Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TBILISI2016
2008-10-30 13:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

GEORGIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION INVESTIGATES

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9330
PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSI #2016/01 3041321
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 301321Z OCT 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0307
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TBILISI 002016 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION INVESTIGATES
AUGUST ACTIONS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Kent D. Logsdon for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TBILISI 002016

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION INVESTIGATES
AUGUST ACTIONS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Kent D. Logsdon for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: An Ad-hoc Parliamentary Commission
investigating the Georgian-Russian war of August 2008 began
its hearings on October 25. The Commission was designed to
obtain evidence from government officials, who "were directly
or indirectly involved in decision-making during the August
events." The Commission is chaired by the leader of the
opposition party "We Ourselves," MP Paata Davitaia. The
Commission is comprised of nine MPs, including three from the
opposition. All of the Commission hearings are public and
broadcast live on Georgian TV. Certain sections of the
hearings, considered to be sensitive, are currently closed
for the press. According to Davitaia, even these parts may
eventually be declassified, as "they shed light on many
important questions and should be disclosed for the public
benefit." He said the Commission's goal "is not to determine
who fired first on August 7, but rather assess the
government's actions, and also to determine if it could have
acted differently." Several significant leaders have
testified, and more are scheduled. It remains to be seen
whether President Saakashvili will also testify. Note that
complete testimony is available o-line at: www.civil.ge.
End summary.


2. (C) Comment: Such an investigatory commission, conducted
live before the Georgian public -- and chaired by an
opposition MP -- is a new achievement in Georgia. While the
commission does not have direct authority to mandate changes,
it is being given open access to question those in the
government involved in the conflict. Davitaia told poloff
that parliament modeled the investigatory commission on the
9/11 Commission, as a means to bring actions of government
leaders into the public sphere. As expected, those who have
testified have stressed that the armed conflict was a result
of targeted Russian aggression and intervention, leaving the
government no choice but to respond and try to protect
Georgian civilians in South Ossetia. Furthermore, they have
largely agreed the denial of MAP (at April's NATO Bucharest

Summit) not only gave Russia an opening to increase pressure
on Georgia, but indeed encouraged Russia to invade Georgia
now since NATO declared Georgia "would become a member in the
future." The Commission is, however, also asking serious
questions about domestic politics, and the answers do not
appear to be scripted. The fact that Davitaia, both a
opposition parliamentarian and an IDP himself, was chosen to
head the commission shows the review of August events is not
meant to be merely a show of support for the Saakashvili
government but rather a serious inquiry. Public reaction to
the Commission's work remains to be seen, but general
interest is high. Overall, the Commission is an important
step in increasing government transparency, which can not
only generate goodwill but also help the country and
Parliament reconcile the government's actions in August and
ensuing consequences. How the administration or Parliament
will use the results of the Commission is unknown, but so far
it is a positive, necessary -- and genuine -- exercise in
representative government and national accountability.

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION


3. (U) The Commission consists of ten members, half
opposition and half from the ruling United National Movement
(UNM) party. Chairman of the Commission is Paata Davitaia,
leader of the opposition party "We Ourselves" and a former
Qleader of the opposition party "We Ourselves" and a former
member of the United Opposition. Interestingly, Davitaia is
also an IDP from the 1993 Abkhaz conflict and his wife is
Abkhaz. Other opposition members include: Vice-Speaker Levan
Vepkhvadze (Christian-Democratic Movement),Nikoloz
Laliashvili, Dmitri Lortkipanidze, and Ramaz Tedoradze. UNM
members include: Givi Targamadze (Chair of Defense
Committee),Giorgi Gabashvili, Khatuna Gogorishvili, Gia
Goguadze, and Akaki Minashvili.

GELA BEZHUASHVILI, HEAD OF INTELLIGENCE


4. (U) At the first hearing on October 25, Intelligence
Department Head Gela Bezhuashvili and Foreign Minister Eka
Tkeshelashvili testified before the Commission. Answering
direct questions from the Commission members, Bezhuashvili
emphasized Russia's motivation to militarily intervene in
Georgia to thwart Georgia's strengthening statehood, its
pro-western course, and some positive development in conflict
resolution (especially in the Tskhinvali district). In
response to a question from Givi Targamadze, Head of the
Defense and Security Committee, Bezhuashvili conceded that
the NATO Bucharest Summit, which denied MAP membership to
Georgia, amounted to giving Russia an "indirect veto" and
untied Russia's hands.

TBILISI 00002016 002 OF 003



FM EKA TKESHELASHVILI


5. (U) Tkeshelashvili emphasized that the conflict was not
only about Georgia's separatist regions, but was part of a
bigger picture, involving Russia's geopolitical ambitions of
restoring its empire. Georgia's success in its Euro-Atlantic
integration and its role as an energy transit route was
perceived by Russia as a major threat to its regional
interests. Tkeshelashvili spoke about President
Saakashvili's proposal to his Russian counterpart on a staged
settlement in Abkhazia and Russian's subsequent rejection of
the plan. Tkeshelashvili also stressed that there was no
major readiness among the international community to confront
Russia, as it was surmised that Russia's stance could be
changed through prolonged negotiations.

