TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO. 8

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002843

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO. 8

REF: TBILISI 2822

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Parliament Votes to End State of Emergency
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1. (U) Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze announced the
Parliament voted by a margin of 153 to 6 on November 15 to
lift the state of emergency November 16 at 7:00 p.m.,
allowing the country to return to "normal life." In a
November 15 meeting with EUR DAS Matthew Bryza, Burjanadze
said she expects to take over as acting President

after Saakashvili's resignation on
November 24.

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Speaker Burjanadze Meets with Opposition
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2. (U) Burjanadze, Vice-Speaker Machavariani and MP Giga
Bokeria met for two hours with opposition leaders from the
Conservatives, Republicans, New Rights, and Industrialists on
November 16 to negotiate changes to the election code. The
New Rightists and Industrialist representatives said an
agreement was reached on principal issues, including an
agreement to secure Irakli Batiashvili's release, which will
happen after the newly-elected president signs the order in
January.


3. (SBU) Republican Party leader Tina Khidasheli said no
agreement was reached on any important matters, showing the
fractures in the opposition. Machavariani accused the
opposition of issuing ultimatums, and added that some of the
parties (read Republicans and Conservatives) are trying to
sabotage the negotiations and make "radical demands." Most
of the disagreement is over the composition of the Central
Election Commission. Conservative leader Kakha Kukava said
after the meeting "we are currently deadlocked, but dialogue
will continue." The Conservatives then released a press
statement accusing the authorities of refusing to cease
political repression and to allow Imedi to broadcast
immediately. (Note: Our understanding is that the government
wants to ensure monitoring is in place before Imedi reopens).
United National Council of Opposition (UNC) member Gia
Tortladze said the opposition is considering a rally after
the state of emergency is lifted. He also said the UNC will
organize protests if the government's actions are inadequate
and Imedi is not allowed to resume broadcasting.

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Parliament Endorses Election Code Change
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4. (U) Parliament approved the first reading of a draft
package of amendments to the Electoral Code which includes
providing free broadcast time to candidates, reducing the
maximum number of voters at each polling station from 2000 to
1500, and expanding the rights of foreign observers.
Opposition New Rightists and Industrialist MPs took part in
the vote, but members of the UNC abstained.

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Opposition Leader Khaindrava Questioned
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5. (U) Goga Khaindrava, a leader in the UNC and former State
Minister for Conflict Resolution, was questioned for four
hours November 15 by the Interior Ministry's
counterintelligence unit in connection with charges
opposition leaders cooperated with Russian intelligence in an
effort to overthrow the government. Khaindrava's lawyer Eka
Beselia was also present. Khaindrava made a statement to
journalists objecting to the accusations and saying it was
natural he dealt with Russians on a regular basis while
serving as State Minister.

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Labor Party Leader Resurfaces in Georgia
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6. (U) Opposition Labor Party leader Shalva Natelashvili made
his first public appearance November 15 and met EU Special
Representative to the South Caucasus Peter Semneby in
Tbilisi.

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Parliament Begins Work on Presidential Initiatives
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7. (U) Parliamentary committees have begun work on several
new presidential initiatives, including amnesty for
non-violent criminals in prison and additional funding to the
Academy of Sciences.

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Court Explains Reasons Behind Suspending Imedi TV's License
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8. (U) The Tbilisi City Court released a statement November
15 to clarify the reasons for the suspension of Imedi TV's
broadcast license. The statement called Imedi TV a "major
tool" for organizing the demonstrations that eventually
became violent. The Court said the November 7 statement by
co-owner Badri Patarkatsishvili "created an immediate and
real threat of further escalation of tensions" and was
inciting mass unrest.


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