Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TALLINN318
2006-04-04 15:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tallinn
Cable title:  

ESTONIA OFFERS SUPPORT AND CAUTION FOR GEORGIA IN

Tags:  NATO MARR PREL GG EN 
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VZCZCXYZ0034
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0318 0941535
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 041535Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8428
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 2404
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 0152
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 1111
C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 000318 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016
TAGS: NATO MARR PREL GG EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA OFFERS SUPPORT AND CAUTION FOR GEORGIA IN
NATO'S INTENSIFIED DIALOGUE

REF: STATE 51994

Classified By: A/DCM Stuart Dwyer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 000318

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016
TAGS: NATO MARR PREL GG EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA OFFERS SUPPORT AND CAUTION FOR GEORGIA IN
NATO'S INTENSIFIED DIALOGUE

REF: STATE 51994

Classified By: A/DCM Stuart Dwyer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On April 3 Poloff delivered reftel points to Jaan
Hein, MFA Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to
seek GOE support for NATO to begin an "Intensified Dialogue
(ID)
on Membership Questions" with Georgia. The GOE is fully
supportive of initiating ID with Georgia. Hein remarked that
the
talking points tracked almost word-for-word with MFA briefing
points to its own diplomats. The GOG has made tremendous
progress in the short time since the Rose Revolution and
the GOG had earned a start to ID with NATO, he said.


2. (C) But even though the GOG has moved forward with reform,
Hein thought far too many GOG officials were merely
"counting the years" before they were automatically given NATO
membership. As a recent NATO member Estonia has first hand
experience
on the challenges in achieving the standards required for
NATO membership. Hein was not sure that the majority of GOG
officials "got it." Throughout the GOG he commonly
encountered the
belief that the United States would guarantee NATO membership
in the next
two to three years. Hein said the "U.S. card" was often used
by GOG
officials in discussions with NATO members from the Baltics
or Warsaw
Pact countries.


3. (C) Hein said GOE officials will continue to tell GOG
counterparts
that, based on Estonia's experience, NATO criteria must be
met before membership
can be secured. The GOE will also continue to aid the GOG in
reforming its public institutions. However, in Hein's
opinion,
Georgia is in real danger of repeating Romania's performance
in
the run up to the 1997 Madrid Summit, when the GOR had
mistakenly
convinced itself NATO membership was at hand. Hein said
the GOE supported giving Georgia the "ID carrot" it had
earned, but said it would be important for the U.S. and others
to balance that with the "stick of no MAP" if Georgia doesn't
deliver.
WOS