UKRAINE: GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS RUSSIAN RECOGNITION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 001707

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL RS UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS RUSSIAN RECOGNITION
OF SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA

REF: A. STATE 91894

B. STATE 89769

C. STATE 91908

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Taylor for reasons 1.4 (b, and d)


1. (C) Summary: The Government of Ukraine has made strong
public statements condemning Russia's decision to recognize
South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In both public statements and in
meetings with the Ambassador, Democratic Coalition leaders
remain committed to Euro-Atlantic collective security and to
Georgia's territorial integrity while the leader of the
opposition Party of Regions publicly spoke in favor of
Russia's position. The Presidential Secretariat provided the
Ambassador with excerpts of a letter from President Medvedev
to President Yushchenko, which in strong language condemned
Yushchneko's support for Georgia and his decrees regulating
Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Deputy Foreign Minister Khandogiy
told the Ambassador that Ukraine will continue to address the
crisis in Georgia with a balanced approach to Russia, firmly
asserting its security prerogatives while trying not to
provoke Russia. The Ambassador delivered reftel demarches to
Deputy Foreign Minsiter Khandogiy

MFA Strongly Condemns Russian Position
--------------


2. (U) On August 26, in a strongly worded statement,
Ukraine's MFA stated that Russia's decision to recognize
South Ossetia and Abkhazia was a "gross violation of the
norms and principles of international law (and) bilateral and
multinational treaties...." It went on to state that "the
actual annexation of part of Georgia's territory through the
creation of puppet regimes and support for them is evidence
that the doctrine of the 'law of force' in resolving
international problems is being reinvigorated in the Russian
Federation." The MFA "categorically" condemned Russia's
decision and called on the international community to join
efforts to maintain the territorial integrity of Georgia and
implementation of Russia's international obligations.

Leaders Take Sides
--------------


3. (U) On August 27, President Yushchenko stated that
Ukraine does not support Russia's decision and stressed the
inviolability of the principle of territorial integrity of
any country. He told the press that Ukraine regrets Russia's
decision and found it unacceptable. He stated that Ukraine
is ready to participate in restoring Georgia's territorial
integrity and that Russia's recognition of the territories
"threatens peace and stability in our region and in
Europe..." Prime Minister Tymoshenko stated on August 27
that her government supports Georgia's territorial integrity
and that "Georgian territory is a sacred issue both for
Georgia and Ukraine", she told reporters. Vice PM Hryhoriy
Nemyrya of BYuT stated August 26 that Ukraine's position on
Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity remains
unchanged. He added that "Ukraine has been supporting
Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This
position is based on principle and is unchangeable", he said.
OU-PSD faction leader Vayacheslav Krylenko told the press
that Our Ukraine condemns facilitation of separatist
movements and supports Georgia's territorial integrity.
Speaker of the Rada Arsiniy Yatsenyuk said that the conflict
in Georgia will have serious consequences for geopolitical
security and that it is violation of international law. He
went on to say that only the UN has the right to decide on
the independence of the territories, and also noted that
Kosovo's independence was far from complying with
international laws.



4. (U) Leader of the Party of Regions and former Prime
Minister Yanukovych told the press on August 26 that Ukraine
should support the will of the people of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia and back their independence. He stated that Russia's
decision was a "logical" consequence of the West's decision
to recognize Kosovo. Regions' MP Taras Chornovil took a more
cautious approach telling reporters that Ukraine should
follow international law when recognizing new states, the way
it did with Kosovo. In the case of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia, international laws were violated said Chornovil.
He said that if Ukraine recognizes these regions, it will
open itself up to problems in Crimea and Transdniestria.
Serhiy Tsekov, First Deputy Speaker of Crimea's Parliament,
told the press on August 26 that that he supported Russian
recognition. He explained that he supports their position
because of referendums in the breakaway regions indicating
public support for independence and noted that the
international community set an example by recognizing Kosovo
as an independent state.


