Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TBILISI1204
2008-07-11 12:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

GEORGIA RECALLS AMBASSADOR, ASKS FOR HELP IN

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM GG 
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VZCZCXRO4952
PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSI #1204 1931258
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 111258Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9742
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001204 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA RECALLS AMBASSADOR, ASKS FOR HELP IN
PROTESTING RUSSIAN FIGHTERS

REF: 1170

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001204

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA RECALLS AMBASSADOR, ASKS FOR HELP IN
PROTESTING RUSSIAN FIGHTERS

REF: 1170

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


1. (C) Georgia Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Vashadze
called in the Ambassadors representing the Western Friends of
the Secretary General to the MFA on July 11 to ask for
Western support in the UNSC and OSCE regarding July 8
overflights by Russian fighter planes over South Ossetia.
The Russian MFA admitted July 10 that Russia conducted the
flights. Deputy FM Vashadze said Georgia recalled its
Ambassador to Russia the same day to protest the flagrant
violation of Georgia's sovereignty. He said the overflights
were timed to coincide with Secretary Rice's July 9-10 visit.
Vashadze said the only such example he could recall of a
nation openly admitting it had violated another nation's
sovereignty occurred when "Israel bombed Osirak." He said he
believes Russia's next provocative step will be to establish
representative offices in Sukhumi next week.


2. (C) Vashadze said the incursion ended any chance for a
possible summit between Presidents Saakashvili and Medvedev
this summer. The Georgians believe PM Putin is continuing to
direct Russia's policy toward Georgia. Recent reports of
Russian casualties in Ingushetia led Vashadze to believe a
wider war in the Northern Caucasus is possible. Vashadze
said "any armed conflict would be the end of Georgia as we
know it." (Note: On July 11 Interfax carried a story
claiming Nika Rurua, Deputy Chairman of Parliament's Defense
and National Security Committee, said Georgia would shoot
down any future Russian intruders into Georgian airspace.
End note.) Ultimately, Vashadze believes Russia is
increasing tensions so the Europeans will oppose MAP for
Georgia. He claimed that the postponement of MAP in April
had only resulted in Russia's "military aggression and the
threat of all-out war." Vashadze said the "only medicine for
all this conflict is MAP in December."


3. (C) The Ambassador told the group the U.S. will likely
support Georgia in both the UNSC and OSCE, but that he
understood UNSC consideration would have to wait until next
week after Friday's consideration of the Zimbabwe question.


4. (C) The French Ambassador said "it was no coincidence" the
July 8 violation of Georgia's airspace took place the same
day the OSCE Ambassadors met in Kurta, South Ossetia. He
said Georgian FM Tkeshelashvili will meet French FM Bernard
Kouchner next week, and this timely visit should show French
support to the process. The German Ambassador thanked
Georgia for its continuing restraint and encouraged the
government to maintain it. She said Russia's actions
strengthen Georgia's position in Europe and "Western capitals
are coming together on this" and support Georgia. She
confirmed that "we will never let Russia influence our
decision" on MAP for Georgia. She noted that German Special
Envoy Hans-Dieter Lucas will arrive in Tbilisi this weekend
to express Germany's high-level support regarding the
conflict regions.
TEFFT