Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI401
2007-02-28 14:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR URGES GEORGIA TO AGREE TO JCC MEETING

Tags:  PREL PGOV GG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0426
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSI #0401 0591441
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 281441Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5509
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 000401 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES GEORGIA TO AGREE TO JCC MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 23657

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 000401

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES GEORGIA TO AGREE TO JCC MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 23657

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Ambassador called on Deputy Foreign Minister
Manjgaladze on February 27 to deliver reftel demarche urging
the Georgians to agree on a date and time of a meeting of the
Joint Control Commission (JCC) for South Ossetia. Noting a
recent press report on Georgian plans to invest 3.5 million
USD in Georgian-controlled villages in South Ossetia, the
Ambassador cautioned against actions which could elicit
negative comparisons to Russia's unilateral investment in
South Ossetia. Manjgaladze responded that the Georgians
would live up to their commitment to contribute to the OSCE
Donors' Economic Rehabilitation Projects but defended
Georgia's right to distribute state funds all over Georgia.
He claimed that such investment is different from money
coming into a sovereign country, without consent, from
another country. He asked if the U.S. would be providing
specific comments on Georgia's Memorandum on South Ossetia
and expressed concern over references to "the right to
self-determination" when talking about Abkhazia. End summary.


2. (C) On February 27, Ambassador called on Deputy Foreign
Minister (DFM) Giorgi Manjgaladze to deliver reftel demarche
urging Georgia to agree to a date and a time for a meeting of
the JCC. Acknowledging that the JCC is stacked against
Georgia, the Ambassador noted that failure to participate in
the process would undermine Georgia's - and our - ability to
gain European support to achieve Georgian goals such as
broadening the negotiating format. He noted that the Joint
Peacekeeping Force (JPKF) Commander had referred the request
for a checkpoint at Didi Gupta - something we and the
Europeans had been pushing for - to the next JCC meeting.
Going to the meeting would result in either moving ahead on
this issue of vital importance, i.e. stopping the flow of
weapons and contraband to South Ossetia, or making clear
Russian and South Ossetian obstructionism.


3. (C) Manjgaladze asked for feedback on the Georgian
Memorandum on South Ossetia. Drawing from talking points,
the Ambassador said that the U.S. found many points in the
Memorandum positive and consistent with efforts already
underway but noted that this initiative would have the
greatest resonance if presented against a backdrop of full
cooperation on the part of Georgia within the JCC.
Manjgaladze said he understood from Georgian counterparts in
Vienna that there would be specific points of feedback; the
Ambassador agreed to check but based on past exchanges with
Washington, the U.S. view was overall positive, with the only
caution from Washington being that the Georgians should be
careful and flexible on how they deal with the issue of
Sanakoyev. He reiterated that this effort will be more
successful if done in the context of Georgian cooperation
within the JCC.


4. (C) Noting a recent press report on a Georgian plan to
invest 3.5 million USD in Georgian-controlled villages in
South Ossetia, the Ambassador cautioned against actions which
could elicit negative comparisons to Russia's unilateral
investment in South Ossetia. Manjgaladze responded that the
Georgians would live up to their commitment to contribute to
the OSCE Donors' Economic Rehabilitation Projects -- the
first tranche of money was on its way to the OSCE -- but
defended Georgia's right to distribute state funds all over
Georgia, including to Georgian villages in South Ossetia. He
claimed that such investment is different from money coming
into a sovereign country, without consent, from another
country.


5. (C) Turning to Abkhazia, Manjgaladze asked for
clarification on U.S. statements in New York mentioning
"territorial integrity" in Abkhazia alongside "the right to
self-determination." When pressed, he said that these
statements were made privately to Georgian representatives in
New York. The Ambassador said he would follow-up but assured
Manjgaladze that the U.S. policy has not changed: the U.S.
supports Georgia's territorial integrity within
internationally recognized borders. Manjgaladze offered that
Georgia believes it will be necessary to have a blunt GUAM
statement on the conflicts that reinforces the point of
"territorial integrity" after the conclusion of the Kosovo
process in order to reinforce that the Kosovo case is unique.
TEFFT