Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BERLIN1407
2008-10-17 13:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:
GERMANY: UNCERTAIN ABOUT AID PACKAGE AND MIXED ON
how-toVZCZCXRO8171 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHRL #1407 2911316 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 171316Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2390 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0232 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001407
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2018
TAGS: MOPS OSCE PHUM PREL UN GG RS GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY: UNCERTAIN ABOUT AID PACKAGE AND MIXED ON
OBSERVER MISSIONS
REF: STATE 109212
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Jeffrey Rathke for reasons:
1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001407
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2018
TAGS: MOPS OSCE PHUM PREL UN GG RS GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY: UNCERTAIN ABOUT AID PACKAGE AND MIXED ON
OBSERVER MISSIONS
REF: STATE 109212
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Jeffrey Rathke for reasons:
1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: POLOFF delivered reftel points to MFA Deputy
Office Director for South Caucasus and Central Asia Maria
Gosse on October 14, who stressed that Germany plans on
delivering an aid package for Georgia and the region, but is
unlikely to provide direct budget support. Gosse also shared
that while the EU Monitoring Mission continues to seek access
to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, most at the MFA see this
development as "unrealistic" in the near term. However, the
MFA viewed the extension of the UNOMIG mandate in Abkhazia as
a large success and hoped the Geneva process would provide a
platform for continuing to negotiate the UNOMIG mission. END
SUMMARY
2. (C) Gosse agreed that Georgia needs direct budget support
but viewed such support as "politically difficult" and
"unlikely." She referred to the European Commission's pledge
and expected Germany's contribution to be bound to specific
projects. However, Gosse complained that specific projects
are not easy to find and that the MFA needed to determine
what overall direction it wanted for projects. Gosse related
that although a deadline for an internal paper detailing
contributions to Georgia had passed, the MFA and Chancellery
had not yet reached an agreement on how much money to
provide. The MFA considers the assistance package as a
regional effort rather than solely as assistance to Georgia,
and is seeking projects that help stabilize the region,
according to Gosse.
3. (C) Regarding the observer missions, Gosse was downbeat
about the possibility of the EU Monitoring Mission gaining
access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the near term.
Although Germany will continue to pressure Russia for access,
Gosse related that the MFA views access to the "buffer zones"
as a success and that "we should be glad to be there." She
quickly emphasized that Germany would continue to use the
term "territorial integrity" in talks, but viewed access to
the two provinces as unlikely. Gosse was more positive
regarding UNOMIG and the four-month extension of its mandate.
The MFA hopes to use the Geneva process that started October
15 to continue negotiations and further extend the mission,
according to Gosse.
KOENIG
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2018
TAGS: MOPS OSCE PHUM PREL UN GG RS GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY: UNCERTAIN ABOUT AID PACKAGE AND MIXED ON
OBSERVER MISSIONS
REF: STATE 109212
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Jeffrey Rathke for reasons:
1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: POLOFF delivered reftel points to MFA Deputy
Office Director for South Caucasus and Central Asia Maria
Gosse on October 14, who stressed that Germany plans on
delivering an aid package for Georgia and the region, but is
unlikely to provide direct budget support. Gosse also shared
that while the EU Monitoring Mission continues to seek access
to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, most at the MFA see this
development as "unrealistic" in the near term. However, the
MFA viewed the extension of the UNOMIG mandate in Abkhazia as
a large success and hoped the Geneva process would provide a
platform for continuing to negotiate the UNOMIG mission. END
SUMMARY
2. (C) Gosse agreed that Georgia needs direct budget support
but viewed such support as "politically difficult" and
"unlikely." She referred to the European Commission's pledge
and expected Germany's contribution to be bound to specific
projects. However, Gosse complained that specific projects
are not easy to find and that the MFA needed to determine
what overall direction it wanted for projects. Gosse related
that although a deadline for an internal paper detailing
contributions to Georgia had passed, the MFA and Chancellery
had not yet reached an agreement on how much money to
provide. The MFA considers the assistance package as a
regional effort rather than solely as assistance to Georgia,
and is seeking projects that help stabilize the region,
according to Gosse.
3. (C) Regarding the observer missions, Gosse was downbeat
about the possibility of the EU Monitoring Mission gaining
access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the near term.
Although Germany will continue to pressure Russia for access,
Gosse related that the MFA views access to the "buffer zones"
as a success and that "we should be glad to be there." She
quickly emphasized that Germany would continue to use the
term "territorial integrity" in talks, but viewed access to
the two provinces as unlikely. Gosse was more positive
regarding UNOMIG and the four-month extension of its mandate.
The MFA hopes to use the Geneva process that started October
15 to continue negotiations and further extend the mission,
according to Gosse.
KOENIG