SOUTH OSSETIAN CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY IN TBILISI

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001994 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GG SUBJECT: SOUTH OSSETIAN CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY IN TBILISI STYMIE JCC; CRIMINALS ATTACK BUS IN SOUTH OSSETIA REF: TBILISI 1940 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Mark X. Perry for reasons 1.4(b&d). ¶1. (C) Building on previous accusations that the Georgians were plotting bombings and assassinations (reftel),South Ossetian de facto president Kokoity told a meeting of the "Union of Elders of South Ossetia and North Ossetia" on August 8 in Tskhinvali that Georgia was planning terrorist attacks, and claimed that an explosive device had recently been found in the home of Boris Chochiev, the South Ossetian co-chair of the Joint Control Commission (JCC). (Note: OSCE officials have repeatedly told us they consider such outlandish South Ossetian claims to be propaganda for internal purposes. End Note.) Kokoity reiterated that the South Ossetian side had refused to attend a planned JCC meeting August 9-10 in Tbilisi because of security concerns, and expressed certainty that a "terrorist act" was being planned against Chochiev should he attend. At the same time, Kokoity said he had requested a meeting with Georgian President Saakashvili to discuss an agreement on non-resumption of hostilities. The Elders meeting was also attended by Pantelemon Giorgadze, leader of the Communist Party of Georgia and father of fugitive former Georgian Security Minister Igor Giorgadze. ¶2. (U) Speaking in response to Kokoity's comments, Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution David Bakradze said Georgia was ready for a JCC meeting, and he called on the separatist authorities to change their rhetoric. Russian JCC co-chair Yuri Popov was quoted as saying the timing for the next JCC meeting had been changed to the second half of September. ¶3. (U) In another incident in separatist-controlled territory, near the village of Kokhati, an apparently criminal group stopped a passenger bus traveling from Vanati to the Georgian city of Gori, and physically and verbally assaulted a total of 12 passengers including children. Georgian media has given coverage to the incident. PERRY