TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO 6

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TBILISI 002802 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG SUBJECT: TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO 6 REF: TBILISI 2799 Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Opposition, Government Meet in Parliament -------------- ¶1. (U) The United National Council of Opposition (UNC) met with the government, represented by the Speaker of Parliament, Nino Burjanadze, on November 10 and again on November 12. Five opposition parties - Georgia's Way, the Conservatives, the Republicans, the New Rightists, and the Industrialists, participated in the meetings with Burjanadze, Vice-Speaker Machavariani, MP Giga Bokeria and MP Maia Nadiradze. Conservative Party leader Kakha Kukava said an agreement was almost reached on the election code, but lamented that "if they had only agreed earlier on these issues, we could have prevented the current crisis." Opposition parties are still pushing for a change to the majoritarian system and allowing opposition parties to have representation on the Central Election Commission. Nadiradze emphasized that the opposition and government shared the same goal of free, democratic elections. ¶2. (U) Opposition leaders reported no success on the issue of ending the state of emergency, restrictions on media, specifically the closure of Imedi, and "political repressions against opponents." Prior to the meetings, Kukava said there is no point to dialogue if Imedi does not resume broadcasting. Republican Party leader Davit Usupashvili said individuals who participated in the protests are being identified by police and either arrested or intimidated, and no police officer has been charged with excessive use of force. He also said the government had not interviewed opposition leader Kova Davitashvili, who was badly beaten during the protests. MP Nadiradze said police are investigating cases of violence by protesters directed against police, but are not pursuing others who participated in the protest. A third round of talks are planned for November 14. -------------- Opposition Chooses Candidate for Presidency -------------- ¶3. (C) The United National Council of Opposition (UNC),minus the Labor Party, selected Levan Gachechiladze on November 12 as their presidential candidate. Prior to his selection, it was widely believed Republican Party leader Davit Usupashvili would be chosen, but in a close 5 to 4 vote, Gachechiladze was selected. Georgian Way leader Salome Zourabichvili will become prime minister if Gachechiladze wins. Gachechiladze joins Gamkrelidze and an independent, Gia Maisashvili, as declared candidates for President. -------------- Candidate Levan Gachechiladze -------------- ¶4. (U) Levan Gachechiladze, 43 years old, is an independent member of parliament with no party affiliation. He studied economics at Tbilisi State University. Gachechiladze was elected to Parliament in 1999 as a member of the ruling party, Citizen's Union of Georgia. He split with Shevardnadze's party in 2001 and formed the New Rightists Party, serving as deputy chairman. He was then elected to parliament as a majoritarian representative from the New Rightists party in Vake district, Tbilisi. He split from the party in 2003 when Gamkrelidze and other party leaders refused to support the Rose Revolution. Since then he has served as an independent MP and kept a low profile until the recent protests. He set up the Georgian Wine and Spirits Company (GWS) in 1994, which soon became the biggest wine producer in the country. It sold 90% of its exports to Russia and was heavily hit by the Russian ban on Georgian wine in 2006. Gachechiladze has an estimated wealth of USD 10 million, mostly from his position as main shareholder in GWS. He reportedly sold his shares in GWS to a foreign investor recently. ¶5. (C) During the protests, he was the instigator of a hunger strike on the Parliament steps and, along with dozens of others, was forced away on November 7. Gachechiladze has little name recognition outside of Tbilisi. He is not considered as strong a potential candidate as Usupashvili. Next to Salome Zourabichvili as his running mate for Prime Minister, he appears the weaker of the two. Zourabichvili, however, said "we nominated a person who will be a very serious contender for Saakashvili." Zourabichvili, who has lived in Georgia since 2003, is ineligible because she has TBILISI 00002802 002 OF 003 not lived the required fifteen years in Georgia prior to the election. Kova Davitashvili, leader of the People's Party, said Gachechiladze is an independent who had an active role in the opposition's recent campaigns and this largely contributed to his selection as the presidential candidate. -------------- -------------- Patarkatsishvili Will Run; Industrialists Support Gamkrelidze -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) Patarkatsishvili announced via e-mail from Europe on November 10 that he will run for President under the slogan, "Georgia without Saakashvili is Georgia without Terror." As of now, there are no formal criminal charges against Patarkatsishvili in Georgia. Opposition leaders said Pataratsishvili has a right to run but that the UNC would not support his candidacy. Industrialist Party MP Zurab Tkemaladze offered his party's support for the candidacy of MP Davit Gamkrelidze of the New Rightists Party. -------------- -------------- Charges Dropped Against Labor Party Leader Natelashvili -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) On November 12, the Labor Party announced its intention to nominate its leader, Shalva Natelashvili, to run in the January 5 elections for president. Natelashvili remains in hiding. In a letter delivered to the Embassy by his supporters, he has asked the U.S. to consider granting him asylum. On November 10, the General Prosecutor General's Office dropped charges of espionage and conspiracy to overthrow the government against Natelashvili and said he is wanted only for questioning as a witness. President Saakashvili confirmed that Natelashvili would not be arrested and could "freely run for the presidency." Davitashvili said the nomination was a surprise to the UNC, of which the Labor Party is a member. Natelashvili's supporters deny he is in Russia. They say he is undergoing medical treatment in Georgia and will make a statement in a few days. -------------- -------------- State of Emergency Continues, Government Still Promising It Will Be Lifted -------------- -------------- ¶8. (U) Parliamentary majority leader Maia Nadiradze said on November 12 that the state of emergency would be lifted soon, "in two or three days." Usupashvili, speaking for the opposition, expressed doubts, saying no concrete reason has been offered by the government for keeping the state of emergency in force. -------------- Okruashvili Trial Slated for November 16 -------------- ¶9. (U) Eka Beselia, Okruashvili's attorney, said the trial of Irakli Okruashvili, slated to begin in Tbilisi city court on November 16, should be postponed if the defendant fails to attend. Deputy General Prosecutor Gvaramia said Okruashvili would be put on the wanted list if he fails to appear on November 16 and his GEL 10 million bail would be forfeited to the state budget. Okruashvili remains in Germany. -------------- President Meets with Businesses -------------- ¶10. (U) President Saakashvili held a meeting with Georgian businessmen on November 10. He defended his imposition of the state of emergency. Some of those present expressed support for the President's actions. -------------- Imedi TV Still Off the Air -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Opposition leaders said that restoration of Imedi TV to the air will be one of the top issues for discussion with the government. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, visited the station's studio on November 11. The station's owners said that the studio had been cleaned up after it was closed by police on November ¶7. At the time of Semneby's visit, some equipment was missing and other equipment was disconnected. -------------- Matt Bryza in Tbilisi -------------- TBILISI 00002802 003 OF 003 ¶12. (C) EUR DAS Matt Bryza held meetings with both opposition and government leaders, as well as the Patriarch and the American Chamber of Commerce, during his visit November 10-13 (septels). He repeatedly stressed the need for responsible dialogue, for an end to the state of emergency, for free and fair presidential elections in January, and for a way to be found to restore Imedi television to the air. TEFFT