GERMANY'S VIEW OF GEORGIA: FRUSTRATION RISING BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 001101 EUR/CE (HUGO GUEVARA),EUR/UMB (ROBERT GONZALES),EUR/RPM (DMITRY VOVCHUK),AND EUR/CARC (DAPHNE STAVROPOULOS). SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL RU GG SUBJECT: GERMANY'S VIEW OF GEORGIA: FRUSTRATION RISING BUT AWAITING FRENCH RESULTS IN MOSCOW REF: A. STATE 86108 ¶B. STATE 86156 Classified By: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION JEFFREY RATHKE FOR REASON S: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Acting DCM accompanied by POLOFF delivered REF (A) points to Foreign Office acting Political Director Emily Haber on August 12. Haber expressed the MFA's frustration with Russian actions in Georgia but stressed Germany's decision to wait for a readout from French Foreign Minister Kouchner before engaging in a detailed discussion of text for the August 13 meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. Haber and a senior Chancellery official agreed that, if French efforts failed, Germany should be ready to use direct language toward Russia in public statements (similar to what Germany says they already are using in private discussions with Russia). Chancellor Merkel's trip to Sochi August 15 will go forward; Putin will not participate. The Chancellery announced that Germany will make one million euros available to assist refugees and Chancellor Merkel August 11 called on all parties once again to halt hostilities. END SUMMARY GERMANY WANTS TO WAIT FOR SARKOZY/KOUCHNER RESULTS ¶2. (C) Haber informed A/DCM that Germany is awaiting a readout of Foreign Minister Kouchner's and President Sarkozy's visits to Moscow and deferred discussion of U.S. suggested points for the August 13 meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. Kouchner was scheduled to brief his G-7 counterparts August 12 on his discussions in Moscow. If the French efforts failed, Haber said, it would be time to use more direct language publicly on the unacceptability of Russian military actions in Georgia and the negative consequences for Russia's relations with Europe. The special session of the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) August 13 would be an early opportunity. Chancellery Senior-Director-equivalent Juergen Schulz expressed a similar position to A/DCM, pointing out that German frustration with Russia was rising. (Note: the Germans assert that they have been warning the Russians in private exchanges that Moscow crossed a "Rubicon" in attacking targets outside South Ossetia, and that there would be consequences for German-Russian and European-Russian relations. End note.) ¶3. (C) A/DCM stressed that the U.S. does not accept Kouchner's characterization that the U.S. is a party to the conflict in any way, and Haber did not argue the point. We pointed out that any assertions in the German media about a U.S. "green light" to Saakashvili were entirely baseless. Haber agreed. ¶4. (SBU) Political Director Volker Stanzel cut short his vacation, according to Haber, and is returning to Berlin today. Stanzel will travel to Brussels today to prepare for the GAERC, along with Special Envoy for Caucasus Affairs Hans-Dieter Lucas, who likewise cut short his vacation, traveling to Georgia over the weekend. LOOKING AT THE MAP ¶5. (C) A/DCM shared information in para 2 of REF (B) about towns taken by Russian forces. Haber appeared surprised that the Russians had occupied Zugdidi, Khobi, and Senaki and the central Georgian town of Kareli. Haber said the Germans had received reports that the Russians had taken Senaki but had withdrawn. Schulz thought that a Georgian military facility near Senaki might have been taken, but possibly not the town itself. Haber and Schulz referred separately to fighting in the Upper Kodori Gorge but Germany was uncertain whether Abkhaz or Russian forces were engaged. ¶6. (C) A/DCM referred Schulz to German press reports that a German-owned cement factory between Gori and Tbilisi had been damaged by Russian air strikes. Schulz confirmed that a factory in Kaspi owned by the Heidelberg Cement Company had been hit overnight. This site was the largest single German investment in Georgia. The German government was concerned and had no explanation why it had been targeted; there had not been time yet to get an answer from Russia. ¶7. (C) The Foreign Office and Chancellery were familiar with the President's August 11 statement on the situation in Georgia. Haber asked whether any information was available on the possibility that Russian forces might bomb the civilian airport in Tbilisi. BERLIN 00001101 002 OF 002 CHANCELLOR'S TRIP TO SOCHI ¶8. (C) Schulz confirmed that Chancellor Merkel would travel to Sochi August 15 to meet with President Medvedev. The trip would focus almost exclusively on the situation in Georgia and Russia's actions. Attempts by the Russians to add a visit to sites for the Sochi Winter Olympics were rebuffed by Berlin. Schulz confirmed that there were no plans for Prime Minister Putin to participate in the discussions in Sochi. TIMKEN JR