TBILISI UPDATE: 11/28/2007

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002976

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI UPDATE: 11/28/2007

REF: TBILISI 2964

Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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Twenty-Two Bid for Presidency
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1. (U) Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Levan
Tarkhnishvili said, as of the November 26 deadline,
twenty-two people had registered for the January 5
presidential election. In addition to Mikheil Saakashvili,
oligarch Badri Patarkatsishvili, United National Council of
Opposition (UNC) candidate Levan Gachechiladze, New Rights
Party leader Davit Gamkrelidze, and Labor Party leader Shalva
Natelashvili, other hopefuls include: Green Party leader
Giorgi Gachechiladze; Teimuraz Shashiashvili, who was
Governor of Imereti under Shevardnadze; and Avtandil
Margiani, Deputy PM under Shevardnadze in the early 1990s.
Each candidate must submit 50,000 signatures in support of
their registration to the CEC by December 5. It is likely
many of the candidates will not fulfill this requirement and
the candidate field will be reduced to the most well-known
politicians.

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Acting President Burjanadze Addresses Nation
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2. (U) In a November 26 address, Acting President Nino
Burjanadze called for "calm and restraint" ahead of the
January 5 election "in order to maintain stability in the
country," and said state structures and agencies would
function as normal during the transitional period.
Burjanadze said achievements gained in the past four years by
the government should not be overshadowed by mistakes.
Burjanadze asked each citizen to "think long and hard before
casting a ballot," and called the election a very important
test for Georgia, saying "I am sure we will pass."
Burjanadze also said she would spare no effort to ensure the
elections were free and fair. During her tenure as Acting
President, Burjanadze has most of the presidential powers,
but she cannot appoint or dismiss ministers or regional
governors, and cannot dissolve parliament.

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Plebiscite will be held on NATO Membership
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3. (U) The president's office announced a plebiscite to be
held January 5 for Georgians to say whether they support
Georgia's efforts to join NATO. The decree authorizing the
plebiscite, which can be called by the president on issues of
state importance, was signed before Saakashvili stepped down
as president. Debate over Georgia's chances to gain MAP in
2008 continue as ruling party MP Givi Targamadze said it was
now a more complicated but not tragic situation. Georgia's
Way leader Salome Zourabichvili, who returned from Europe
November 27, told Rustavi 2 TV that Georgia's chance to gain
MAP in April "was almost equal to zero."

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Lomaia: Open and Free Elections a Must
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4. (C) Alexander (Kakha) Lomaia, the newly appointed
Secretary of the National Security Council and the

SIPDIS
government's coordinator for the international community on
elections (reftel),told US elections assistance group
members that the atmosphere leading up to the elections is
very important and media monitoring is crucial for
establishing a positive atmosphere. Lomaia said the
government will encourage media to allot to the opposition
more media time than the minimum permitted by law. Lomaia
also said opinion polling and exit polls are important to
establish the legitimacy of the results. Lomaia said he
wants to work closely with international organizations to
guarantee all conditions are met so the election results can
be declared above board.


5. (C) On Patarkatsishvili's candidacy, Lomaia said despite
credible proof of Patarkatsishvili's attempts to destabilize
the current administration, he would not be arrested if he
returned to Georgia to campaign. Lomaia added the government
did not want to see a presidential candidate jailed during
the election and he was "99 percent sure" it wouldn't occur,
unless something "outrageous happened." Lomaia said rumors
that National Movement Party members were masquerading as tax
police to blackmail business owners to vote for Saakashvili
were likely a case of overzealous party members promoting the
cause, but he added the situation was resolved. Lomaia said

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informal dialogue between the opposition and Acting President
Burjanadze continued, even though the majority of election
code amendments had been adopted. Lomaia said Burjanadze
told him she was in constant communication with opposition
leaders.

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Patarkatsishvili's Assets Targeted
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6. (U) The National Bank of Georgia appointed a temporary
administrator to Standard Bank November 27 because of
liquidity concerns. Patarkatsishvili's lawyers said he has
"indirect interests" in the bank and the company that manages
Patarkatsishvili's USD100 million portfolio in Georgia,
Salford Capital, said this was part of a systematic campaign
by authorities to target Patarkatsishvili's assets. This
move follows the closure of Imedi TV and radio, and the
seizure of Patarkatsishvili's Tbilisi-based amusement park.
Salford Capital chief executive Irakli Rukhadze is also under
investigation for unlawfully "exercising influence" at the
National Bank. Salford Capital executives met with PM Lado
Gurgenidze November 26 to discuss the actions against
Standard Bank and the law firm hired by Patarkatsishvili to
represent his interests sent a letter to PM Gurgenidze
protesting the action.

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Opposition MP Beaten in Tbilisi, Accuses Government
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7. (U) On November 27 police arrested three men suspected of
the November 26 attack on Our Georgia MP Merab Khurtsidze.
The Interior Ministry released a taped video confession of
one of the suspects claiming the assault was due to an
argument between Khurtsidze and the suspects. Our Georgia
Parliamentary faction leader MP Valeri Gelbakhiani, said the
attack was a "political reprisal" by authorities but
Burjanadze said "as usual, the authorities were blamed (for
the attack)." She also praised the Interior Ministry for its
immediate response to "a very unpleasant incident."
Khurtsidze left the ruling party to join Our Georgia in
October.

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Georgian Media Council, Opposition Seek Level Playing Field
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8. (U) The Georgian Media Council, made up of journalists and
media experts, drew up a list of 12 recommendations aimed at
ensuring the elections are objectively covered, including
calling for equal airtime for all major candidates and asking
channels to refrain from broadcasting unverified stories.
Opposition candidates have also drawn attention to the
necessity for the media to be more fair in its coverage of
all candidates during the election period. Several
opposition leaders appeared on television November 27 to call
for televised debates that would include all candidates and
focus on the issues.













TEFFT