GEORGIA: EU OBSERVER MISSION DISCUSSES POST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 001888

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM RU GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: EU OBSERVER MISSION DISCUSSES POST
OCTOBER 10 PLANS; MOIA SHOWS OFF IDP HOUSING

REF: A. TBILISI 1868

B. TBILISI 1751

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


1. (C) Begin Summary and Comment: European Monitoring
Mission Head (EUMM) Hansjoerg Haber briefed Ambassadors on
October 9 that Russian forces had withdrawn to positions
outsid of Georgia proper. Several controversial observation
posts remain, with competing claims regarding in which
territory each of these is located. Haber stressed that the
EUMM will support the Georgians' efforts to convince the
Russians to depart Akhalgori and to insist on access to South
Ossetia and Abkhazia for EUMM monitors. The two most urgent
areas of concern involve Russian occupation of Akhalgori and
the observation post Pakhuliani which is along the
administrative border with Abkhazia and near the Enguri dam;
it is critical that the EU not just declare victory without
resolving these outstanding issues. The Georgians have said
that they will not permit Russian forces access to the
Georgian main highway after 10 October, thereby cutting off
the only access to Russian heavy vehicles to Akhalgori from
Tskhinvali. In winter months, the current dirt path which is
accessible to four wheel drive vehicles could become
impassable. French FM Kouchner arrived October 9 and at the
top of his agenda is the situation in Akhalgori. Haber is
now in Brussels to brief the EU. An EU representative said
that Brussels is being heavily demarched by the Russians, who
are applying pressure for the EU not to provide armaments to
Georgia. Given the data from the EUMM, it does not appear
that the Russians intend, at least for the moment, to insist
on keeping any posts that they maintained in the Zugdidi
Rayon under the old CIS peacekeeping arrangement. UNHCR
representatives told the Ambassador that 9,000 IDPS were
already in the process of returning to homes in the former
Russian-controlled "buffer zone," an impression that was
reinforced by Embassy personnel who observed in Gori buses
loading up IDPs from the camp there. The Georgian press on
October 10 announced that 40,000 IDPs were returning to their
homes in Shida Kartli. Quick approval of our proposed 1207
projects will help us assist these returning IDPs. End
Summary and Comment.

STICKY WICKETS


2. (C) EUMM staff showed Tbilisi-based Ambassadors a map of
all Russian observation posts (OP),noting all had been
evacuated, with Russian forces back on the west side of the
Enguri in Abkhazia. There continue to be disagreements under
whose mission authority the Perevi and Pakhuliani OPs fall.
There has been confusion as well over some checkpoints
because different names are being used. EUMM observers said
there does appear to be additional fortification on the west
side of the Enguri. The Russians appear to be entrenched,
with no imminent departure from Akhalgori, and two
observation points North of Odzisi.

RUSSIANS CHECK THE BOX


3. (C) Haber said that after October 10 the Russians will
argue that they have complied in full with the cease-fire
agreement points and this is when he predicted difficulties.
The Russians will have to keep the Ossetian irregulars, who
may attempt to provoke Georgian police forces stationed just
across the border, under control and ensure that they do not
harass returning Georgian IDPs. In an effort to address
concerns that the Georgian police were indistinguishable from
the Georgian armed forces (ref A) due to the same digital
camouflage uniforms, Georgian police will wear designated
Qcamouflage uniforms, Georgian police will wear designated
armbands to differentiate themselves. The Russians are now
pushing EUMM to sign an agreement that would in effect have
the EUMM take up the previous CIS area of responsibility.
Haber believed that this concept had the consent of Moscow
and would put EUMM in a position to maintain law and order.
This is not in the EUMM mandate and could set the stage for a
"blame game" later when EUMM observers are unable to deliver.
Haber is working on what he called a "settlement dispute
mechanism" that would bring together Georgian and Ossetian
police forces to deal with individual conflicts and incidents
(ref A).

