ABKHAZIA CLOSES BORDER AFTER BLASTS, GEORGIANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001141

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG
SUBJECT: ABKHAZIA CLOSES BORDER AFTER BLASTS, GEORGIANS
ARREST RUSSIAN NEAR SOUTH OSSETIA

Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) As a result of several blasts in Abkhazia on June 29
and 30, Abkhaz de facto President Sergey Bagapsh closed all
border crossings with Georgia, including the Inguri River
crossing, on July 1. UNOMIG confirmed on June 30 that around
noon two blasts went off the same day in Sokhumi. One of the
explosives was placed in a trash bin and the other near a
taxi van, both near the center of the city. The type of
explosives is unknown and UNOMIG could confirm no injuries.
Georgian press reported up to six people suffered minor
injuries from the blasts, including Russian vacationers.


2. (SBU) One day earlier, on June 29, two similar blasts
occurred near Gagra's town center, in upper Abkhazia.
According to the Georgian press, six people also suffered
minor injuries. Georgian government officials have strongly
denied Abkhaz allegations of involvement in these incidents.
The Abkhaz also have alleged one person died, although this
is unconfirmed. In contrast to other reports, Georgian TV
company Rustavi-2 reported on June 30 that four people were
killed and 20 were "badly wounded" in the blasts on June 29
and 30.


3. (C) With regard to a Russian press report that a Russian
citizen was kidnapped in South Ossetia, Shota Utiashvili
(Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Analytical
Department) confirmed to Poloff on July 1 that the Georgian
border police arrested a Russian citizen -- from Vladikavkaz
-- for illegally crossing the border. Utiashvili claimed the
arrest was made on June 29 in Ergneti, a village on the
Georgian side of the administrative border. Utiashvili said
the Russian is being held in a detention center and has a
state-provided lawyer.


4. (U) Also on June 30, Georgian press reported eyewitnesses
at the Ganmukhruli Patriotic Youth Camp (near the Abkhazian
border) observed two Russian-made MiG (Hind) helicopters
flying over the camp, apparently photographing the area.


5. (C) Comment: Rustavi-2 has been an unreliable source for
recent events in Georgia, especially on the conflicts. The
timing of the blasts, coupled with other events such as the
arrest, indicate continued tensions in the conflict regions.
It is unclear who set off the explosives. Both sides accuse
the other. MFA officials told the Ambassador on June 29 that
while Georgia does possess some operational capabilities in
Abkhazia, they do not extend to Gagra. End comment.
TEFFT