GEORGIA PROPOSES NEW IDEAS FOR NEW YORK ACTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000745 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA PROPOSES NEW IDEAS FOR NEW YORK ACTION ON AUGUST 6 ATTACK REF: USUN 689 Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro Wolff, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: On June 7, Ambassador Wolff and Georgian Permrep Alasania discussed next steps in reaction to the August 6 attack on Georgia. Alasania proposed holding some type of panel discussion in which the two Independent Expert Group (IEG) teams and Russian experts could participate instead of pushing for a formal Security Council meeting. Ambassador Wolff noted that pushing a procedural vote in the Council could trigger a similar vote on a meeting with Abkhaz defacto Foreign Minister Shamba. Alasania said Georgia would also favor having the OSCE Chairman-In-Office discuss the attack in his September 28 UNSC briefing. Alasania raised the UNOMIG mandate renewal in mid-October, saying that Georgia wanted to beef up the next resolution but, if this were not possible would prefer a technical rollover. End summary. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Wolff met with Georgian Permrep Alasania on June 7 at the latter's request to discuss next steps in reaction to the August 6 attack on Georgia (reftel). Alasania noted that it was time to look again to action in New York because nothing would happen in the OSCE. He explained that he had just spoken with President Saakashvili who told him he did not want to pursue any approach at the UN that would merely end up being blocked by Russia. Therefore, Georgia proposed holding some type of a panel discussion -- perhaps in a UN conference room -- with the experts from two IEG teams to discuss their findings, rather than a formal meeting of the UNSC. Georgia would also ask Russia's experts to participate and present their findings. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Wolff noted we would continue to support Georgia, adding that while we could probably win a procedural vote to discuss the situation in the Council, it could likely encourage the Russians to call for a vote on participation by Abkhaz de facto Foreign Minister Shamba in a full Security Council meeting, which they might win. ¶4. (C) Alasania said Georgia would also favor having the OSCE Chairman-In-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos, discuss the attack in his September 28 briefing to the Security Council. Ambassador Wolff said this could be an excellent approach but would require careful coordination in advance with Moratinos to ensure he says the right things. ¶5. (C) Alasania raised the UNOMIG mandate renewal in mid-October, saying that Georgia wanted to beef up the next resolution and fight back on points Russia was trying to weaken. However, if this were not possible, and especially if the Russians pushed hard on Shamba's participation in an Aria-style meeting, the next best option would be to be pursue a technical rollover to buy time and get us past a solution to the Kosovo problem. ¶6. (C) In Security Council consultations on September 10, French President Ripert reported that Alasania had visited him to say that Georgia was still thinking about the idea of bringing the August 6 attack directly before the Security Council. No other members spoke. KHALILZAD