DFM MANJGALADZE'S READOUT OF HIS MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001212

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: DFM MANJGALADZE'S READOUT OF HIS MEETING WITH
KARASIN


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


1. (C) Summary: On May 22, Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi
Manjgaladze called in the Ambassador and the German Charge
(representing the EU) to give a readout of his recent meeting
with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Karasin. Manjgaladze
said Karasin did not present anything new and thought the
main goal of the meeting was to show the Europeans and
Americans that the two sides were talking. He said the
Russians basically presented a "wish list of apologies" that
they wanted from the Georgians on a number of issues. The
one positive to come from the meeting, he said, was an
agreement between the sides that President Saakashvili would
meet with President Putin on the margins of the CIS
conference in St. Petersburg on June 9-10. Separately,
Manjgaladze reiterated Georgia's strong opposition to a
Geneva-style meeting in New York with Abkhaz de-facto foreign
minister Sergei Shamba, emphasizing that Georgia would not
participate in such a meeting. End Summary.

Russia's 'wish list' of apologies
--------------


2. (C) Manjgaladze characterized his two hour meeting with
Karasin as disappointing, particularly on issues relating to
resolution of the conflicts. He said his impression was that
the Russians had asked for the meeting so that they could
show the Europeans and the Americans that the two sides were
talking, but did not have any new messages to deliver.
Karasin presented what Manjgaladze called a "wish list of
apologies" that the Russians wanted from the Georgians on a
number of issues, including: the Georgian case against Russia
at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the
Georgian handling of the Russian spy case, Georgia's demand
to legalize customs checkpoints in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
as a condition for Georgian approval for Russia's WTO
membership, and Georgian refusal to sign a non-use of force
agreement with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He said the
Russians still do not know how to handle the new situation on
the ground in South Ossetia. He also said he told Karasin
that Georgia is convinced that Kokoiti cannot act without
Russian approval and that the GoG would hold Russia
responsible for any new provocations.


3. (C) Manjgaladze said that he confirmed with Karasin that
Russian President Putin would meet with President Saakashvili
on the margins of the CIS conference in St. Petersburg on
June 9-10. He said that President Saakashvili would raise a
number of issues with President Putin, but did not elaborate.
Manjgaladze noted that Karasin expressed a willingness to
start negotiations on the resumption of commercial air
flights and lifting of the Russian boycott on Georgian
agricultural goods, and said that the Georgians would be
ready to discuss these issues.

Geneva-style meeting in New York unacceptable to GoG
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Separately, Manjgaladze said that Georgia was
strongly opposed to a proposed Geneva-style meeting for
Abkhaz de-facto foreign minister Sergei Shamba at the New
York. He said that Georgia would not attend such a meeting,
and added that he would recommend discontinuing Georgia's
participation in future Geneva-style meetings if the meeting
went ahead. He said allowing Shamba to attend would
undermine the Geneva format and allow Russia to use the
meeting as a stage for Shamba. The Ambassador asked what was
the best way to re-establish communication between the
Georgians and Abkhaz. Manjgaladze replied that the Abkhaz
are finding excuses not to engage in negotiations and have
adopted a total ban on communication to prevent further
progress on the resolution of the conflict.

TEFFT