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