GERMANY: HUMANITARIAN AID LIMITED BY RUSSIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001173

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2018
TAGS: MOPS OSCE PHUM PREL UN GG RS GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY: HUMANITARIAN AID LIMITED BY RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE

REF: A. A. BERLIN 01155

B. B. TBILISI 01409

C. C. SECSTATE 89769

Classified By: ACTING DCM JEFFREY RATHKE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: POLOFF met August 21 with Deputy Head of
the Task Force for Humanitarian Aid and Mine Action Oliver
Owcza and Desk Officer Miriam Lenz to discuss the findings of
the delegation to Georgia August 20 and 21 (Ref A). Owcza and
Lenz charged that the Russians had interfered with the
delegation's humanitarian needs assessment, noting that
Russian troops went so far as to detain the delegation for a
short period. Despite the difficulties, however, the
delegation determined that roughly a third of the additional
funds will be distributed to CARE and to a fact-finding
mission to determine whether there are mines in the Kodori
Valley and to identify any unexploded ordinances in Gori.
Tracking Ref C points, Owcza underlined that humanitarian aid
was vitally important at this time and also emphasized the
need for "symbolic support" for Georgia. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Owcza related that DAS-equivalent Michael von
Ungern-Sternberg visited Gori August 20, but that the
delegation along with the German ambassador, as reported in
Ref B, were detained for several hours by Russian troops
before entering Gori. Owcza also vaguely referred to other
European countries facing similar difficulties and informed
POLOFF that member countries are considering whether to
deliver a demarche at the EU-level regarding Russia's
treatment of diplomats. Owcza also related that Germany was
frustrated by the difficulties in reaching South Ossetia to
deliver aid.


3. (C) Based on the fact-finding mission's observations,
Owcza said that Germany had identified the need for
reconstruction of housing for IDPs and of infrastructure.
According to the delegation, Gori was almost deserted and had
clear damage to its infrastructure. The delegation, however,
saw no signs of mass causalities there. Lenz confirmed that
German officials would not send additional medical supplies
in Georgia. POLOFF emphasized that the U.S. took claims of
genocide from either party to the conflict very seriously and
asked if the delegation saw any evidence of such acts. Owcza
responded that while the mission was not focused on that
allegation, the delegation had found little sign of
casualties let alone signs of genocide.


4. (C) Lenz related that 250,000 euros would be given to
CARE, a relief organization already present in Georgia, for
the disbursement of mattresses, kitchen sets, blankets and
such and that 100,000 euros will fund a mine action
fact-finding mission. Both MFA officials were vague on how
this mission would unfold, but they emphasized that Germany
took claims of mines in the Kodori Valley and unexploded
ordinances in the Gori region seriously. The mission will
ascertain if these claims are true and then determine a
course of action for dealing with the situation.
TIMKEN JR