MINISTER FOR REINTEGRATION TEMUR YAKOBASHVILI


6. (U) At the second hearing, held October 27, the Commission
heard testimony from State Minister for Reintegration Temur
Yakobashvili and NSC Secretary Alexander (Kakha) Lomaia.
Yakobashvili spoke about the Georgian government's latest
steps to initiate talks with Tskhinvali and Sukhumi, and to
change ineffective negotiating and peacekeeping formats. He
emphasized that after Russia's withdrawal from CIS sanctions,
and the April 16 decision to establish direct contacts with
the separatist regions, it became clear that Russia was
"getting ready for something." So, the GOG stepped up its
diplomatic efforts to no avail. Yakobashvili stressed that
President Saakashvili did not order troops to capture
Tskhinvali.

NATIONAL SECURITY CHAIRMAN KAKHA LOMAIA


7. (U) NSC Secretary Lomaia commented on Georgian Peace
Keeping Force (PKF) Commander Mamuka Kurashvili's
publicly-reported statement during the conflict that he would
"restore the constitutional order of Georgia (in
Tskhinvali)." Lomaia said that Kurashvili's statement was
not sanctioned and was wrong "in its essence." Lomaia,
following Yakobashvili's statement that Saakashvili did not
order the taking of Tskhinvali, said that the President gave
three orders to Georgia's armed forces: 1) stop a convoy of
Russian tanks advancing on Tskhinvali; 2) neutralize firing
positions targeting Georgian villages; and 3) ensure minimal
casualties among civilians.

PKF GENERAL MAMUKA KURASHVILI


8. (U) During the third hearing held October 28, the
Commander of Georgia's PKF Battalion Mamuka Kurashvili and
his superior, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Zaza
Gogava, testified before the Commission. Much controversy
had emerged regarding Kurashvili's above statement on
restoring "constitutional order." During his testimony, he
said that his August 7 remarks were "impulsive, and not
authorized by his superiors."

CHAIR OF JOINT CHIEFS GOGAVA


9. (U) Gogava also testified before the Commission on October

28. His public testimony lasted over three hours, the
longest to date, and provided much detail on Georgian MOD
actions in and around Tskhinvali. Gogava described Russian
actions as changing significantly around August 9, a theme
that other leaders have also keyed on. He said the MOD was
not prepared for the "full-scale Russian aggression with the
goal of invading Tbilisi" that began on that day. Still, he
rebuffed suggestions that the MOD had overestimated their own
capabilities, saying "a military man would make a mistake if
he underestimated his enemy." When asked who ordered him to
launch military operations, Gogava replied that the decision
to put the military on its highest alert was made in
agreement with President Saakashvili at 2:00 PM on August 7.
Qagreement with President Saakashvili at 2:00 PM on August 7.
He deferred additional details to the closed session.

HEARINGS CONTINUE


10. (U) The Commission will also hear testimony from Minister
of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili, although his hearing
has yet to be scheduled. According to Davitaia, the
Commission also intends to invite Saakashvili. However, the
Commission cannot compel the President to testify, and it
remains to be seen if he will.

RADICAL OPPOSITION DISMISSIVE


11. (U) The non-Parliamentary opposition dismissed the
Commission from its inception, demanding instead an

TBILISI 00002016 003 OF 003


"independent" investigatory commission be created. Recently
these opposition representatives claimed that Saakashvili
should not have nominated a new prime minister or initiated
any cabinet changes until the Commission completed its work.
Saakashvili rebutted this criticism, saying that any possible
cabinet changes will not hinder the Commission work.
Instead, he called on the Commission to continue its
investigation, and said that all former or remaining cabinet
members "will continue cooperation with the Commission." The
non-parliamentary opposition will likely reject any and all
of the Commission's conclusions. In the meantime, opposition
parliamentarian Davitaia, who chose to retain his seat,
chairs the hottest ticket in town and is daily providing
evidence of the possibility for a genuine opposition within
Parliament.

NOT A STAGE SHOW


12. (SBU) While the Georgian Parliament has had investigatory
commissions in the past, none has tackled such a critical
issue in such a transparent manner. The witnesses are coming
to the hearings well prepared, but this fact does not prove
that the hearings are staged, as some radical oppositionists
allege. The questions fielded are direct, and the presence
of opposition MPs (including Davitaia, himself a former
prosecutor) precludes the possibility of this commission
providing only a one-sided view of August's events. In many
cases the commissioners are using questions from their
constituents and prominent thinkers which have been posed
publicly.
LOGSDON