Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI3032
2007-12-05 13:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:
TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE, 12/5/2007
how-toVZCZCXRO4253 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSI #3032/01 3391318 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 051318Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8371 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 003032
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/FO AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE, 12/5/2007
------------------
Campaigns Continue
------------------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 003032
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/FO AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE, 12/5/2007
--------------
Campaigns Continue
--------------
1. (U) Presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili's
representatives presented the Central Election Commission
(CEC) with 140,000 supporters, signatures December 4, well
over the 50,000 required to register a candidate. (The
deadline for submission of signatures is December 6 at 1800.)
In a December 4 address to students at Tbilisi State
University, Saakashvili claimed the de facto South Ossetian
government in Tskhinvali is a "loose tooth ready for
removal." Saakashvili went on to say if he won the
election, the Georgia-Ossetian conflict would be resolved in
a few months. The Equality Institute, an anti-government
NGO, sponsored a rally of less than 100 people during
Saakashvili,s speech to protest the exclusion of students
not "favorable" to Saakashvili from the meeting. The
Equality Institute also claimed two students were kidnapped
by officers of the Constitutional Security Department of the
Interior Ministry before the rally and abandoned in a rural
area to prevent them from participating.
--------------
Saakashvili a Target of Complaints
--------------
2. (U) Labor Party candidate Shalva Natelashvili called on
his supporters to attend a protest rally in Rose Revolution
Square in Tbilisi on December 5. The Labor Party also asked
the CEC to deny Saakashvili's registration as a candidate
based on "illegal campaigning," including the use of
administrative resources for his campaign (reftel).
3. (U) On December 3, a rally organized by Batumi University
students to demand the reopening of Imedi TV was broken up by
police. The Interior Ministry said four opposition activists
were arrested after attempting to block traffic during the
rally. Republican Party leader Tina Khidasheli claimed the
action by police was another effort by the government to
"terrorize" opponents. Alexander Lomaia, Secretary of the
National Security Council, called on all candidates to agree
not to hinder the campaigns of other candidates.
Saakashvili's supporters claim his campaigning has been
hindered by protests and other "provocations" at his public
appearances.
4. (U) The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) sent a
letter to the Central Election Commission (CEC) on December
4, saying Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava and Minister for
Refugees and Accommmodations Koba Subeliani violated the
election code by participating in Saakashvili's campaign.
Ugulava and Subeliani attended a November 26 meeting with
Saakashvili and a group of Abkhaz internally displaced
persons (IDPs) where Saakashvili asked the two government
employees to hand over state-owned property to the IDP's who
occupy it. GYLA asked the CEC to fine Ugulava and Subeliani
GEL 2000 for particiating in the election campaign at the
same time as performing their duties. CEC said it would
consider the appeal.
--------------
Russians Not Invited to Observe Elections
--------------
5. (U) Georgia will not invite Russian Election observers to
monitor the January 5 elections, Acting President Nino
Burjanadze told a Russian newspaper December 4. She said
Russian observers might not be objective. She was open to
participation from CIS member states which have "friendly"
relations with Georgia.
--------------
Latest Developments in Okruashvili Case
--------------
6. (U) A German court found no grounds to block the
extradition of Georgian opposition leader Irakli Okruashvili
on December 4. The German authorities have decided that
Okruashvili should remain in custody, as requested by the
GOG, while he awaits a final decision on his extradition.
Okruashvili's attorney, Eka Beselia, and his wife, Irina
Gordeladze, have visited him in jail.
--------------
Patarkatsishvili: Collecting Signatures
--------------
7. (U) Presidential candidate Badri Patarkatsishvili will
open his campaign on December 6 or 7 following submission of
the required 50,000 signatures to the CEC. Giorgi Zhvania,
TBILISI 00003032 002 OF 002
brother of deceased PM Zurab Zhvania, announced that
Patarkatsishvili's campaign has already collected 60,000
signatures.
--------------
Step Toward Reopening Imedi
--------------
8. Pursuant to Acting President Burjanadze's order, the
prosecutor general asked a Tbilisi court to unfreeze Imedi's
assets. The court is expected to rule on the request within
24 hours. Imedi's manager said that Imedi technicians would
then enter the television station's studio and determine how
long it will take the station to return to the air.