Medvedev writes to Yushchenko about "Deep Resentment"
--------------


5. (C) In a meeting with Presidential Secretariat Deputy
Goncharuk on August 26, the Ambassador was given an excerpt
of a letter he said was from Russian President Medvedev to
President Yushchenko. Goncharuk expressed shock at the tone.
Post's translations of the letter's excerpt reads:

"I must frankly say that the position of the Ukrainian
authorities regarding Georgia's aggression arouses deep
resentment in Russia. Official Kiev has in fact taken the
side of Saakashvili's criminal regime, which it actively
armed during recent years, including supplies of heavy
weapons. One still has to look into the role of Ukrainian
military experts in training the Georgian army, and their
actions during military operations against South Ossetia.
Attempts to hush that up will fail.

I would also like to caution you against new ill-considered
actions regarding the Russian Federation's Black Sea Fleet,
which we keep in our special focus. The fleet is acting in
strict accordance with international agreements and
directives issued by me as the Commander-in-Chief.
Unqualified interference in these matters may have a negative
impact on the range of Russian-Ukrainian relations."

Deputy FM tells Ambassador that Ukraine will seek a Balanced
Approach
-------------- --------------


6. (C) On August 27, Ambassador Taylor met with Deputy
Foreign Minister Khandogiy to deliver reftel demarches. When
the Ambassador raised Ref A points, Kandogiy referred to the
MFA's statement of August 26 condemning Russia's decision to
recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia noting that the Russian
move was "unfortunate" but not surprising. He mentioned
that the situation had changed significantly in the Caucuses
because of Russia's decision. He said the MFA was reviewing
steps it could take to address the situation with NATO MAP
being the strongest step to improve Ukraine's security. He
explained that the MFA was engaging with its partners and had
noticed a possible positive shift in Germany's position
toward Ukraine's desire for MAP in recent statements by
Chancellor Merkel. He told the Ambassador that Ukraine was
also considering a call for Russia and other signatories to
observe security guarantees it made in the 1994 Budapest
Memorandum and that it would also look to reinforce security
provisions within international organizations including the
OSCE and UN as well as work to expand security cooperation
through bilateral agreements.


7. (C) When asked by the Ambassador if Members of Parliament
had had changed their views on Euro-Atlantic integration
because of the crisis in Georgia, Khandogiy replied that
little had changed in regards to the positions of the main
political parties but it was still too early to be sure. He
agreed that the Party of Region's statement in support of
Russia's position was disappointing but hoped that Yanukovych
would at least not attempt to disrupt the already tenuous
unity of the ruling Rada coalition. Khandogiy agreed that
the current coalition was the best option for Ukraine at the
moment and that the "democratic" forces had to take the
stability of the country especially seriously at this time.
He opined that public opinion may have become more favorable
towards the Government's pro-NATO stance because of Russia's
recent actions.


8. (C) In response to the Ambassador's discussion of Ref B
points, Khandogiy said that Ukraine would take a balanced
approached towards Russia, firm but not overly provocative.
He said a firm stance was needed because Russia has a
tendency to exploit signs of weakness, but he agreed with the
Ambassador that unnecessarily provoking Russia was not in
Ukraine's best interest. He explained that Ukraine's intent
to join NATO and recent presidential decrees to regulate
movement of Russia's Black Sea Fleet based in Ukraine were
legitimate policies to promote Ukraine's security, and not
intended to antagonize anyone. He mentioned President
Medvedev's recent letter to President Yushchenko noting that
the Russians sometimes take on an arrogant tone and seem to
forget that the agreements on the basing of the Black Sea
Fleet include respect for Ukrainian law. He said that
Ukraine was considering a call to change the format of the
peacekeeping force in Georgia with the UN General Assembly,
noting that its mandate will be extended on October 15.


9. (C) When asked about Serbia's proposal to refer Kosovo's
declaration of independence to the International Court of
Justice (Ref C),Khandogiy replied that he would have to
study the issue before he could provide Ukraine's position on
the issue. Khandogiy confirmed that the GoU was still
considering its position on Kosovo independence and mentioned
a strong legal argument would have to be made to clearly
separate the issue of Kosovo independence and the
independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Ambassador
reiterated the USG position on the legality of Kosovo's
independence.
TAYLOR