Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06GENEVA2614
2006-10-16 15:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Mission Geneva
Cable title:
GEORGIAN PERMREP ASKS FOR HIGH-LEVEL U.S.
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHGV #2614 2891539 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 161539Z OCT 06 FM USMISSION GENEVA TO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 4581 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0630 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0078 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0653 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1640 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1376 INFO RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 002614
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/RHS, DRL/MLA, L/HRR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS GG AM RS
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN PERMREP ASKS FOR HIGH-LEVEL U.S.
INTERVENTION WITH RUSSIA
REF: A. OCT.12 BRINK-SMELLER E-MAIL
B. OCT.12 TRAUB-BRINK-SMELLER E-MAIL
Classified By: Political Counselor Velia De Pirro for reasons
E.O. 12958, 1.4 (b)(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 002614
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/RHS, DRL/MLA, L/HRR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS GG AM RS
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN PERMREP ASKS FOR HIGH-LEVEL U.S.
INTERVENTION WITH RUSSIA
REF: A. OCT.12 BRINK-SMELLER E-MAIL
B. OCT.12 TRAUB-BRINK-SMELLER E-MAIL
Classified By: Political Counselor Velia De Pirro for reasons
E.O. 12958, 1.4 (b)(d)
1. (C) Georgian PermRep Levan Mikeladze and Political
Counselor Valerian Katamadze met with Ambassador Tichenor
Oct. 13 to request U.S. intervention on behalf of Georgia in
response to Russia's retaliation against Georgia following
the arrest and later expulsion of four Russian military
officers accused of espionage. Mikeladze said Russia's
disproportionate response revealed its historical animosity
toward people of the Caucasus. He presented the Ambassador
with a non-paper (e-mailed to Washington and Tbilisi)
outlining recent Russian actions against Georgia. He was
confident that if the United States were to raise the issue
with Russia directly during high-level bilateral discussions
it would help alleviate some of Georgia's problems.
Sanctions, including land and maritime transportation
blockades, also severely affected "Russia's best friend in
the Caucasus," Armenia, which must now use land routes in and
out of Iran to transport goods.
2. (C) Following guidance from Embassy Tbilisi and USMIS-OSCE
(see ref e-mails),Ambassador Tichenor commended Georgia on
its measured and calm response to Russia's actions. He
stressed the need to continue broad and inclusive discussions
on Abkhazia and South Ossetia with all parties, adding it was
in everyone's best interest that tensions between Russia and
Georgia not escalate any further. Mikeladze accused Russia
of increasing its spying activities and mentioned recent
arrests of Russian spies in Estonia and Nigeria as proof.
While he doubted Russia would attack Georgia militarily, he
said doing it through proxies in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
was a real possibility. Although the outspoken nature of
Georgian President Saakashvili and Georgia's desire to join
NATO greatly irritated Moscow, using severe sanctions against
Georgia would not help to bring it any closer to Russia. It
was, in fact, having the opposite effect, Mikeladze said.
Georgia plans to introduce a resolution against Russian
bigotry and racism at the Nov. 27-Dec. 8 Human Rights Council
session.
3. (C) COMMENT: This was the second meeting in one month
between Mikeladze and the Ambassador. The Georgian PermRep
said that Georgia was having a difficult time and needed to
turn to its "best friend" for help, but it was unclear
whether this initiative came from the capital or Mikeladze
himself. While relations with Russia seem to be at an
all-time low, introducing a resolution on Russia at the next
Human Rights Council will certainly not help to improve the
situation. Post requests guidance on what our position would
be concerning a possible Georgian resolution on Russia. END
COMMENT.
TICHENOR
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/RHS, DRL/MLA, L/HRR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS GG AM RS
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN PERMREP ASKS FOR HIGH-LEVEL U.S.
INTERVENTION WITH RUSSIA
REF: A. OCT.12 BRINK-SMELLER E-MAIL
B. OCT.12 TRAUB-BRINK-SMELLER E-MAIL
Classified By: Political Counselor Velia De Pirro for reasons
E.O. 12958, 1.4 (b)(d)
1. (C) Georgian PermRep Levan Mikeladze and Political
Counselor Valerian Katamadze met with Ambassador Tichenor
Oct. 13 to request U.S. intervention on behalf of Georgia in
response to Russia's retaliation against Georgia following
the arrest and later expulsion of four Russian military
officers accused of espionage. Mikeladze said Russia's
disproportionate response revealed its historical animosity
toward people of the Caucasus. He presented the Ambassador
with a non-paper (e-mailed to Washington and Tbilisi)
outlining recent Russian actions against Georgia. He was
confident that if the United States were to raise the issue
with Russia directly during high-level bilateral discussions
it would help alleviate some of Georgia's problems.
Sanctions, including land and maritime transportation
blockades, also severely affected "Russia's best friend in
the Caucasus," Armenia, which must now use land routes in and
out of Iran to transport goods.
2. (C) Following guidance from Embassy Tbilisi and USMIS-OSCE
(see ref e-mails),Ambassador Tichenor commended Georgia on
its measured and calm response to Russia's actions. He
stressed the need to continue broad and inclusive discussions
on Abkhazia and South Ossetia with all parties, adding it was
in everyone's best interest that tensions between Russia and
Georgia not escalate any further. Mikeladze accused Russia
of increasing its spying activities and mentioned recent
arrests of Russian spies in Estonia and Nigeria as proof.
While he doubted Russia would attack Georgia militarily, he
said doing it through proxies in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
was a real possibility. Although the outspoken nature of
Georgian President Saakashvili and Georgia's desire to join
NATO greatly irritated Moscow, using severe sanctions against
Georgia would not help to bring it any closer to Russia. It
was, in fact, having the opposite effect, Mikeladze said.
Georgia plans to introduce a resolution against Russian
bigotry and racism at the Nov. 27-Dec. 8 Human Rights Council
session.
3. (C) COMMENT: This was the second meeting in one month
between Mikeladze and the Ambassador. The Georgian PermRep
said that Georgia was having a difficult time and needed to
turn to its "best friend" for help, but it was unclear
whether this initiative came from the capital or Mikeladze
himself. While relations with Russia seem to be at an
all-time low, introducing a resolution on Russia at the next
Human Rights Council will certainly not help to improve the
situation. Post requests guidance on what our position would
be concerning a possible Georgian resolution on Russia. END
COMMENT.
TICHENOR