Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI2030
2007-08-13 14:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

DEPUTY SPEAKER MACHAVARIANI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS,

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG RU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHSI #2030 2251411
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131411Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7295
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 002030 

SIPDIS

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DEPT FOR EUR DAS MATT BRYZA, EUR/CARC, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG RU
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SPEAKER MACHAVARIANI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS,
MORE

REF: TBILISI 1638

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 002030

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS MATT BRYZA, EUR/CARC, AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG RU
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SPEAKER MACHAVARIANI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS,
MORE

REF: TBILISI 1638

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


1. (C) Summary: During a July 24 meeting with Poloff, Deputy
Speaker of Parliament, Mikheil Machavariani, discussed the
upcoming 2008 elections. He said that he will be the
campaign chairman for the ruling National Movement (UNM)
party and lead its nationwide campaign. He advised that the
majority will agree to lower the threshold for participation
in Parliament from 7 percent this Fall (reftel) but did not
specify what the new level will be. On the two other issues
raised by the opposition, he said it is unlikely that the UNM
will agree to include opposition representatives on the
Central Election Commission (CEC). Machavariani believes any
change to the majoritarian winner-take-all system will not
affect the election's outcome. In a personal switch,
Machavariani will not run in his district next year, but
rather as a majoritarian candidate on the UNM party list. He
also said that he recently met with a Russian delegation.
The Russians were surprised by the state of affairs they
found in Georgia and did not appear well informed as to
actual, recent progress. On a final note, Machavariani
mentioned a recent discussion he had with Turkmenistan
officials regarding natural gas supplies. He said they
appeared quite willing to engage with and sell gas to anyone
"Georgia, Europe, whoever" once the details of a
transportation network are determined. End Summary.


2. (C) On July 24, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mikheil
Machavariani, met Poloffs on a range of issues. He said:

- He will be the campaign chairman for the ruling National
Movement (UNM) party and lead the nationwide campaign in the
2008 Parliamentary elections.

- The majority will cede this Fall on the issue of the
current 7 percent threshold (reftel) required for party list
representation on the ballot. He said he did not know what
the threshold will be, "but it won't be 7 percent." (Note:
The opposition has demanded it be returned to its original
level of 5 percent.)

- The UNM will not likely budge on the composition of the CEC
(reftel),which the UNM believes is non-partisan and
professional.

- It is "very unlikely" that the opposition's concerns
regarding the majoritarian winner-take-all system (reftel)
would be addressed. He mentioned there may be some slight
flexibility in addressing the current system, but it will not
make a difference in the outcome.

- He will not run in his district next year (which he has
held for two terms),but rather as a majoritarian candidate
on the UNM party list. Interestingly, we have heard that
Speaker Burjanadze will also run as a party list candidate
rather than as a representative from her district in Kutaisi.

- He recently met with a Russian delegation who appeared
genuinely surprised as to the true state of affairs in
Georgia and did not appear well informed as to actual, recent
progress.

- That Turkmenistan officials are quite eager to entertain
dialogue on future sales of their natural gas with any and
all prospective buyers. "They said we will sell gas to
anyone once the transport network is figured out," reported
Machavariani.


3. (C) Comment: Machavariani is one of the kingmakers in
Parliament and despite recent treatment in Europe for a
medical condition, appears to be preparing to continue this
role in the run-up to the 2008 Parliamentary elections. Our
reports indicate that the ruling party is planning to give on
the threshold issue - something also supported by the COE -
but not move significantly on the issue of the
winner-take-all system and not move at all on the composition
of the CEC. End comment.
PERRY