TFGG01: GEORGIA TASK FORCE SITUATION REPORT NO.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 086716

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2038
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT CD
SUBJECT: TFGG01: GEORGIA TASK FORCE SITUATION REPORT NO.
10

CLASSIFIED BY SENIOR WATCH OFFICER TREY LYONS FOR
REASONS
1.4 (B & D)


DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES
--------------


1. (SBU) MEDIA REPORT THE GEORGIANS AND RUSSIANS AGREED
TO A SIX-POINT CEASE-FIRE PLAN. DAS BRYZA NOTES THE
PLAN WILL NOT BE SIGNED, BUT WILL BE THE BASIS OF A UNSC
RESOLUTION. (TF/EUR E-MAIL, REUTERS)


2. (C) THE RUSSIAN MFA NOTED RUSSIA WOULD TAKE A
HARDER LINE OVER SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA: LIMITING
SUPPORT FOR TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, CONTINUING TROOP
PRESENCE AND MAINTAINING BUFFER ZONES, PROHIBITING THE
RETURN OF GEORGIAN PEACEKEEPERS, RULING OUT A STATUS QUO
ANTE FOR ABKHAZIA, AND DECLINING TO DEAL WITH
SAAKASHVILI. (MOSCOW 2361)


3. (U) PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI ANNOUNCED GEORGIA WILL
WITHDRAW FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES.
(CNN.COM)


4. (SBU) EUR BRIEFED CONGRESSIONAL STAFF ON THE
SITUATION ON THE GROUND AND USG REACTION. STAFF ASKED
ABOUT THE STATUS OF EMBASSY PERSONNEL AND FUTURE USG
ACTIONS. (TF/H E-MAIL)


5. (U) UK FS MILIBAND CALLED RUSSIA?S AGGRESSION
GROSSLY DISPROPORTIONATE AND A VIOLATION OF THE
INTEGRITY OF A DEMOCRATIC, SOVEREIGN NEIGHBOR. RUSSIA
?CONTINUED OPERATIONS AFTER GEORGIA COMMITTED TO A
CEASEFIRE AND PROVOKED AN EMERGING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.?
(THISISLONDON.CO.UK)


6. (C) NATO UNANIMOUSLY DECRIED RUSSIA?S
DISPROPORTIONATE RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS AUGUST 12.
ALLIES STRONGLY SUPPORTED CEASEFIRE EFFORTS LED BY THE
EU/OSCE. (USNATO 283)


7. (U) MEDIA REPORT THE PRESIDENTS OF LATVIA,
LITHUANIA, ESTONIA, POLAND, AND UKRAINE JOINED PRESIDENT
SAAKASHVILI IN TBILISI. (REUTERS)


8. (C)DRL TOLD THE RUSSIAN CHARGE THE UNITED STATES WAS
GRAVELY CONCERNED OVER REPORTS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. THE
OSCE WILL SEND A TEAM TO SOUTH OSSETIA TO INVESTIGATE
THE CLAIMS, ACCORDING TO EMBASSY TBILISI. (TF/DRL E-
MAIL, TF/EMBASSY TBILISI E-MAIL)

CONFLICT STATUS
--------------
9.(C) EMBASSY TBILISI SEEKS TO CONFIRM MEDIA REPORTS
GEORGIAN TROOPS HAVE BEEN OUSTED FROM THE KODORI GORGE

STATE 00086716 002 OF 002


AND ABKHAZ FORCES HAVE OCCUPIED TOWNS ACROSS THE ENGURI
RIVER. (TF/EMBASSY TBILISI E-MAIL)


10. (U) PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI TOLD REPORTERS A HOSPITAL
IN GORI WAS ATTACKED. (BBC.CO.UK)


11. (SBU) RUSSIAN MILITARY FORCES MAY BE MOVING TOWARD A
LARGE BASE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GORI THAT IS NEAR THE
MAIN ROAD BETWEEN POTI AND TBILISI. (TF/EMBASSY TBILISI
E-MAIL).

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
--------------

12. (SBU) U.S. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IS SCHEDULED TO
ARRIVE IN TBILISI BY C-17 AUGUST 13 AND 14. AN ESAT
TEAM AND DOD HUMANITARIAN ASSESSMENT PERSONNEL WILL
ARRIVE IN TBILISI VIA C-130 BY AUGUST 15. (TF/EMBASSY
MOSCOW E-MAIL)


13. (U) UP TO 100,000 HAVE FLED FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE,
30,000 OF WHOM HAVE CROSSED INTO RUSSIA. (UNHCR.ORG)


14. (C) EMBASSY TBILISI IS PREPARING A DART TEAM
REQUEST. (TF/EMBASSY TBILISI TELCON)


15. (SBU) INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IS BEING
COORDINATED BY WORKING GROUPS ON FOOD, PROTECTION, WATER
AND SANITATION, SHELTER AND NON-FOOD ITEMS, LOGISTICS,
AND HEALTH AND NUTRITION. (TF/EMBASSY TBILISI TELCON)


FEWER AMCITS DEPARTING GEORGIA
--------------

16. (SBU) EMBASSY TBILISI REPORTS ONLY 63 CONFIRMED
TRAVELERS OUT OF THE 150 AMCITS ORIGINALLY REGISTERED
DEPARTED WITH THE AUGUST 13 CONVOY TO YEREVAN. EMBASSY
YEREVAN REPORTS SHORTAGES OF HOTEL ROOMS AND SEATS ON
FLIGHTS FROM YEREVAN. (TF/EMBASSY TBILISI TELCON,
TF/EMBASSY YEREVAN TELCON)


17. (SBU) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
RICE