBaron

`