TBILISI UPDATE: 11/30/07

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002999

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI UPDATE: 11/30/07

REF: TBILISI 2976

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

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Saakashvili Accused of Misusing Administrative Resources
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1. (U) Opposition parties accused Mikheil Saakashvili of
misusing administrative resources for political campaign
purposes after he met with Abkhaz Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) on November 28 at a Tbilisi Municipality
building. Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava and Minister for
Refugees and Accommodations Kova Subeliani were present at
the televised meeting. Saakashvili instructed both officials
present to hand over state-owned property occupied by IDPs to
the occupants. Saakashvili said if he is elected, he will
return the IDPs within months in "safety and dignity" to
Abkhazia. New Rightists party member Mamuka Katsitadze said
Saakashvili's instructions to government officials, when he
is no longer president, are inappropriate and constitute a
misuse of administrative resources.

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Khaindrava Discusses Election with Ambassador
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2. (C) On November 29, Goga Khaindrava, opposition politician
and member of the United National Council of Opposition
(UNC),met with the Ambassador. He said opposition election
campaigns are being hindered by a limit on the amount of
funds that can be withdrawn from personal bank accounts. He
also said business owners, especially road construction
companies, are being summoned to the National Movement Party
offices to "encourage" a contribution to the campaign.


3. (C) Khaindrava reiterated opposition party complaints of
unfair distribution of air time by TV companies in favor of
Saakashvili. With Imedi TV remaining off air, Khaindrava
said the opposition has no access to television coverage
except Kavkasia, which has coverage limited to Tbilisi. He
said while Saakasvhili's entire meeting with IDPs was
broadcast, the opposition only received 2 minutes of coverage
of their campaign activities. Central Election Commission
(CEC) Chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili said equal time will be
provided after all candidates are officially registered.


4. (C) Khaindrava said UNC candidate Levan Gachechiladze was
not going to withdraw his candidacy in favor of Badri
Patarkatsishvili. He said Gachechiladze did visit Badri
recently in London, but his primary reason was to visit his
children studying there. Khaindrava said he too planned to
meet with Badri, but added Badri is not a realistic candidate
for president. Khaindrava said Badri is using the campaign
to return to Georgia, since he cannot be indicted if he is a
candidate.

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GOG Seeks Clarity about Imedi Ownership, Michnik Arrives
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5. (U) National Security Council Secretary Alexander (Kakha)
Lomaia told the press, "we really want Imedi back on air and
we are doing everything in our power to make it happen," but
he could not give an exact date. Lomaia and PM Lado
Gurgenidze met with Martin Pompadur, executive vice-president
of News Corp, over the weekend to discuss Imedi's ownership
and financial status. On November 29 the Tbilisi City Court
sanctioned a Finance Ministry probe into Imedi. Gurgenidze
called the government's request to have access to Imedi's
financial records reasonable. At the OSCE Ministerial
Council in Madrid, FM Gela Bezhuashvili told reporters the
Imedi TV problem will be resolved "through compromise."
Polish media omsbudman Adam Michnik arrived November 29 in
Tbilisi and met with opposition representatives and Imedi TV
journalists in an attempt to mediate a solution to the
closure of Imedi, help ensure media freedom, and watch for
violations of journalistic ethics.

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Election Campaigns in Full Swing
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6. (U) After the final tally, the CEC announced three
presidential candidates were disqualified for failing to
provide adequate documentation, bringing the final number to
nineteen. Each candidate must now submit 50,000 signatures
to support their candidacy and have their name put on the
ballot. New Rightists candidate Davit Gamkrelidze launched
his campaign November 29. He said he would meet with Abkhaz

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leader Sergey Bapapsh in Sokhumi to assure him Georgia would
not seek a forceful resolution to the conflict in Abkhazia.
Gamkrelidze also said that, if elected, he would reduce
defense spending and immediately demand the withdrawal of
Russian peacekeeping forces from the conflict zones. Labor
Party candidate Shalva Natelashvili launched his election
campaign November 29, promising free education and medical
care, a stipend of GEL 1000 for each newborn child, and
halving the cost of gas, electricity and water. UNC
candidate Levan Gachechiladze said he will launch his
campaign December 3. On the same day Badri Patarkatsishvili
opened his campaign headquarters in Batumi and appointed a
campaign chair.
TEFFT