Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI2590
2007-10-16 11:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:
GOG AMENDMENTS TO TRAVEL PROCEDURES FOR DIPLOMATIC
how-toVZCZCXRO0593 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSI #2590/01 2891102 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 161102Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7919 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002590
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OTRA OVIP GG
SUBJECT: GOG AMENDMENTS TO TRAVEL PROCEDURES FOR DIPLOMATIC
VISITS TO SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002590
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OTRA OVIP GG
SUBJECT: GOG AMENDMENTS TO TRAVEL PROCEDURES FOR DIPLOMATIC
VISITS TO SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA
1. (U) Post received a Circular Note, no. 6/4302-12, on
October 13 from the Government of Georgia, regarding GOG
rules for notification by diplomats before travel to Abkhazia
or South Ossetia. This amends travel procedures for
Diplomatic Agents accredited to Georgia and Foreign State
Officials to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia and Abkhazia,
which had been previously issued by the GOG in August. The
changes result from interventions by the diplomatic community
in Tbilisi, which had objected to the travel procedures as
announced by the GOG in August.
2. (SBU) The main objections by the diplomatic community to
the former rules were that the two weeks advance notice of
travel required was too long, and that the rules required
diplomats to provide a report on their activities after their
return from the breakaway regions. The new rules require
only five days advance notice for diplomats accredited in
Georgia, although twelve working days is still required for
diplomatic visitors based abroad. We believe that it will be
possible to work with the GOG should important, high-level
Washington visitors be required to travel to Abkhazia or
South Ossetia on shorter notice. The new rules do away with
the requirement for reporting back to the GOG on results of
travel.
3. (U) In order to comply with the amended rules, all
visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi who wish to visit
Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia or Abkhazia will need to
SIPDIS
provide a written request to the U.S. Embassy 15 working days
in advance of their visit in order for the appropriate
request to be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia within 12 days requirement. Please include with the
request the exact time and itinerary of the visit, full
composition of the delegation and planned meetings.
4. (U) The text of the Circular Note follows:
Begin Text:
Regulations Concerning Visit of the Diplomatic Agents
Accredited to Georgia and Foreign State officials to
Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia and Abkhazia,
SIPDIS
Georgia
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (hereinafter - the
Ministry) should be notified in a written form about any
visit of diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia or foreign
state officials to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia
and Abkhazia Georgia.
- The formal notification about the intended visit should be
communicated to the Ministry at least 5 working days in
advance for the diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia and
12 working days for the foreign state officials.
- The formal notification to the Ministry shall contain the
information on the exact time and itinerary of the visit,
full composition of the delegation and the planned meetings.
- In case of visits of diplomatic agents accredited to
Georgia exceptions to the Point 2 above are possible, where
urgent circumstances (e.g. urgent consular needs or the
progress of humanitarian aid) require visits at shorter
notice.
- The Ministry on a case by case basis, reserves the right
to refuse permission to diplomatic agents and foreign state
officials to travel to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia,
Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia.
- The Ministry gives permission in a written form to a
foreign state official on a planned visit. In case of a
joint visit of diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia and
foreign state officials the regime of permissions for foreign
state officials will be applied.
- These regulations do not apply to foreign delegations
under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General
and Diplomatic Missions or International Organizations
mandated to operate on the territory of Tskhinvali
Region/South Ossetia, Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia. End Text.
3. (U) All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi who wish
to visit Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia or Abkhazia will
need to provide a written request to the U.S. Embassy 15
working days in advance of their visit in order for the
request to be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia within the 12 day requirement. Please include with
the request the exact time and itinerary of the visit, full
composition of the delegation and planned meetings.
TBILISI 00002590 002 OF 002
TEFFT
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OTRA OVIP GG
SUBJECT: GOG AMENDMENTS TO TRAVEL PROCEDURES FOR DIPLOMATIC
VISITS TO SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA
1. (U) Post received a Circular Note, no. 6/4302-12, on
October 13 from the Government of Georgia, regarding GOG
rules for notification by diplomats before travel to Abkhazia
or South Ossetia. This amends travel procedures for
Diplomatic Agents accredited to Georgia and Foreign State
Officials to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia and Abkhazia,
which had been previously issued by the GOG in August. The
changes result from interventions by the diplomatic community
in Tbilisi, which had objected to the travel procedures as
announced by the GOG in August.
2. (SBU) The main objections by the diplomatic community to
the former rules were that the two weeks advance notice of
travel required was too long, and that the rules required
diplomats to provide a report on their activities after their
return from the breakaway regions. The new rules require
only five days advance notice for diplomats accredited in
Georgia, although twelve working days is still required for
diplomatic visitors based abroad. We believe that it will be
possible to work with the GOG should important, high-level
Washington visitors be required to travel to Abkhazia or
South Ossetia on shorter notice. The new rules do away with
the requirement for reporting back to the GOG on results of
travel.
3. (U) In order to comply with the amended rules, all
visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi who wish to visit
Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia or Abkhazia will need to
SIPDIS
provide a written request to the U.S. Embassy 15 working days
in advance of their visit in order for the appropriate
request to be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia within 12 days requirement. Please include with the
request the exact time and itinerary of the visit, full
composition of the delegation and planned meetings.
4. (U) The text of the Circular Note follows:
Begin Text:
Regulations Concerning Visit of the Diplomatic Agents
Accredited to Georgia and Foreign State officials to
Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia and Abkhazia,
SIPDIS
Georgia
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (hereinafter - the
Ministry) should be notified in a written form about any
visit of diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia or foreign
state officials to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia
and Abkhazia Georgia.
- The formal notification about the intended visit should be
communicated to the Ministry at least 5 working days in
advance for the diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia and
12 working days for the foreign state officials.
- The formal notification to the Ministry shall contain the
information on the exact time and itinerary of the visit,
full composition of the delegation and the planned meetings.
- In case of visits of diplomatic agents accredited to
Georgia exceptions to the Point 2 above are possible, where
urgent circumstances (e.g. urgent consular needs or the
progress of humanitarian aid) require visits at shorter
notice.
- The Ministry on a case by case basis, reserves the right
to refuse permission to diplomatic agents and foreign state
officials to travel to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia,
Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia.
- The Ministry gives permission in a written form to a
foreign state official on a planned visit. In case of a
joint visit of diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia and
foreign state officials the regime of permissions for foreign
state officials will be applied.
- These regulations do not apply to foreign delegations
under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General
and Diplomatic Missions or International Organizations
mandated to operate on the territory of Tskhinvali
Region/South Ossetia, Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia. End Text.
3. (U) All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi who wish
to visit Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia or Abkhazia will
need to provide a written request to the U.S. Embassy 15
working days in advance of their visit in order for the
request to be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia within the 12 day requirement. Please include with
the request the exact time and itinerary of the visit, full
composition of the delegation and planned meetings.
TBILISI 00002590 002 OF 002
TEFFT