Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USUNNEWYORK1085
2007-11-28 23:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:
GEORGIAN DFM MAJGALADZE AFFIRMS PARTICIPATION IN
how-toVZCZCXRO8369 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUCNDT #1085 3322331 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 282331Z NOV 07 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3209 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1111 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 4162
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
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
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