GEORGIA REQUEST FOR COORDINATION WITH FRIENDS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 099397

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2017
TAGS: UNSC GE RS PREL
SUBJECT: GEORGIA REQUEST FOR COORDINATION WITH FRIENDS ON
UPCOMING UNOMIG CONSULTATIONS

Classified By: IO PDAS James B. Warlick, for reason 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) This is an action request. Department would like
Georgia and Germany (as coordinator of the UN Friends
process) to participate in the upcoming UN Observer Mission
in Georgia (UNOMIG) consultations, currently scheduled for
July 23. Additionally, the Department does not think that
the time is right for Abkhaz "foreign minister" Shamba to
attend either UNOMIG consultations or an Arria-style meeting
as the Russians have requested in New York. Within the
framework of the UN Friends of the Secretary General for
Georgia (FSG) process, the Friends -- including the U.S. --
have agreed that Shamba could be granted a visa to attend a
"Geneva-style" FSG meeting in New York at an appropriate
moment in the negotiations, after the Abkhaz side reengages
at the highest level with the Georgian Government and after
both sides in the conflict over Georgia,s Abkhazia region
have made significant progress on confidence and
security-building measures. However, it is critical that the
U.S. not be seen as abusing its status as host country. It
is, therefore, important that others (especially Western
Friends Germany, France, and UK) take the lead in preventing
an invitation to Shamba. Thus, Department requests that USUN
coordinate with the Western Friends, and other European UNSC
members as necessary, to ensure that upcoming UNSC
consultations on Georgia are open and that others take active
steps to ensure Shamba is not invited to a UN meeting in New
York until the timing is right. End action request.


2. (C//rel to UK, France, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, and
Belgium) Department requests USUN pursue the following
objectives:

-- explain to the NY Western Friends of Georgia (UK, France,
Germany, and Slovakia) that the U.S. strongly supports open
UNOMIG consultations and would like Germany and Georgia to
attend/participate, as they have always done in the past;
however, the U.S., in consultation with the other Friends of
Georgia, does not believe that the time is right to invite
Abkhaz "foreign minister" Shamba to a "Geneva-style" meeting
in New York, much less an Arria-style meeting.

-- note we are concerned that Russia will carry through on
its threat to call for a closed session if the Friends do not
allow Shamba to attend an Arria-style meeting. Additionally,
we are concerned that Russia may make a procedural motion to
invite Shamba to attend the open UNSC consultations should
the Friends of the Secretary General on Georgia not agree to
either closed consultations or Shamba's attendance at an
Arria-style meeting.

-- coordinate a strategy for ensuring open consultations,
while jointly blocking any invitation for Shamba to attend
any UN meeting in New York until the Western Friends deem the
timing to be appropriate through the existing UN-led FSG
process (including blocking a procedural motion by Russia to
invite Shamba to attend the UNOMIG consultations). Ensure
that others are prepared to speak up for open consultations
and against inviting Shamba to NY.

-- underscore that U.S. does not want to aggravate an
already tense situation but believes that UNOMIG
consultations should remain open so that Georgia - the
sovereign, UN-member country in question - and Germany, as
the Coordinator of the Friends of the Secretary General for
Georgia, be able to participate fully.


3. (C) Should Russia force an impasse by demanding either
that Shamba visit NY or that the July 23 consultations be
closed to Georgian participation, or should the US not
receive support from the Western Friends in preventing an
invitation to Shamba, please seek further guidance from the
Department.


4. (C) Point of contact/reporting deadline: The point of
contact is Anneliese Reinemeyer, IO/UNP, (202) 647-0046 or in
the GAL. Please revert to Department by July 18.
RICE