EUR DAS BRYZA'S NOVEMBER 13 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TBILISI 002813

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STATE FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/FO AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR GG RU
SUBJECT: EUR DAS BRYZA'S NOVEMBER 13 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT
SAAKASHVILI


Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft, reason 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a November 13 meeting EUR DAS Matt Bryza
conveyed to Georgian President Micheil Saakashvili the
Secretary's firm message that the state of emergency in

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Georgia must be lifted and that all TV broadcasts, especially
Imedi's, must be resumed if the GOG is to restore faith in
Georgia's democratic reforms and retain U.S. support.
Saakashvili disputed that his concerns about Russian
involvement in the recent street protests and a buildup in
Abkhazia are an excuse for abandoning Georgian democracy. He
considers the threats from Russia and from Imedi television
to Georgia's government as quite real. At the same time, he
told Bryza that he will end the state of emergency in Georgia
by November 16. He also said he is ready to reopen Imedi
television if appropriate safeguards on the messages it
broadcasts can be found, in accordance with proposals made by
Bryza and Ambassador Tefft in meetings with other GOG
officials. He promised that opposition leaders will be free
to speak out and hold peaceful demonstrations after the state
of emergency ends, without fear of arrest. Saakashvili
expressed deep concern about reports of a Russian buildup of
troops and weapons in Abkhazia. He asked the USG to send a
strong message to the Russians not to take such a provocative
action at such a critical time in Georgia's internal
political life. A dramatic increase in the Russian presence
in Abkhazia would be considered an attack, he said, and would
draw a Georgian response. End Summary.

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STATE OF EMERGENCY TO END, IMEDI TO REOPEN
IF SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE
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2. (C) DAS Bryza reviewed for Saakashvili his series of
meetings with the opposition and government officials since
his arrival in Tbilisi on November 11. He told Saakashvili
that he has been as tough in his approach to the opposition
as he has been to the government, but he was sent to Tbilisi
to deliver a firm message from Secretary Rice. He said that
Saakashvili's decision to call early presidential elections
was welcome, but that the state of emergency and closure of
Imedi television sent shock waves throughout Washington. It
is now crucial to lift the state of emergency and to reopen
Imedi, he said.


3. (C) Saakashvili said that the country faced a choice in
November of "either Imedi or Georgia". His government fully
realized and took into account the damage to its reputation
that would result from its decision to announce a state of
emergency and take Imedi off the air. He said that the
demonstrators on the street on November 7 were far different
from those who took part in the November 2 demonstrations.
On November 7, they were "criminals and dismissed, corrupt
policemen" in contrast to the political and civil society
activists of November 2. The November 7 protests, he
insisted, were not counter-revolution, but counter-reform.
He observed that the demonstrations were limited to Rustaveli
Avenue in front of the Parliament, and not county-wide as was
the case during the Rose Revolution in 2003. He claimed that
Imedi journalists had been overheard discussing provoking the
killing of demonstrators in order to inspire the people to
overrun the Parliament building. He also said that Imedi's
security director was organizing criminals and distributing
weapons. Saakashvili expressed his view that Imedi is under
the control of Badri Patarkatsishvili, and that
Patarkatsishvili and even the station's co-owner, Rupert
Murdoch, are cooperating with Vladimir Putin. He based his
belief about Murdoch on a recent telephone discussion with
Richard Holbrooke, who, he said, told him that Murdoch is
also beholden to Putin.


4. (C) Saakashvili said that he will end the state of
emergency he announced on November 7 early, on November 16.
After the state of emergency is lifted, he said, the
opposition will have full access to the media and will be
able to hold rallies and peaceful demonstrations. The
opposition leaders' fears of arrest are simply groundless, he
said. However, he said that street hooligans must be
arrested and prosecuted as a matter of keeping order. Also,
he said, Irakli Okruashvili is a different case. In his
view, Okruashvili is deeply corrupt and stole from the
Ministry of Defense, and should be prosecuted. Bryza
countered that the USG had long ago warned Saakashvili about
Okruashvili's alleged corruption. Saakashvili replied that
he should have listened to us.


5. (C) Some of Imedi's actions up to November 7 were criminal
and will be prosecuted according to normal procedures,
Saakashvili said. As examples of Imedi's incitement during

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the protests, he said it had broadcast calls for people to
attack Parliament and false reports of the death of children
and pregnant women and of a police attack on the Tbilisi
cathedral. He intends to announce that the station can
reopen if appropriate safeguards are agreed with Murdoch and
with European powers who might supply an appropriate person
to monitor its messages, as Bryza had discussed with
prosecutor General Adeishvili and parliamentary leaders
Bokeria and Rurua. Such a deal could be implemented quickly,
he said. In spite of the doubts he expressed about Murdoch,
he said he intends to contact him and discuss the conditions
for reopening the station. He promised that all damage done
to the station's equipment will be fully compensated.


