ALLIES POSITIVELY ASSESS GEORGIA'S PROGRESS, PUSH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000316 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO GG SUBJECT: ALLIES POSITIVELY ASSESS GEORGIA'S PROGRESS, PUSH FOR MORE IN LEGAL, ELECTORAL, DEFENSE REFORMS Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Richard G. Olson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. During a May 16 meeting to review Georgia's progress in implementing reforms over the last year, Georgian Foreign Minister Bezhuashvili told the North Atlantic Council that Georgia's democratic reforms were moving ahead swiftly and that Georgia would like to move into NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP) "in due course." Bezhuashvili and the rest of the Georgian delegation reiterated Georgia's commitment to the peaceful resolution of the separatist conflicts, outlined progress in defense reforms including near completion of its Strategic Defense Review, and reiterated an invitation to the NAC to visit Georgia. Allies praised Georgia's significant accomplishments and urged it to do more to reform its legal sector, prisons, electoral system, and long-term defense planning including acquisitions. Several Allies expressed support for moving Georgia to MAP, but Germany and France stressed such a move would not be automatic. Ambassador Nuland said Georgia,s dramatic progress vindicated the Alliance's decision last fall to begin an Intensified Dialogue (ID) with Georgia and said Georgia had come a long way, but needed to keep up progress so it would be ready to take the next step in its relationship with NATO as soon as possible. END SUMMARY ¶2. (C) Describing Georgia's progress in meeting the reform goals outlined in its Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO, Georgian FM Bezhuashvili told the NAC that Georgia's democratic transformation was moving ahead swiftly and Georgia would continue with its reforms because its chosen path of freedom and democracy was irreversible. Georgia was contributing to security not only through its contribution to NATO operations, but also through its participation in important transnational energy projects which were key to the diversification of energy transit routes. ¶3. (C) Bezhuashvili said the separatist conflicts on Georgian territory remained the most serious obstacle to Georgia's full democratic transformation. He expressed optimism about recent positive dynamics, however, and reiterated Georgia's determination to resolve the conflicts peacefully. In South Ossetia, the address of former separatist leader Sanakoyev to the Georgian Parliament was a dramatic step forward in resolving that conflict. Georgia had established a temporary administrative unit headed by Sanakoyev that would allow South Ossetians living in the conflict zone the benefits of democratic governance. ¶4. (C) Bezhuashvili noted relations with Russia based on partnership and equality were one of the main objectives of Georgian foreign policy. Despite progress in the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgian territory, the issue of the Gudauta base remained unresolved. Bezhuashvili repeated Georgia's invitation to the NAC to visit Tbilisi. He noted he had handed the Secretary-General that morning a revised Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with updated reform goals. Bezhuashvili concluded by saying he believed the reform process would be further strengthened by an Alliance decision to offer Georgia participation in the Membership Action Plan "in due course." ¶5. (C) Deputy Defense Minister Kutelia noted Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration was the subject of wide public support and that the Georgian armed forces were identified as the country's second most trusted institution after the Georgian Orthodox Church. Kutelia said Georgia planned to complete work on its Strategic Defense Review by July 2007, and planned to share it with Allies in June for comments. Acquisition policy still remained a problematic area where Georgia required Allied assistance, especially since it had limited access to Western markets. He noted that Georgia had the smallest army in the region, with significant parts of it deployed outside the country and with heavy military equipment levels far below CFE treaty limits. He handed out an information sheet (sent by e-mail to EUR/RPM and EUR/CACEN) outlining how Georgia would spend the recent increase in its defense budget. Kutelia noted Georgia would continue to contribute to international security operations and was in negotiations with a number of Allies about a new deployment of up to 100 personnel to ISAF. ¶6. (C) Though the lengthy Georgian presentations left little time for Perm Reps to respond, those who spoke praised Georgia's significant progress in reforms despite external pressures and urged Georgia to achieve more in the areas of judicial reform, detention facilities, and mid- and long-term defense planning. Ambassador Nuland said that Georgia's dramatic progress and contributions to global security had USNATO 00000316 002 OF 002 vindicated NATO's decision of last fall to move Georgia into Intensified Dialogue. She noted the U.S. would like to see Georgia ready for the next step in its relations with NATO as soon as possible. To get there, Georgia needed to keep relations with Russia cool and not rise to provocations. Domestically, Georgia should focus its efforts on the areas cited in the IPAP assessment, especially electoral reform, prison reform, legal sector reform and the rule of law. Completing the Strategic Defense Review would be important and Georgia needed to ensure its defense spending was thought out and transparent. She noted Georgia had come a long way, but needed to keep up its efforts. ¶7. (C) Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Romania all expressed support for Georgia moving to MAP. Estonian Perm Rep Tiido said the Frozen Conflicts should not be made an obstacle to Georgia's further integration into NATO since to do so would only prolong the conflicts. German Perm Rep Duckwitz noted Georgia had made impressive progress on its way to reforms, but sounded a more negative note by emphasizing there was no automaticity in moving from Intensified Dialogue to MAP or from MAP to membership. French Perm Rep Duque welcomed Georgia's progress but noted there were numerous remaining challenges. He urged Georgia to continue to show moderation and restraint in dealing with the separatist conflicts. Italian Perm Rep Stefanini reiterated there was no automaticity in moving from ID to MAP, but, at the same time, NATO's door remained open to new members. ¶8. (C) Spanish Perm Rep Benavides, noting the Spain served as Chairman in Office of the OSCE, urged Georgia to implement the OSCE recommendations for strengthening the electoral system before the 2008 elections and expressed concerns about a further deterioration in South Ossetia zone of conflict following violence over the weekend. He urged Georgia to continue to show restraint. ¶9. (C) The Czech Republic and Romania expressed support for the NAC visit to Georgia and the Secretary-General said that the NAC would discuss the invitation further during its internal consultations. NULAND