GEORGIA BORDER MONITORING ORGANIZATION AND THE EU:

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001469

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2010
TAGS: PREL PBTS GG RS ZJ PL EUN OSCE
SUBJECT: GEORGIA BORDER MONITORING ORGANIZATION AND THE EU:
POLISH POSITION MIRRORS U.S. VIEWS

REF: (A) STATE 043096 (B) WARSAW 000708 (C) STATE 21669

Classified By: Political Counselor Mary Curtin, reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Pol-Mil Chief delivered Ref A demarche on the EU and
Georgia Border Monitoring on March 14 to Mieczyslaw Kuzinski,
Counselor in the Security Policy Department, who handles all
security issues related to Georgia. Kuzinski responded on
March 15, indicating that the GOP position on Border
Monitoring closely mirrored that of the U.S. (as reported Ref
B). He added that the Polish mission in Brussels would
continue to advocate a robust approach in EU discussions.


2. (C) Specifically, Poland believes that it is essential to
have an international presence on the Georgian border with
the Chechen, Ingushetian and Dagestan Republics of the
Russian Federation. The presence had to be mobile and large
enough to cover this entire stretch of the border, and would
require the necessary capabilities to provide accurate and
objective reporting to the outside world. With the
definitive end to OSCE border monitoring activities in
Georgia, the GOP agreed that the European Union is best
positioned to take over this role.


3. (C) According to Kuzinski, an EU fact-finding mission had
recently returned from Georgia and reported that the
situation on the border was "stable at present." The EU was
currently considering three options for addressing Georgia
border monitoring:


A. Per Ref A, a proposal for a small-scale EU training
mission to improve the capabilities and skills of the
Georgian Border Guards;


B. A separate proposal for a small "advisory group" on border
issues based in Tbilisi to support the activities of EU
Special Representative Talvitie;


C. A full scale EU Border Monitoring mission, along the lines
of the now concluded OSCE BMO.


4. (C) Kuzinski said Poland was willing to support both
Options A and B, but only as intermediate steps preparing the
way for the full-scale Option C. Poland would not support
the lesser options if they were intended to preclude or
replace Option C. However, Kuzinski added that there was
currently no consensus within the EU.


5. (C) In a separate meeting with PolCouns (septel),MFA
Director for EU Affairs Pawel Swieboda essentially echoed
Kuzinski's points. Swieboda did, however, add detail to
Option C mentioned above. He indicated that the proposed
"full-scale EU mission" would involve approximately 90
international monitors and 33 local monitors.


6. (C) COMMENT. Poland remains one of the strongest
supporters of a robust international border monitoring
presence in Georgia, and we can expect them to continue as
vocal advocates in EU circles.
Munter


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2005WARSAW01469 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL