EU ENVOY MOREL BRIEFS THE AMBASSADOR ON LATEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 000837 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2018 TAGS: PREL UNGA UNSC RS GG SUBJECT: EU ENVOY MOREL BRIEFS THE AMBASSADOR ON LATEST PLANNING FOR GEORGIA TALKS REF: A. STATE 108163 ¶B. STATE 104778 ¶C. TBILISI 1838 Classified By: Ambassador Warren W. Tichenor, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On October 9. EU Special Representative for the Crisis in Georgia Pierre Morel briefed Ambassador Tichenor on the preparations for the Georgia talks to be held in Geneva October 15. He confirmed the plans for a plenary with two working groups, one on security and stability, the other on IDPs. In a compromise, the talks would be held in the UN Palais des Nations, but the secretariat would be housed in the EU Mission in Geneva. Georgia had yet to designate a representative, said Morel, and he hoped Tbilisi would not choose to send someone who would only focus on the political level, as opposed to the practical goal of launching talks. Each delegation would determine its own interaction with the media, but the co-chairs (the EU, the OSCE, and the UN) would not use the UN as a venue for any press statements, but rather use the EU Mission in Geneva. Morel said he hoped the talks would result in an assessment of the working groups discussion, an agreement to meet again, and understanding of how the part icipants would communicate publicly. End summary. Format - Plenary and Two Working Groups -------------- ¶2. (C) Morel explained that there would be a plenary and two working groups, one on IDPs, the other on security and stability. The plenary would be a 1 3 format with country or organization identification on the nameplates (EU, U.S., Russia, Georgia, OSCE, and UN). Working groups would include a total of five individuals from each participating entity, although those individuals would sit behind nameplates with their names listed only, not their country. Split Venue - EU and UN -------------- ¶3. (C) Morel explained that the plenary and working group discussions would take place at the Palais des Nations, while the secretariat for the talks would be housed at the EU Mission in Geneva. He acknowledged that the split venue was a compromise, and something of a concession, but stressed that it was largely necessary for practical reasons because the EU facilities in Geneva do not have two large rooms with interpretation facilities (interpretation will be in Russian, Georgian, and English),which would have precluded the working group meetings from occurring simultaneously. Bruno Hanses, Premier Conseiller at the EU Mission in Geneva, will be the head of the secretariat, said Morel. Who's coming to town? -------------- ¶4. (C) According to Morel Representatives of the six participating entities would be: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigorii Karasin, A/S Fried, Finnish OSCE Chairman-in-Office Representative Heikki Talvitie, UN Special Representative for Georgia Johan Verbeke and Morel himself. Morel said the Georgians had yet to identify their representative. He expressed mild concern that Georgia might decide to send someone who wished to speak on a political level as opposed to the practical level Morel seeks to achieve at the talks. ¶5. (C) Morel confirmed that Abkhazian and South Ossetian leaders, either those supported by Moscow or Tbilisi, would not participate in the plenary. As for the working groups, because they used the old "salon des Ambassadeurs" format of open invitations for the "informal" working group meetings, the Georgian and Russian capitals could decide individually who they wanted to have participate with them from the two contested regions. On Friday, October 10, the EU will send invitations to the six parties announcing the meeting. Press -------------- GENEVA 00000837 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) Morel stressed that no press event on the part of the hosts would be held at the Palais des Nations and there would be no joint statement; however, each national delegation would be allowed to engage the media as they saw fit. Morel said the co-chairs would issue a statement from the EU Mission, noting that they had taken on the responsibility to facilitate this dialogue. There will be a family photo at the opening of the plenary, which would exclude the South Ossetians and Abkhazians. Expected Outcomes and Next Steps -------------- ¶7. (C) The hoped-for conclusion of October 15 discussions, said Morel, would be threefold: some kind of assessment, which reflects the reporting from the working groups; an agreement for further discussions; and an understanding of the rules for communication with the public and other parties. He said the idea of an October 24 follow-on meeting was a possibility, but had to be confirmed by the parties to the October 15 talks. Such a meeting could be held in Geneva, or possibly elsewhere. TICHENOR