TEFFT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/FO AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE, 12/5/2007
--------------
Campaigns Continue
--------------
1. (U) Presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili's
representatives presented the Central Election Commission
(CEC) with 140,000 supporters, signatures December 4, well
over the 50,000 required to register a candidate. (The
deadline for submission of signatures is December 6 at 1800.)
In a December 4 address to students at Tbilisi State
University, Saakashvili claimed the de facto South Ossetian
government in Tskhinvali is a "loose tooth ready for
removal." Saakashvili went on to say if he won the
election, the Georgia-Ossetian conflict would be resolved in
a few months. The Equality Institute, an anti-government
NGO, sponsored a rally of less than 100 people during
Saakashvili,s speech to protest the exclusion of students
not "favorable" to Saakashvili from the meeting. The
Equality Institute also claimed two students were kidnapped
by officers of the Constitutional Security Department of the
Interior Ministry before the rally and abandoned in a rural
area to prevent them from participating.
--------------
Saakashvili a Target of Complaints
--------------
2. (U) Labor Party candidate Shalva Natelashvili called on
his supporters to attend a protest rally in Rose Revolution
Square in Tbilisi on December 5. The Labor Party also asked
the CEC to deny Saakashvili's registration as a candidate
based on "illegal campaigning," including the use of
administrative resources for his campaign (reftel).
3. (U) On December 3, a rally organized by Batumi University
students to demand the reopening of Imedi TV was broken up by
police. The Interior Ministry said four opposition activists
were arrested after attempting to block traffic during the
rally. Republican Party leader Tina Khidasheli claimed the
action by police was another effort by the government to
"terrorize" opponents. Alexander Lomaia, Secretary of the
National Security Council, called on all candidates to agree
not to hinder the campaigns of other candidates.
Saakashvili's supporters claim his campaigning has been
hindered by protests and other "provocations" at his public
appearances.
4. (U) The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) sent a
letter to the Central Election Commission (CEC) on December
4, saying Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava and Minister for
Refugees and Accommmodations Koba Subeliani violated the
election code by participating in Saakashvili's campaign.
Ugulava and Subeliani attended a November 26 meeting with
Saakashvili and a group of Abkhaz internally displaced
persons (IDPs) where Saakashvili asked the two government
employees to hand over state-owned property to the IDP's who
occupy it. GYLA asked the CEC to fine Ugulava and Subeliani
GEL 2000 for particiating in the election campaign at the
same time as performing their duties. CEC said it would
consider the appeal.
--------------
Russians Not Invited to Observe Elections
--------------
5. (U) Georgia will not invite Russian Election observers to
monitor the January 5 elections, Acting President Nino
Burjanadze told a Russian newspaper December 4. She said
Russian observers might not be objective. She was open to
participation from CIS member states which have "friendly"
relations with Georgia.
--------------
Latest Developments in Okruashvili Case
--------------
6. (U) A German court found no grounds to block the
extradition of Georgian opposition leader Irakli Okruashvili
on December 4. The German authorities have decided that
Okruashvili should remain in custody, as requested by the
GOG, while he awaits a final decision on his extradition.
Okruashvili's attorney, Eka Beselia, and his wife, Irina
Gordeladze, have visited him in jail.
--------------
Patarkatsishvili: Collecting Signatures
--------------
7. (U) Presidential candidate Badri Patarkatsishvili will
open his campaign on December 6 or 7 following submission of
the required 50,000 signatures to the CEC. Giorgi Zhvania,
TBILISI 00003032 002 OF 002
brother of deceased PM Zurab Zhvania, announced that
Patarkatsishvili's campaign has already collected 60,000
signatures.
--------------
Step Toward Reopening Imedi
--------------
8. Pursuant to Acting President Burjanadze's order, the
prosecutor general asked a Tbilisi court to unfreeze Imedi's
assets. The court is expected to rule on the request within
24 hours. Imedi's manager said that Imedi technicians would
then enter the television station's studio and determine how
long it will take the station to return to the air.
TEFFT