GEORGIA: SITREP 13

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 001391

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC AND TASKFORCE-1

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM RU GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: SITREP 13

REF: TBILISI 1372

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary: As of 1600 August 19, there is still no
evidence of Russian troops withdrawing from Georgia. Russian
checkpoints remain along the main East-West highway on both
sides of Gori. Embassy officers who attempted to drive up
the road from Tbilisi to Gori were turned back after the
second checkpoint. OSCE military observers were able to
access both Gori (8/19) and the city of Akhlagori (8/18).
Russian troops reportedly threatened Georgian troops in the
base at Sachkere, west of South Ossetia in Georgia proper.
End Summary.

STILL NO EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN WITHDRAWAL
--------------


2. (C) As of 1600 August 19, there is still no sign of a
Russian withdrawal from Georgian territory, including South
Ossetia. To the contrary, Russian troops were reportedly
moving around the occupied areas of Georgia, undertaking
missions of varying military significance. The GOG reports
that Russian troops set mines on roads and bridges in Kaspi
and Mestia, as well as other areas they occupy. The Russians
reportedly left the military base at Senaki and returned
later in the day on August 18. During the course of the day,
the airfield was dynamited. Russian soldiers burned cottages
at the "Patriot" youth camp near the Abkhaz cease-fire line.
At the the village of Lamiskana, near Igoeti, on the Georgian
side of the South Ossetian cease-fire line, Russian tanks
crushed Georgian police vehicles that had attempted to impede
their progress into the town. No shots were reported to have
been fired. Drunken Russian soldiers did fire into the air
as they harassed workers at a pumping station on BP's
Baku-Supsa pipline, as reported by the pipeline's operator,
BP. The soldiers wandered off later in the afternoon and did
not return.


3. (C) The major east-west highway between Tbilisi and Gori
remains closed to regular traffic and dotted with Russian
checkpoints. Journalists and some defense attaches were
refused permission to enter Gori and were requested to show
Russian visas or Russian-issued press credentials. However,
on August 19, an OSCE military observer was able to drive
from Tbilisi through Gori to Khashuri, after being stopped
the day before. He saw no sign of a withdrawal. Russian
Regular Forces and unarmed Georgian police manned a
checkpoint outside of Khashuri and all was quiet. In the
town of Khashuri people were going about their normal lives
with no evidence of panic. Russian checkpoints are flying
the CIS-PKF peacekeepers' flag. The Georgians reported that
the Russian military approached the commander of the Georgian
base at Sachkere, west of South Ossetia in Georgia proper and
asked entry. When he refused, the Russian reportedly
threatened to return with reinforcements. The Georgians fear
a future confrontation.


FOOD SHORTAGES IN GORI
--------------


4. According to USAID, although some food convoys are
getting through, experts believe that Gori is not receiving
sufficient supplies of food because of the continuing Russian
checkpoints. The railroad to Tbilisi remains cut due to the
damaged railroad bridge (repairs began August 17 and are
continuing). Armenia and Azerbaijan, both of whom depend on
the Georgian railway system for trade and commerce, are
providing assistance to repair the bridge. USAID is
assisting the Georgian government to organize a shipment of
food to Gori. National Security Advisor Kakha Lomaia, who
has been the key Georgian official in Gori, is negotiating
with the Russian commander there to get the shipment through.


MORE REPORTS OF LOOTING
--------------


5. (C) Two Georgians in Zugdidi complained to UNOMIG
observers that "Russians" had looted their houses, and others
in their neighborhood, They said nothing was being spared by
the looters. Reportedly, Russian troops have stripped
Georgian installations they have occupied of anything
valuable, right down to the toilet seats. Thus inspired,
protesters outside the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi mockingly
offered the diplomats inside toilet seats. On a more serious
note, there were reports that Russian soldiers were removing
everything of value from both the military and commercial
sides of the port at Poti.


TBILISI 00001391 002 OF 002


PRISONER EXCHANGE COMPLETED, BUT RUSSIANS TAKE MORE
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Negotiations for a prisoner exchange between Russia
and Georgia were stalled by disagreements over the number of
prisoners held by the sides, but ultimately the prisoners
were exchanged on August 19, with the help of the French
Ambassador in Tbilisi. Both sides had sought an "all for
all" exchange of prisoners held, but it is not clear whether
either side still holds any prisoners or not. On August 14,
there were unconfirmed reports that Russian troops had taken
a new group of Georgian soldiers prisoner in Poti.

MORE THAN 100,000 IDP'S REGISTERED
--------------


7. (U) UNHRC reported that the number of internally displaced
persons has reached 160,000. The Georgian Ministry of
Refugee Affairs count of registerd IDP's is 104,234 in about
600 shelters. Although South Ossetian de facto president
Kokoity is reported to have said that no Georgian IDP's will
be allowed to return to their homes in South Ossetia, he was
contradicted by the Russian Foreign Ministry. However, the
Ministry implied that return of the IDP's is likely to be a
years-long process.

GEORGIAN CIVILIANS KIDNAPPED
--------------


8. (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Gigi Bokeria told the
Ambassador that 14 Georgian civilians in South Ossetia have
been kidnapped and are being held in Tskhinvali. He told
Poloff that 250 Georgian civilians are being held in a camp
in Tskhinvali and are being forced to work.

AZERIS CANCEL BIG CONTRACT WITH TBILAVIAMSHENI
-------------- -


9. (U) A Tbilisi businessman in a position to know told us
that all-but-completed negotiations for a $135 million
contract between the Azerbaijan government and Tbilisi
aircraft manufacturer Tbilaviamsheni to refurbish Azeri SU-25
military jets were scuttled by the Azeris in the last few
days. The Tbilaviamsheni factory's aircraft runway was a
target of Russian bombs last week. The large contract would
have been a major boost for Tbilaviamsheni, one of the few
complex technology manufacturers in Georgia.

FOREST FIRES CONTINUE TO BURN
--------------


10. (U) Forest fires that are believed to have been
intentionally set by Russian forces continued to burn in the
Borjomi National Park, despite efforts to control them. At
least one new fire was detected August 19 near the village of
Kvabiskhvevi.
TEFFT