INSTRUCTIONS: UNOMIG NEGOTIATIONS, OCTOBER 2007

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 141306 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2017 TAGS: UNSC GE PREL SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS: UNOMIG NEGOTIATIONS, OCTOBER 2007 Classified By: IO Acting A/S James Warlick, Acting, for reasons 1.4 (b). ¶1. (C) This is an action request. Department requests USUN pursue the objectives in para 2 below during negotiations on the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) mandate renewal resolution. USUN should revert to the Department for additional instructions if unable to achieve these objectives without crossing any of the redlines noted below. End action request. ¶2. (C) USUN should pursue the following objectives during UNOMIG negotiations set to begin October 4: (1) Ensure that the draft resolution includes language: -- reaffirming the commitment of Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders; language from UNSC resolution 1554 is highly preferable since it refers to principles contained in the Boden Paper without any modifying clauses; but if necessary to achieve other goals in later stages of the negotiations Department can accept language in UNSC resolutions 1666 and 1716. (NOTE: Resolutions 1666 and 1716 dilute the Boden Paper's strong statement that "Abkhazia is a sovereign entity, based on the rule of law, within the state of Georgia" by adding the follow-on clause "and welcomes additional ideas that the sides would be willing to offer." END NOTE) -- reference to the right of return for IDPs as formulated in Germany's current draft resolution in its capacity as Friends' Coordinator (Comment: right of return for IDPs is well established' under international law), including the sanctity of property rights of IDPs; note emphasis on IDPs should be for their safe return to Abkhazia without delay rather than implying tacit acceptance that the IDPs will not be returning to Abkhazia in the near future or that they will only return to the Gali District. -- supporting the UN's implementation of the recommendations of the "Joint Fact-Finding Group Report on the Rocket Firing Incident in the upper Kodori valley on 11 March 2007," above all recommendation number 36, which discusses the possibility of installing artillery radar and UAV capabilities in the Upper Kodori Valley. -- call for implementation of the confidence building measures discussed during the Geneva and Bonn meetings earlier this year. (2) Seek but do not insist upon: -- language that recommends the establishment of a Border Monitoring Mission in Georgia to deter violations of Georgia's sovereignty. (NOTE: The mission would be analogous to the OSCE Border Monitoring Mission from. 1999-2004). (3) Ensure that the resolution does not include: -- condemnation of the Georgian presence in the upper Kodori valley. -- tacit reference to Georgian culpability for the September 20 incident. -- reference to the 20 September incident that is critical of Georgia without specific reference to the 6 August missile incident, 20 August unidentified aircraft over the upper Kodori valley incident, and the 11 March missile attack in Kodori. RICE