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