PATARKATSISVILI COUP PLOT UNCOVERED

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 003152 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR A/S FRIED, DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL GG SUBJECT: PATARKATSISVILI COUP PLOT UNCOVERED Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (SBU) On December 24, the Prime Minister called in the U.S., UK, French, German and Baltic Ambassadors to provide a briefing on a plot to undermine Georgia's presidential election on January 5 and thereby to overthrow the Georgian government. The Prime Minister showed videos of Patarkatsisvili,s campaign manager (and Parliamentarian) Valery Gelbakhiani offering a bribe to a senior police official, Irakli Kodua, in exchange for taking part in conspiracy to thwart the elections and trigger mass unrest in Georgia. Specifically, Kodua was to capture and if necessary kill Minister of Interior Vano Merabishvili as part of the plot. At Patarkatsisvili,s request, Kodua subsequently met Patarkatsisvili in London on December 23. Kodua wore a body microphone which picked up incriminating statements made by Patarkatsisvili during the meeting, including requesting that the coup begin on January 3 or 4 with the capture or killing of Merabishvili. Kodua returned to Tbilisi early on December ¶24. The tape of his meeting is being processed and will probably be made public on December 25. Patarkatsishsvili apparently calculated that Kodua would join a plot because his mother and brother have both been caught in corruption probes; as a result of this corruption, his brother left Georgia and is now in London. -------------- NEXT STEPS -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In his meeting with the Ambassadors, Prime Minister Gurgenidze previewed the Government,s planned next steps, including his briefing of the OSCE ODIHR Ambassador Boden, OSCE Ambassador Hakala, and representatives from the Council of Europe and the EU, the Acting President,s briefing of the opposition, and the Government,s public disclosure of the coup plot and release of the incriminating videos at noon. Later on December 24, there will be a Security Council meeting and Acting President Burjanadze will address the country. Patarkatsisvili,s campaign manager, who we understand is currently in Yerevan, will be invited to the MOIA for questioning but will not be arrested. (Note: As an MP, he has immunity which can be lifted by Parliament. End note.) -------------- ACTING PRESIDENT BRIEFS OPPOSITION -------------- ¶3. (SBU) After briefing Western ambassadors, Acting President Burjanadze met with opposition leaders to brief them on evidence of the suspected Patarkatsishvili coup plot. Opposition representatives who showed up included Republican Party leader Usupashvili, Kukava of the Conservative Party, Tkemeladze of the Industrialists, and Gachitadze of the New Rights Party. The Acting President also spoke on the phone with New Rights leader Gamkrelidze and opposition coalition candidate Gachecheladze. As of 1500 local time there has been no public reaction by opposition leaders. -------------- PUBLIC RELEASE -------------- ¶4. (U) At noon on December 24, the Government released the two videos recorded by Kodua. They were carried on all Georgian national television stations, including Imedi, Patarkatsisvili,s station. In a follow-up interview with Rustavi 2, Gelbakhiani admitted having met with Kodua but said that the tape was edited. He claimed his goal was to have an ally in the MOIA should there be protests following the January 5 elections. Gelbakhiani said he plans to convene a press conference on the issue. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) We believe the plot to disrupt the elections and overthrow the government was real. Bred in arrogance or desperation, Patarkatsishvili appears to have gambled that he could manipulate the election process and bring about a change in government. At this point there is no indication of demonstrations in Tbilisi. The private reaction seems to be one of shock that Patarkatsishvili would go to this extent to achieve power. TEFFT