Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TBILISI1834
2008-10-03 05:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

ARMENIANS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI EXPRESS SOLIDARITY

Tags:  PHUM PREL RU GG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSI #1834/01 2770523
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 030523Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0197
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 001834 

SIPDIS

DEPART FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL RU GG
SUBJECT: ARMENIANS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI EXPRESS SOLIDARITY
WITH GEORGIA

REF: TBILISI 2007 3148

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 SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 001834

SIPDIS

DEPART FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL RU GG
SUBJECT: ARMENIANS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI EXPRESS SOLIDARITY
WITH GEORGIA

REF: TBILISI 2007 3148

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


1. (C) Begin Summary and Comment: During the Ambassador's
September 10-11 trip to the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, the
president's representative to the region and local officials
in Akhalkalaki expressed their solidarity with the federal
government against Russian aggression. They said there were
no problems in the region during the recent war with Russia.
Even though Russian forces had probed as far as Borjomi, the
people of the region--Georgian and Armenian alike--banded
together to thwart their further advances. Akhalkalaki local
officials highlighted the challenges of local government: no
direct control over funding, lack of clarity of roles and
responsibilities, allegedly corrupt officials appointed from
Tbilisi, and laws which are difficult to implement at the
local level. The main issue for the region, formerly the
home of a large soviet-era military base, was the need for
more jobs. Officials and NGO members expressed their
gratitude for U.S. humanitarian assistance, moral support,
and continuing diplomatic efforts. Solidarity with Georgians
is significant as the residents in the region are more
culturally influenced by Armenia and more politically
influenced by Russia than by Georgia. Relations between the
95% Armenian population in the region and Georgian officials
at times have been tense and underscores that, although
Georgian citizens are not always on the same page, regardless
of ethnicity, they are united against Russian aggression.
End Summary.

UNITED WE STAND -- RUSSIANS NOT WELCOME HERE


2. (C) The Ambassador traveled to Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, and
Akhalkalaki (Samtskhe-Javakheti region) to meet with local
officials and NGOS, open our ninth Georgian "American Corner"
in Akhaltskihe and see first-hand the damage to Borjomi
Kharagauli National Park. The president's representative for
the region, Giorgi Khachidze, escorted the group in Borjomi
and Akhaltsikhe. In Akhalkalaki, the local mayor, Nairi
Itsarian and the chair of the city council, Khachil Aivazian,
escorted the group. The president's representative (often
referred to as governor) is appointed by the President and

oversees the administration of several subordinate mayors in
his respective region. Mayors are also appointed. At the
local level, the mayor works with a chair of the city
council, who is elected. Thus, Khachidze is responsible for
overseeing the Alkhaltsikhe, Borjomi, and Akhalkalaki mayors.


3. (C) Khachidze recounted that three Russians in GRU
uniforms had made it to Borjomi's outer limits, drunk and
red-faced, and brashly attempted to push their way into the
center. The governor and mayor, along with police from
Samtskhe-Javakheti regional headquarters (ethnic Armenians),
politely blocked the road and eventually sent the inebriated
troika packing. Khachidze said he later saw the same three
men whom he said were GRU officers on television in civilian
clothes in Poti.


4. (C) In Akhalkalaki, Javakheti Civil Forum NGO leader
Misha Kuliki, an ethnic Greek, told the Ambassador that
annexation of Georgia by Russia is unacceptable and thanked
the U.S. for its support during and after the conflict.
Iritsian and Aivazian said the first days of the conflict
everyone was uneasy, wondering if there would be civil unrest
in the region. Iritsian was on the phone daily with Tbilisi
officials gauging the situation, discussing whether forces
should be mobilized. The region saw about 200 IDPs who came
from other places, small in comparison to other regions, but
the hostilities as a whole did not affect Akhalkalaki. Many
of the city's municipal work projects, including road
construction, repair of the city administration building and
a summer camp, only saw a work stoppage of several days.
Iritsian said that the banks closed only for two days and
that pensioners had continued to receive their monthly
stipends throughout the ordeal.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT -- GOOD IDEA, HARD TO DO


