DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH FM BEZHUASHVILI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002018

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH FM BEZHUASHVILI

REF: TBILISI 1604

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Mark X. Perry, for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (C) Summary: On July 27, DAS Bryza met with Foreign
Minister Gela Bezhuashvili on the conflicts in Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Bezhuashvili told Bryza that the Georgian
government was not happy with the latest United Nations
report on the situation in Abkhazia, adding that the Group of
Friends should avoid focusing on technical details and
instead concentrate on settlement of the conflict and return
of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to Abkhazia. Bryza
explained that the reason the last Friends meeting was
technical was because of the recent tensions in the Gali
district of Abkhazia, and once the tension subsides, the
Friends could get back to strategic discussions on the peace
process. Bezhuashvili thanked Bryza for the strong U.S.
support of Georgia in the UN Friends process, and said
Georgia continues to reach out to the French and Germans to
explain their position on the conflicts. He emphasized that
Georgia understands the situation in the conflict zones
remains tense, and it must be patient in looking for a
solution. Bryza said Georgia's more measured and
constructive approach over the past year had placed it in a
stronger diplomatic position. Bezhuashvili said the Georgian
government has invited the EU, OSCE, and Russia to serve on
the Georgian governmental commission on the issue of autonomy
for South Ossetia within Georgia and will invite the Venice
Commission to comment on the GoG's draft paper on autonomy
once it is finished. End Summary.

Georgia "not happy" with UN report on Abkhazia
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2. (C) Bezhuashvili told Bryza that the Georgian government
was not happy with the latest report from the UN Secretary
General on Abkhazia. He said that Deputy Foreign Minister
Manjgaladze formally raised Georgian concerns with the Group
of Friends earlier on July 27 (septel),adding that the focus
of the Group of Friends should return to a strategic
discussion of conflict resolution and return of the IDPs and
not on technical issues. Bryza noted that the reason the
last Friends meeting in Bonn (reftel) was technical was
because of recent tensions in Gali, and that Georgia needed
to play a role in reducing such tension. He said the Friends
needed to return to strategic discussions on Abkhazia,
discussions that would be facilitated with the reduction of
tensions in Gali. Bezhuashvili thanked Bryza for continued
U.S. support of Georgia in the UN Friends process, and said
his criticism was aimed at other members of the Group of
Friends. He said the Europeans lack understanding of
Abkhazia. He noted that the Georgians continue to engage the
French and Germans on Abkhazia. Relations with Germany were
improving; German Chancellor Merkel has invited President
Saakashvili to Berlin in October.


3. (C) Bezhuashvili also said that the Georgians hoped that
the upcoming renewal of the United Nations Observer Mission
to Georgia (UNOMIG) in October would produce a resolution
that underscored support for Georgia's territorial integrity,
called for IDP returns, and highlighted Russian
obstructionism. A fallback could be a technical rollover.
Bryza assured Bezhuashvili that the U.S. would remain
steadfast in supporting Georgia's territorial integrity and
its right and obligation to administer to its citizens in the
Upper Kodori Valley. The U.S. would not be blackmailed by
possible Russian threats not to renew UNOMIG's mandate unless
Georgian personnel withdrew from the Upper Kodori. He also
reiterated our arguments to Russia cautioning against Russian
recognition of Abkhaz independence in the wake of a Kosovo
decision - that Russian recognition of Abkhaz independence
will damage Russian national interests in the North Caucasus,
and that there can be no legitimacy for a political entity
whose claims of independence derive from a referendum
conducting in the wake of ethnic cleansing. Bezhuashvili
replied that he thought the Russian position on Kosovo
stemmed from a belief that the U.S is using the issue of
Kosovo independence to undermine Russia. He said Russia
fears that Kosovo independence will spur Russia's
unrecognized republics to also declare independence, which
would lead to a disintegration of the Russian state.

Georgia patiently looking for a solution on South Ossetia
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Bezhuashvili said that the Georgians have invited
the Russians to engage them on determining South Ossetia's
political status, and specifically, on a definition of
autonomy. He argued that the Russians have a lot to gain
from working with Georgia to resolve the South Ossetian
conflict, especially greater stability in the North Caucasus.
Everyone knows that South Ossetia is a bargaining chip for

TBILISI 00002018 002 OF 002


the Russians, he said, but their price is currently too high.
If the Russians stopped financing Kokoiti and agreed to a
joint Georgia-Russia monitoring of the Roki tunnel,
Bezhuashvili speculated that Kokoiti would be gone within a
matter of weeks. He said that Russian Foreign Minister
Lavrov hinted that such a deal was possible, but was "not
within his competence." Georgia understands that the
situation in South Ossetia remains tense, he said, and it
needs to be patient and allow the peace process to continue.
Bryza told Bezhuashvili that the Secretary was aware of the
positive steps Georgia was taking on the conflicts and
commended the Georgian government on its efforts. He
suggested that Georgia's approach in recent months of
providing positive incentives to attract South Ossetians back
to Georgia, coupled with growing popular support for Dmitry
Sanakoyev as an alternative to Kokoity had changed the
trajectory of the conflict in Tbilisi's favor. The U.S.
would continue pressing in the OSCE for key confidence
building measures - e.g., more OSCE military observers, an
OSCE checkpoint at the strategic Didi Gupta road juncture,
and joint Georgian-Russian monitoring of the Roki tunnel.


5. (C) The Georgian government is currently drafting a
legal framework for South Ossetian autonomy within the
Republic, Bezhuashvili said, and has invited the EU, OSCE,
and Russia to serve on a commission to inform the process.
The Georgian government will also invite the Venice
Commission to comment on their draft paper on autonomy, and
Prime Minister Noghaideli will travel to Vienna in October to
brief the OSCE on the process and the commission. He said
Georgia continues to tell Russia that a stable South Ossetia
will keep the North Caucasus stable as well, but the Russians
remain unconvinced, and believe that Georgia is being used by
the U.S. to undermine Russia.


6. (U) DAS Bryza has cleared this cable.
PERRY