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