Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI918
2007-04-24 12:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
how-toVZCZCXRO4971 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSI #0918 1141203 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 241203Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6147 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 000918
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA RELEASES CHAKABERIA
REF: A. TBILISI 861
B. TBILISI 759
C. TBILISI 747 (NOTAL)
D. TBILISI 739
E. TBILISI 489
F. TBILISI 459
G. 06 TBILISI 3250
Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4(b)&(d).
(C) Officials at the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)
told us that the Georgian MFA had informed them that the
Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs had released Pridon
Chakaberia early on April 23, and that Chakaberia was on his
way from Kutaisi to his home in the Gali district.
Chakaberia, an ethnic Georgian local official in
Abkhaz-controlled Gali, had been arrested by Georgian
officials in Zugdidi December 2006 (ref G),and subsequently
convicted of charges connected to heroin possession and false
documents. International observers reported significant
deficiencies in his trial (ref A). Georgian officials had
indicated to the Abkhaz at Geneva meetings in February (ref
F) that they would be willing to release Chakaberia, as part
of a sequence in which the Abkhaz released Georgian
prisoners, but these plans appeared to stall after the Abkhaz
jailed three Georgian students during a protest along the
cease-fire line in March (ref E); the trial of these students
has been postponed but they remain in Abkhaz custody. During
his visit in late March, DAS Bryza stressed to a number of
Georgian officials that releasing Chakaberia could help to
reduce tensions (ref B, C, and D).
TEFFT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA RELEASES CHAKABERIA
REF: A. TBILISI 861
B. TBILISI 759
C. TBILISI 747 (NOTAL)
D. TBILISI 739
E. TBILISI 489
F. TBILISI 459
G. 06 TBILISI 3250
Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4(b)&(d).
(C) Officials at the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)
told us that the Georgian MFA had informed them that the
Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs had released Pridon
Chakaberia early on April 23, and that Chakaberia was on his
way from Kutaisi to his home in the Gali district.
Chakaberia, an ethnic Georgian local official in
Abkhaz-controlled Gali, had been arrested by Georgian
officials in Zugdidi December 2006 (ref G),and subsequently
convicted of charges connected to heroin possession and false
documents. International observers reported significant
deficiencies in his trial (ref A). Georgian officials had
indicated to the Abkhaz at Geneva meetings in February (ref
F) that they would be willing to release Chakaberia, as part
of a sequence in which the Abkhaz released Georgian
prisoners, but these plans appeared to stall after the Abkhaz
jailed three Georgian students during a protest along the
cease-fire line in March (ref E); the trial of these students
has been postponed but they remain in Abkhaz custody. During
his visit in late March, DAS Bryza stressed to a number of
Georgian officials that releasing Chakaberia could help to
reduce tensions (ref B, C, and D).
TEFFT