6. (C) Saakashvili said that as the demonstrations turned
violent, all his advisors, including Nino Burjanadze,
demanded that a state of emergency be imposed in order to
allow the use of military troops to keep order. The Georgian
government mobilized as never before, he said. Now, as calm
returns, he is resigning, calling presidential elections and
holding a plebiscite on the date of parliamentary elections.
His own term in office is being shortened by one and one-half
years, he said -- which should be compared to how others in
the region cling to power. He promised that he would not
ignore the results of the plebiscite on the date of
parliamentary elections if it does not go his way.
Saakashvili also defended himself against charges that he
relies on only a narrow circle of advisors. He said that he
has frequent conversations with journalists, and that he has
successfully kept disparate politicians like Zurab Noghaideli
and Burjanadze together in the National Movement by
listening, by empowering and by delegating. Only Irakli
Okruashvili preferred to go his own way. His circle seems
narrow only to those who are outside of it, he said, and
those people are out only because of poor results and lack of
talent.

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DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIAN BUILDUP IN ABKHAZIA
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7. (C) Saakashvili became impassioned as he discussed the
current and growing threat of Russian action to seize
Abkhazia. No Georgian leader can tolerate an attack on
Abkhazia by Russia and hope to survive in office, he said.
His own family, he said, lives with the guilt that it did not
take action when Georgia was occupied by the Red Army in

1921. He said that Georgia will fight back, whatever the
cost, if Russia attacks in Abkhazia. He told how Putin had
at one time threatened him with using "Cyprus" tactics,
meaning that he would seize Abkhazia at some time when the
government in Tbilisi is caught up in internal problems, as
was the government in Athens when the Turkish republic in
Cyprus was created. Now, he said, Russia is preparing to
quickly insert up to 5000 troops into Abkhazia in order to
expand Russia's military presence in Abkhazia in anticipation
of possible Russian recognition of Abkhazia during the Kosovo
endgame. He urged the USG to send a strong message to Russia
not to take such a step.


8. (C) Saakashvili referred to a recent New York Times
editorial which termed U.S. interests in Georgia "moderate".
The fact is, he said, if the United States loses Georgia, it
loses Central Asia and the Caspian Basin as well.


9. (C) Bryza said that the Russian threat to Abkhazia
Saakashvili describes is viewed by some key observers in
Washington as an excuse to prolong the state of emergency.
and a perception exists that Saakashvili is ready to walk
away from his record as a democrat because of his exaggerated
fear of Russian intrigue. Saakashvili emphatically denied
that. He said such a reaction is "exactly what the Russians
want," so they can achieve their ends in Abkhazia and in
Georgia. The situation in Abkhazia will become clear within
three or four days, he said, and the USG should pay attention
to the increasingly bellicose statements from the Russian
Duma and Moscow Mayor Luzhkov as well as the actions of the
Russian military. He warned that Putin will act if he does
not get a clear signal from the United States that a
provocation in Abkhazia will not be tolerated. Recalling his
promise to lift the state of emergency, find a way to restore
Imedi to the air, and to hold elections, he urged that "you
secure Abkhazia, and I will secure the situation in Georgia."
Bryza countered that it would be easier to gain traction in
Washington on this latest Abkhazia issue if the GOG lifted
the state of emergency and reopened Imedi Television.


10. (C) Saakashvili called Bryza back to the Chancery for
further consultations on Abkhazia at 12:30 a.m. Saakashvili
had convened his nearly nightly meeting of his national

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security team. In attendance were Speaker Burjanadze,
Minister of Internal Affairs Merabishvili, Minister of
Defense Kezerashvili, State Minister for Conflict Resolution
Bakradze, Minister of Economic Development Arveladze,
parliamentary leader Bokeria and Tbilisi Mayor Ugulava.
Saakashvili showed Bryza grainy photos taken from video
footage shot by a Georgian UAV of a military base at
Ochamchire in Abkhazia. MOD Kezerashvili said the photos
depicted five T-72 tanks and 6 D-30 howitzers that had
allegedly been moved into Abkhazia from Sochi, Russia by rail
three days earlier. In response to Saakashvili's appeal for
Washington to intervene at the highest levels in Moscow,
Bryza suggested the GOG first lift the state of emergency and
resume Imedi TV broadcasts. Bryza also suggested the need
for higher resolution images. Bryza underscored the
unwavering support of the United States for Georgia's
territorial integrity and for a peaceful, political
settlement in Abkhazia. He added that if true, such Russian
military movements could have a chilling impact on CFE treaty
negotiations.


11. (U) DAS Bryza has cleared this telegram.
TEFFT