GOM CONSIDERING POSITION ON GEORGIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000769 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2018 TAGS: PREL GG RS MY SUBJECT: GOM CONSIDERING POSITION ON GEORGIA REF: A. SECSTATE 90978 ¶B. SECSTATE 89769 ¶C. SECSTATE 87763 Classified By: ACTING POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF W. GARY GRAY, REASON 1.4 (B AND D). ¶1. (C) Drawing on points from demarche reftels, in an August 28 meeting with MFA Undersecretary for Europe Mahinder Singh, DCM Rapson stressed that Russia,s clearly disproportionate response to events in Georgia went against the grain of international practice and convention, and underlined U.S. rejection of Russia,s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Mahinder, while acknowledging that the situation in Georgia "is a big concern for us," said his government was still grappling with the issue and that it was important to understand Russia,s perspective regarding what appeared to be Western/NATO expansion into "Russia,s backyard." He noted that ASEAN had successfully brought Russia into the Asia Pacific process and that "Russia has never disturbed our region." He indicated that the GOM planned to make a statement on the issue soon, but did not provide further elaboration on the GOM,s position. DCM reiterated that if the international community failed to respond to such violations of the territorial integrity of an established country, it heightens the risk that it could happen again. ¶2. (C) On an August 25 call on Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak with visiting U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Willard (reported septel),the Ambassador asked the DPM to support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to call on Russia to honor its commitments under the ceasefire President Medvedev signed. The Ambassador also urged continued access for international humanitarian organizations to corridors for the delivery of humanitarian assistance as well as OSCE monitoring.. Najib responded that the Russians were testing the international community. They had done this before and every time they met weakness when they probed they would be emboldened to press further. He declined to commit Malaysia to any public or private actions on the issue, but made it clear that he was personally unsympathetic to Russia's current course of action. KEITH