DETAILS ON SWEDISH REPRESENTATION OF GEORGIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 002990

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG RS
SUBJECT: DETAILS ON SWEDISH REPRESENTATION OF GEORGIAN
INTERESTS IN RUSSIA

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Alice G. Wells for reasons
1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: While the Russian MFA must still officially
concur, it appears certain that Sweden will represent
Georgian interests in Moscow. Per Russian request, the
Georgian interest section will contain both Georgian
diplomatic and consular officers, instead of only consular
officers, as originally envisaged by Georgia. Georgia
continues to offer the same range of visa services as
pre-conflict, and reports that diaspora citizens have been
pressured to publicly speak out against Georgian President
Saakashvili. End Summary.

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Russia asked for continued diplomatic presence
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2. (C) Senior Counselor of the Georgian Embassy Georgiy
Zakarashvili told us October 8 that Sweden had agreed to
represent Georgian interests in Moscow after Georgia had
severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Georgian Charge
Shugarov added that of the many countries that offered to
represent Georgia, Switzerland and Sweden had made the short
list, with Georgia's choice ultimately falling on Sweden, in
part due to its previous support of Georgian positions.
While Russia's MFA had already informally accepted Georgia's
choice, it had yet to respond officially to Sweden's request
to open a Georgian interest section in the Swedish Embassy.
The interest section would be located in the building of the
former Georgian embassy, manned by Georgian personnel, with a
Swedish flag flying from the flagpole and "Section of
Georgian interests of the Swedish Embassy" on the shingle.


3. (C) While details still remain to be fixed, Zakarashvili
projected that Charge Shugarov, another colleague in charge
of the Georgian diaspora, and himself would remain in Moscow,
along with the consul and two vice-consuls. Shugarov was in
regular telephone contact with MFA Fourth CIS Department
Deputy Director Aleksey Pavlovskiy about the technical
details of the new arrangement. Zakarashvili noted that
Georgia had initially only intended to retain consular
services without diplomatic relations, which Russia rejected.
Russia had instead proposed the consular and diplomatic
representation solution that was now being pursued.

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Full Visa Service
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4. (C) Zakarashvili confirmed that Georgia was offering the
same visa services as it had before the outbreak of the armed
conflict, meaning that visas to Georgia could be obtained at
the embassy, at the airport, or at the border to Georgia.
While Georgia was interested in maintaining that level of
service, Russia had announced it would limit its visa
services, but had yet to specify in what way.


5. (C) Finally, Zakarashvili mentioned that several diaspora
Georgians in Russia had reported being pressured to make
public anti-Saakashvili statements in order to avoid
reprisals.
RUBIN