GEORGIA: A/S FRIED VISITS GORI, CHECKPOINTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 001982 SIPDIS DEPT FOR A/S FRIED AND EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM RU GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: A/S FRIED VISITS GORI, CHECKPOINTS Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES KENT LOGSDON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND ( D) ¶1. (C) Begin Summary: EUR Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried and the Ambassador visited the Gori Field Office of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM),which conducts patrols to the south and southwest of South Ossetia, October ¶19. So far, the EUMM has been denied access into South Ossetia by the Ossetians, and has had little cooperation from the Russians. Fried visited the final, Georgian-controlled checkpoints on the way to Akhalgori, and spoke with local farmers and villagers near the administrative boundary whose homes had been destroyed, their livestock stolen, and their holdings lost. One farmer was kidnapped the previous week and held by Ossetian bandits for three days. The Georgians continued to be unable to secure the entire administrative boundary, which consists of open terrain and a patchwork of fields and orchards. Shida Kartli region's governor, Lado Vardzelashvili, confirmed that the security situation in his region was his most critical challenge, noting that a robust Georgian police presence was necessary to reassure returning IDPs. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Assistant Secretary Fried and the Ambassador met the EUMM Gori Field Office's commanding officer, Stephan Burel (a French Gendarme). The EUMM is overseeing the Sarkozy-brokered Russian-Georgian ceasefire. The field office, one of four in the country, is conducting patrols to the south and southwest of South Ossetia along the administrative boundary. So far, the Ossetians have refused all access into South Ossetia, and the EUMM had no working-level contacts or cooperation from the Russians. All communication with Russian forces is handled by the EUMM HQ in Tbilisi. Burel noted that he has tried to engage the Russian and Ossetian forces, with no success. He said the Ossetians were always drunk by noon, and the Russians would not speak with him. The field office currently conducts three day patrols and one night patrol daily. Burel said that Georgians were returning to their homes in the area, and he received reports of Ossetian incursions into Georgia approximately every three days. All EUMM personnel are completely unarmed. Burel said small arms would do his observers no good in facing the more heavily-armed Ossetians. ¶3. (C) The same day, Fried visited the final Georgian checkpoint in Odzisi on the road to Akhalgori. The Georgian police showed how the Russians have established checkpoints for the Ossetians, and are manning each with up to 50 soldiers. The Georgian police were allowing Georgians and Ossetians to cross the administrative boundary to and from Akhalgori and South Ossetia. They reported, however, that the Ossetians and Russians were only allowing those Georgians with "residence cards" to enter back into the occupied territories. The police also noted that the Russians had renovated a road from Akhalgori to Tskhinvali that would handle heavy equipment and be passable in winter. ¶4. (C) Fried spoke with local farmers and villagers in Zemo Khviti, southwest of Tskhinvali and right next to the administrative boundary. Some had their homes destroyed and livestock stolen. One farmer was kidnapped at night by Ossetian bandits on/around October 15, and only released three days later. In addition, the kidnappers stole the last 52 of the farmer's cattle. He said that if he were younger, he would likely have been killed. The farmer's equipment and about 50 more cattle had been stolen earlier during the Qabout 50 more cattle had been stolen earlier during the Russian invasion. Fried visited an elderly lady's home that was destroyed by an artillery shell and a farm association's warehouse that was hit by a Russian rocket. The association lost significant equipment to Ossetian thieves following the invasion. They thanked the OSCE for providing a new tractor to their association. The visit confirmed that security along the administrative boundary, which consists of open terrain and a patchwork of fields and orchards, was tenuous. Many of one farmer's holdings, for example, laid between across the boundary in South Ossetia and he no longer had access to them. ¶5. (C) Fried then met with Shida Kartli region's governor, Lado Vardzelashvili. The governor confirmed to Fried that the security situation in his region was his most urgent problem. He said the EUMM cannot access those places in South Ossetia where tens of thousands of Georgians lived and determine the people's condition now. Continuing incursions of Ossetians was fomenting fear among the Georgian population, although the EUMM was helping counter this in those areas they could access. Vardzelashvili was also concerned by the Russians establishing border guards and stations along the administrative boundary. The Georgians were arresting Ossetian looters they encountered in Georgian-controlled territory. Still, the Russians would not TBILISI 00001982 002 OF 002 stop Ossetians from raiding south, and the Georgian police cannot secure it completely against Ossetian incursions. Without improvement in the security situation, namely an increase in Georgian police presence, Vardzelashvili said more Georgians would have to abandon villages close to the administrative boundary where they already required police protection. ¶6. (C) Fried told Vardzelashvili that although we all want to return to August 6, the Russians would undoubtedly remain in South Ossetia for a long time. He noted Vardzelashvili's point that secuity for Georgians in unoccupied and occupied Georgia was a priority facing the GOG. Fried said the first will be easier than the second, but that the USG would try to help on both. He stated that Georgia certainly has the right to defend itself and enforce its laws, but strongly cautioned against any Georgian provocations in the occupied areas. Finally, Fried agreed with Vardzelashvili that if Georgia could grow its economy and address humanitarian concerns, eventually the Ossetians could decide to rejoin Georgia. ¶7. (C) Assistant Secretary Fried has cleared this cable. LOGSDON