TBILISI UPDATE 11/19/2007

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002882

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI UPDATE 11/19/2007

REF: A. TBILISI 2855


B. TBILISI 2843

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

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New Ministers Appointed
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1. (C) Following President Saakashvili's November 16
announcement of Lado Gurgenidze as the new Prime Minister
(Ref A),two changes to the cabinet were announced on
November 19. Minister of Education Kakha Lomaia was replaced
by his deputy at the ministry, Bela Tsipuria. Lomaia was
subsequently named the Chairman of the National Security
Council, an institution which has been moribund under Kota
Kemularia. Lomaia may now inject new life into a badly
managed presidential administration. Tsipuria, the second
woman named to the cabinet of ministers, studied in the
United States under a Muskie Fellowship. Koba Subeliani,
head of the Tbilisi City Municipal Improvements Service, will
replace Giorgi Kheviashvili as Minister of Refugees.


2. (U) Prime Minister Gurgenidze said on November 16 his top
priorities will be to start a dialogue with the Georgian
people, businesses, foreign investors and the Georgian
Diaspora in order to build consensus and continue Georgia's
economic progress. Saakashvili hailed Gurgenidze for
reviving Georgia's banking sector and called him "Georgia's
most successful businessman."

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Opposition, Saakashvili Begin Campaigning
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3. (U) The United National Coalition of Opposition (UNC)
announced November 17 plans to begin its presidential
campaign on November 19. Representatives from the Republican
Party, Conservatives, Georgia's Way, Freedom Party, On Our
Own, Party of People, Movement for United Georgia, Georgian
Troupe, and National Forum gathered on November 17 to discuss
a strategy for UNC presidential candidate Levan
Gachechiladze's campaign. Over the weekend, Koba
Davitashvili and Jondi Baghaturia of UNC visited markets to
call on the traders to vote for Gachechiladze, claiming the
removal of the requirement for cash registers for small
traders was achieved by the opposition. Republican leader
Davit Usupashvili said the real campaign would start only
after the date for the election is set and Saakashvili
resigns. The January 5 date has not been approved by
Parliament but Saakashvili will reportedly resign on November
25 or 26.


4. (U) Several other candidates have announced their
intention to run for president: Badri Patarkashishvili, Irina
Sarishvili, Imedi Political Movement (not related to Imedi
television),Gia Maisashvili, founder of the Party of the
Future, the Labor Party's Shalva Natelashvili, and New
Rightists founder David Gamkrelidze.


5. (SBU) The opposition claims Saakashvili began campaigning
for his reelection immediately following his announcement of
new elections in January. The government has recently
unveiled large scale social assistance programs, raised
salaries for teachers and professors, and increased pensions.
On November 17, Saakashvili gave a speech at the dedication
of a museum honoring Georgian patriot Ilia Chavchavadze,
drawing heavily on Chavchavadze's memory and calling Badri
Patarkatsishvili "evil." He also criticized the business
practices of opposition presidential candidate
Gachechiladze's Georgian Wine and Spirits Company before it
went bankrupt.

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Saakashvili Asks OSCE to Send Observers
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6. (U) In a November 18 meeting, Saakashvili invited OSCE
Mission to Georgia's Head Terhi Hakala to send "hundreds,
even thousands" of international observers to the Georgian
elections. He said that observers will be able to monitor
pre-election campaigns, ensure freedom of speech is protected
and prevent discrimination against presidential hopefuls and
their campaigns.

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Charges Against Imedi and Patarkatsishvili;
Kavkazia TV Back on Air
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7. (U) The Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC)

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suspended Imedi TV's broadcast license for three months. The
suspension was dated November 8. The GNCC said the decision
was based on the November 7 broadcast by Imedi of "obvious
disinformation that police were planning to storm the
cathedral of the Holy Trinity." This, GNCC claims, created
an imminent and real threat of encouraging violent protests
to continue.


8. (U) Over the weekend Rustavi 2, Mze and Channel 1
broadcast a program in which Deputy Chief Prosecutor Nika
Gvaramia played taped phone conversations between Imedi
co-owner Badri Patarkatsishvili and Imedi journalist and
producer Giorgi Targamadze which, Gvaramia claims,
demonstrate Patarkatsishvili was "directly controlling Imedi
TV's editorial policy." In the program Gvaramia said the
taped phone conversations showed "Imedi TV was a weapon in
the hands of Patarkatsishvili." On November 17 Saakashvili
responded to growing concerns over what appears to be
widespread tapping of private phone conversations by saying
that any phone tapping was done in accordance with legal
procedures and carried out by law enforcement agencies.


9. (U) Gvaramia also alleged on November 16 that two
security firms linked to Patarkatsishvili were involved in an
attempt to set up an illegal armed group. Gvaramia said the
head of both firms, Giorgi Beridze, was arrested November 13
and a large number of weapons were seized from his apartment.
Gvaramia made public recorded conversations wherein Beridze
instructed his employees to recruit "good men" "who would be
willing to kill without hesitation."


10. (U) Kavkasia TV began broadcasting shortly after the
state of emergency was lifted November 16. The
pro-opposition station only covers the capital of Tbilisi.
Its initial broadcasts were extremely critical of the
government.
TEFFT