KVITSIANI ON FIRING IN UPPER KODORI: I DID IT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 002937

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: KVITSIANI ON FIRING IN UPPER KODORI: I DID IT

REF: TBILISI 2915

Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4(b)&(d).


1. (U) Abkhaz television broadcast November 1 a video,
quickly picked up on Georgian channels, in which ousted Upper
Kodori warlord Emzar Kvitsiani took responsibility for the
October 25 missile attack near the Georgian village of Azhara
during the visit of Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs
Vano Merabishvili. Kvitsiani, appearing in a wooded area
dressed in camouflage and sunglasses, said he and his
followers would continue to fight against the Georgian
government, which ended Kvitsiani's rule in the area in a
brief operation in July. In the video, Kvitsiani said "The
incident which took place on October 24-25 was once again to
remind you of us and that we have not left Kodori and we do
not intend to leave. Therefore, I once again want to tell
you, my dear fellow countrymen, that there were no foreigners
there. It was a clash between us and the forces of the
current fascist state -- not state, government -- of
Saakashvili. Therefore we once again gave a warning, by
actions rather than words."


2. (C) Comment: UNOMIG's report (reftel) made a compelling
case that the three missiles had not come from the
Abkhaz-controlled Tkvarcheli district, as originally
reported, but from the mountainside on the southern ridge of
the Kodori Gorge overlooking Azhara. It is quite plausible
that a group of Kvitsiani's supporters infiltrated this
rugged, largely unoccupied area. It is also plausible that
they had access to GRAD missiles and improvised launchers.
The Georgians seized a number of such weapons in the July
operation, and Kvitsiani supporters may have kept some of
their stocks hidden away to continue the struggle. End
Comment.

TEFFT