Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MOSCOW4852
2007-10-03 12:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:  

RUSSIA ON DEVELOPMENTS IN GEORGIA

Tags:  PREL PGOV GG RS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5329
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUEHMO #4852/01 2761233
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 031233Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4354
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 004852 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA ON DEVELOPMENTS IN GEORGIA

REF: TBILISI 2438

Classified By: Political M/C Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.4 (B/D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 004852

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA ON DEVELOPMENTS IN GEORGIA

REF: TBILISI 2438

Classified By: Political M/C Alice G. Wells. Reasons 1.4 (B/D)


1. (C) Summary. On October 2, the GOR requested U.S.
assistance in the release of the two South Ossetian PKF
personnel in Georgian custody (non-paper emailed to EUR) and
in blocking the OSCE's planned October 17 session to
re-examine the August 6 South-Ossetia missile incident. GOR
officials emphasized that a goodwill gesture on the PKF
release will much contribute to improving the atmosphere of
GOG-GOR relations, while condemning the OSCE session as
counter-productive. GOR officials termed Georgian President
Saakashvili's UNGA speech, "abusive and unhelpful." In the
prevailing bad atmosphere, high-level talks are unlikely in
the near future although the two presidents will be at the
October 5 Dushanbe CIS Summit. The Duma issued a statement
on October 2 accusing the Georgian government of large-scale
violations of human rights, while criticizing Washington for
what it called "blind support" for Tbilisi's treatment of the
opposition. The Joint Control Commission (JCC) for the South
Ossetian conflict is scheduled for the second half of October
in Tbilisi. End summary.

August 6, When All Changed for the Worse
--------------


2. (C) MFA Director of the Fourth CIS Department Andrey
Kelin told us October 2 that Russia-Georgia relations had
returned to the record lows of Fall 2006. The negative turn,
following the better-than-expected July 2007 session in Sochi
between Saakashvili and Putin, came out of "nowhere" on
August 6, the date of the missile incident. Insisting on GOR
innocence, Kelin said that the dramatic change was
"inexplicable" and "had nothing to do with Russia's deeds."
The August 6 incident was followed by the August 28 seizure
of two PKF personnel and subsequent sporadic shootings in
South Ossetia and the September 20 killing of two Russian
"anti-terror trainers." (reftel) According to Kelin, the
September 27 New York meeting between the two foreign
ministers produced "nothing."

Requesting U.S. Assistance
--------------


3. (C) Kelin requested U.S. assistance in the release of the
two South Ossetian PKF in Georgian custody, arguing that they

are Russian passport holders and conveyed a non-paper
outlining Russia's position on the legal status of the
individuals. Russia's Special Negotiator for South Ossetia,
Ambassador Yuriy Popov, told us October 2 that the U.S. needs
to make a "political decision" to orchestrate the release, in
order to create an environment of goodwill.


4. (C) Kelin said that the planned OSCE session to "revisit"
the August 6 missile incident in South Ossetia -- at the U.S.
and Georgian Missions' request -- would be counter-productive
and urged us to rescind our request. Kelin said that the GOR
would send an expert team if the session takes place and
promised that the Russian experts would be prepared to raise
a host of unanswered questions and counter-charges. We
stressed that U.S. had drawn its own conclusions on the
August 6 incident and supported the results of the
independent investigations. While it was important to look
ahead and to encourage steps to reduce tensions, the Russian
had circulated their own investigation results to OSCE
Participating States and the OSCE remained an appropriate
forum for this issue. Kelin emphasized that a similar
session on the margins of UNGA, suggested earlier by the
Georgians, would be even more detrimental.

Duma Speaks Up
--------------


5. (C) In a statement entitled, "On the Anti-Democratic
Policy of the Georgian Government and on the Violation of
Human Rights in Georgia," unanimously adopted on October 2,
Russian parliamentarians expressed "serious anxiety over the
latest political developments in Georgia," which
demonstrated the country's "problems of freedom of speech,
human rights and democratic standards." The Duma also
criticized the Department's "blind support" for Georgia.
Kelin expressed amusement over U.S. statements that supported
the legal process against Okruashvili, arguing that his
arrest was motivated by political retribution. The GOR does
not believe that Saakashvili faces a serious challenge from
the opposition, although the Georgian President's image has
been blackened. Kelin underscored that the GOR held strong
convictions on Saakashvili's own involvement in corruption
and viewed unwavering U.S. support of Saakashvili in critical
terms. Kelin dismissed the evidence of Georgia's economic
and democratic development as inflated or manufactured,

MOSCOW 00004852 002 OF 002


saying, "We know Georgia better than you."

Saakashvili Unhelpful But So Is Everyone Else
--------------


6. (C) Both Kelin and Popov expressed dissatisfaction with
Saakashvili's UNGA speech and his September 29 statement at
the opening ceremony for an Upper Kodori Gorge road. Popov
said that Saakashvili believes that abusing Moscow works well
for his domestic audience and U.S. friends. Admitting that
the GOR's "clients" are equally guilty, Kelin and Popov
described Russian efforts to direct "presidents" Bagapsh and
Kokoitiy to more balanced and less emotional statements.
Popov worried that there was no political will to reach a
settlement on either side of the conflicts, while Moscow
efforts are looked upon with deep suspicion by the Georgians.

JCC In October
--------------


7. (C) Reiterating FM Lavrov's announcement in New York,
Popov told us that his South Ossetian counterpart, Boris
Chuchev, consented to an October JCC meeting in Tbilisi; most
likely around October 20, although Kelin flagged continuing
South Ossetian security concerns over meeting in Tbilisi.
Popov reaffirmed GOR support for Georgia's territorial
integrity, but stressed that the "evolutionary and not
revolutionary" process will take 3-4 years.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) We would appreciate the Department's guidance on the
PKF detainment.
Burns