THE NEXT STEPS


4. (C) FM Kouchner arrived in Tbilisi October 9, and
planned to travel October 10 to Gori and with EUMM monitors
to villages in the buffer zone. According to Ambassador
Haber, high on Kouchner's list would be discussion of the
issue of Akhalgori and its future. Asked what the EUMM's
public statements would be in forthcoming days, Haber
replied, "Kouchner will be focused on the EU message." The

TBILISI 00001888 002 OF 002


British Ambassador emphasized that the international
community needed to be engaged on resolution on the status of
Akhalgori underlining that there are more parties involved in
the agreement than the Georgians. Any statements should be
addressed to all members of the conflict. The Dutch
Ambassador emphasized human rights issues should not be lost
in the larger issues of security. (Comment: Minister of
Justice Gvaramia announced on October 9 that the Human Rights
Court in Strasbourg has imposed more obligations on Russia to
protect human rights on the zones under Russian Control. The
same court is slated to rule on Georgia's case on allegations
of Russian "ethnic cleansing" on October 15, ref B. End
Comment.)

GEORGIANS MOVE QUICKLY TO FILL THE BUFFER ZONE


5. (SBU) As soon as word spread that the bulk of Russian
troops were pulling back from their Observation posts and
checkpoints, thousands of ethnic Georgians immediately began
making preparations to return to villages that had been
located behind Russian checkpoints. Embassy officers in Gori
October 9 reported that buses were full of families heading
north; they saw one family and all their belongings stuffed
into a single taxi. The head of the largest tent-camp in
Gori told emboffs that they were probably the last official
visitors to the collection point since everyone was heading
home. UNHCR representatives in Tbilisi told the Ambassador
that more than 9,000 IDPs had left temporary shelters and
collection ceners in a rush to return home. However,
although many homes and buildings are still standing in these
villages, UNHCR reports that most have been completely
stripped of everything of value. One press report quoted a
returning IDP who said that the Russian troops had "even
taken their cups." Another concern is the possibility that
some of the villagers may find UXO and mines in or around
their villages as they seek to save their harvests, pick
fruit in orchards and collect scattered livestock.

RESETTLING PERMANENT IDPS


6. (SBU) Although many have returned home, those
permanently-displaced IDPs from ethnic Georgian villages in
South Ossetia and the Upper Kodori remain in collective
centers or continue to live with friends and relatives. On
Thursday, October 9, the Georgian government's coordinator
for internally displaced persons (IDP) housing, Minister of
Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili hosted a tour of the
Tserovani housing project, where approximately 2,000 new
homes are being constructed. Tserovani is a village located
approximately 30 minutes west of Tbilisi, in Mtskheta
District. The one-story houses are built of cement block and
corrugated tin roofs. They are a standard size of 65 square
meters, suitable for a family of four persons. They are
comprised of a living room, two-bedrooms, bathroom and
kitchen, and will have electricity, gas, water and sewage.
The houses cost approximately $20,000. Plans are to house
families from the Akhalgori area in this development.


7. (SBU) During the tour, the Minister described the
government's plans for resettlement of IDPs permanently
displaced by the conflict in August. Construction,
renovation and acquisition of approximately 6,220 houses is
currently underway where up to an estimated 30,000
permanently displaced people will be resettled. The plan is
being executed quite rapidly, with the expectation that
houses will be delivered to IDPs, with title, by
mid-November. Besides Mtskheta District, houses are being
Qmid-November. Besides Mtskheta District, houses are being
constructed, renovated and purchased in Kareli, Kaspi and
Gori Districts. The hope is to house as many IDPs within
some proximity of their residences prior to the conflict.
Approximately 970 flats will be repaired in the other regions
for Kvemo Kartli and Kakheti, south and east of Tbilisi
respectively.


8. (SBU) The Minister indicated that the government was
concerned about the socialization and economic livelihoods of
the resettled IDPs, and hoped that the international
community would support such programs. (Embassy note. This
is the focus of the mission's proposed 1207 projects
currently under review in the Department. End note.) The GoG
would be providing some agricultural land, along with houses,
to families who had originally come from rural enclaves in
South Ossetia. With the opening of the former "buffer zone,"
and repatriation taking place at a rapid pace, IDP numbers in
collection centers are declining. We are currently gathering
information on IDPs who remain in collection centers to
estimate the housing gap that will exist after the GoG
distributes permanent housing for up to 30,000 people later
this year.
TEFFT