5. (C) Local NGOs told the Ambassador that they were
pleased for the most part with their local government. The
embassy delegation noticed several visible projects underway
to improve infrastructure. Iritsian and Aivazian said that
the main obstacle they face is implementing the laws for
local government passed by Parliament. The laws are not
practical, implementation is not clear, and they often need
regional adaptation. Both said they were unclear of the role
of the governor's representative in the region, and chafed at
the superfluous layer of bureaucracy which added time, but
yielded no results. Iritsian said if he is looking for

TBILISI 00001834 002 OF 002


additional funding, he must write a letter himself to the
Minister of Finance, but this letter must be coordinated
through the governor's representative. Additionally, all
local governments were given the directive that they must buy
100 tons of grapes from the Kakheti region to fill the
deficit of income as a result of the Russian embargo on
Georgian wine and agricultural products. Iritsian said, in
theory, he can do this, but how can his region, where they do
not make wine, absorb these costs? In reality, the grapes
are practically given away. Both local leaders were
frustrated by what they called Tbilisi-appointed bureaucrats
(the particular example they gave was those working in the
local Civil Registry Office) who are corrupt, give them a bad
name, but whom they do not have the authorization to fire.

RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA


6. (C) Iritsian and Aivazian welcomed the visit of Turkey's
President Gul to Armenia and hoped that with the opening of
roads, diplomatic relations and eventually compromise on the
historical issues would follow. As Aivazian put it, "How
long can you be hostile to each other?" Both said they
realized that the situation cannot be resolved until there is
dialogue and the Turkey of today is a democracy, and thus
possible. They welcomed U.S. encouragement of dialogue and
were practical about how fast events would occur. As
Aivazian put it, "We don't expect that Turkey will recognize
the Armenian genocide tomorrow, but it is good that Gul is
breaking the ice. Perhaps the best is to start with
confidence building events, ie., sporting events, and move on
gradually from there. What Armenians want most is respect."
Regarding Turkey, Aivazian said he has fewer problems
crossing the border into Turkey than he does into Armenia.
He said he was irritated by nit-picking Armenian custom
control officials, who label as "contraband" anything over
one sack of potatoes or one package of diapers. Aivazian
said that he personally has spent hours at the border waiting
to cross and knows others who have spent the entire day, only
to be told that the customs officer's computer doesn't work.
"If Europe is without borders, where is our regional
cooperation?" he asked.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES


7. (C) Iritsian said that the Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad
construction paused briefly during the conflict, when Turkish
owners pulled back construction equipment to just inside the
Turkish border. Work resumed very quickly. Iritsian
acknowledged the progress on MCC road construction projects
(18 kilometers of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) road
construction pass through Akhalkalaki),but underscored the
importance of their completion, particularly stretches of
road near Aspindza. (Comment: This section of the road and
the section from Ninotsminda to the Armenian border are the
responsibility of GoG. End Comment.) Throughout the visit,
the Ambassador heard from local residents about the need for
more jobs, including as part of the MCC road construction
project. All agreed that Tbilisi has had a mental shift in
how it looks at the region, according it more relevance now.
During the conflict the southern route became the sole
alternative national road west when Russian forces occupied
Gori.

WIELDING PUBLIC OPINION


8. (C) Seda Melkumian, European Center for Minority Issues,
told the Ambassador that although there is a great sense of
solidarity with Georgia, many residents only get Russian
television programming and thus distorted views of Georgia
and its relations with Russia. Some residents have Russian
passports, travel regularly to Russia to work, and are
therefore dependent on Russia for their livelihood. Until
the employment situation improves in the region, most
residents will not question the one-sided explanation of
events. Parvana television owner Kostya Vartanyan said that
his regional station tries to present a more balanced picture
of events, but it is difficult. Georgian Public Channel
Moambe broadcasts one hour of Georgian news both in Armenian
and Russian languages every day. During the height of the
conflict, Alania, a quasi-government-owned Georgian station,
began broadcasting Georgian news in Russian 24 hours a day,
to portray another view point. Vartanyan is examining how
this can be a more permanent option. Melkumian stressed that
residents need several information streams so that they can
come to an informed decision themselves as to the events
happening on the ground.
TEFFT