GEORGIAN DFM MAJGALADZE AFFIRMS PARTICIPATION IN

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001085 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV GG UNSC SUBJECT: GEORGIAN DFM MAJGALADZE AFFIRMS PARTICIPATION IN FULL GENEVA MEETING ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In a meeting with the New York Friends of Georgia on November 28, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Majgaladze said Georgia could accept a full Geneva meeting of the Friends of Georgia that includes Russia and said the best timing would probably be in the new year. He explained Georgia's request for a UN review of the peace process in Abkhazia was meant to review existing formats, not replace them. Russia's representative at the meeting called for Abkhaz participation in both Friends and Security Council meetings in New York, defended Russia's role as facilitator of the peace process, criticized the lack of progress on the conflict to date and argued Georgia's presence in the Upper Kodori Valley is not in line with the Moscow Agreement. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On November 28, the New York Friends of Georgia (US, UK, France, Russia, Germany and Slovakia) met with Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Majgaladze to discuss the peace process in Abkhazia. Majgaladze's presentation to the New York Friends stressed that Georgia wants a peaceful resolution of the Abkhaz conflict, greater attention to promoting the return of IDPs, and welcomes direct dialogue with the Abkhaz side. He stated that prospects for resuming direct dialogue were good, perhaps in meetings in Gali and Zugdidi. ¶3. (SBU) Majgaladze said that, despite Georgia's serious concerns that Russia could not be an impartial facilitator because of poor Georgia-Russia bilateral relations and recent Russian incursions and bombings in Georgia, Georgia could agree to the next Geneva meeting of the Friends in the full format that includes Russia in the interest of progress. However, discussion in Geneva should be frank and not sidestep controversial issues. Majgaladze indicated early 2008 would probably be the best time for a Geneva meeting as it was now too late to hold one this year. Georgian Permrep Irakli Alasania added that Georgia had reflected on the success of the Friends in achieving strong language on IDPs in the recent UNOMIG resolution and accordingly believed there was scope for the Friends to work together successfully in Geneva. ¶4. (SBU) Russia's representative also spoke and asserted that the Abkhaz side should be able to come to New York and express its views to the New York Friends and the Security Council. The representative said that, except for the recent meeting of Georgian Conflicts Minister Bakradze and Abkhaz defacto Foreign Minister Shamba, there had been no progress and the Abkhazia conflict was frozen. The Russian also charged that the presence of Georgian personnel in the Upper Kodori Valley was not in line with the Moscow Agreement. He declared that Russia's role as a peace process facilitator was mentioned in all Security Council resolutions and Russia had lost more than 200 peacekeepers since the conflict began. He also asked when the document on the non-use of violence referred to in UNSCR 1781 would be completed. (Note. Calls for completion of documents on non-use of violence and return of refugees and IDPs are in a number of past UNOMIG resolutions. End note.) ¶5. (SBU) In his rebuttal, Majgaladze underscored that Georgia's request for a UN review of the peace process in Abkhazia was meant to review existing formats, not necessarily to lead to their replacement. He added that a legal mechanism to end the process existed, but Georgia would not use this mechanism as ending the peace process was not its goal. Majgaladze said there were already at least nine existing documents on non-use of violence and related issues and asked why concerned parties were forgetting about those other documents. Majgaladze charged that more than 2000 local residents had died since the arrival of Russia's CIS peacekeepers and asserted that the records show the reason for the deaths of many of Russia's peacekeepers was low discipline and lack of necessary qualifications. Alasania interjected that Georgia had been almost ready to sign the document on non-use of violence 18 months ago and that the existing draft could be returned to, perhaps with minor modifications. Alasania expressed regret for the loss of both Russian and Georgian lives in Abkhazia. Khalilzad