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