GEORGIA: BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FOR NATIONAL SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 002022 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REVIEW CURRENT CHALLENGES Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i.KENT LOGSDON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) A ND (D). ¶1. (SBU) Sumary: Business Executives for National Security (BENS),a nonpartisan organization of senior private-sector representatives, visited Tbilisi October 19-21, accompanied by the Deputy European Commander (EUCOM) Vice Admiral Gallagher and EUCOM POLAD Ambassador Katherine Canavan. The visit provided the group with a strategic overview of Georgia and the challenges it faces as it attempts to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic community. BENS facilitates an exchange of information between the United States government and the private sector which has proven beneficial for solving problems, by recommending solutions from a business model perspective. Several delegation members visited Tbilisi on the group's last trip to Georgia in spring 2006. End Summary. BENS Objectives in Georgia and the Caucasus ¶2. (U) The BENS group visiting Tbilisi consisted of 11 business executives, headed by General (retired) Charles G. Boyd who serves as President and Executive Officer. During their stay in Tbilisi, members of the group met with senior Georgian government officials including the President, opposition and civil society groups, as well as international monitors from the OSCE, European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and UNOMIG. The BENS group traveled to Gori to view first-hand the damage that occurred as a result of the conflict in August, including at the First Brigade base just outside of the town of Gori. BENS Meeting with President Saakashvili ¶3. (C) President Saakashvili described the challenges facing Georgia in the aftermath of the August conflict and told the group that he was committed to pursuing an aggressive democratic reform agenda. He outlined for the group the values shared by the United States and Georgia and described Georgia as a leader in the post-Soviet space. Saakashvili warned that Russian aggression in Georgia would have a ripple effects in Ukraine, Estonia and other parts of Europe. When asked if the Russian relationship was too important for the U.S. to be distracted by events in Georgia, Saakashvili told the group that the West could not afford to view Russian action as an isolated incident. He described Russia's intentions to oust American influence from the former Soviet space and alleged that Russia wanted to prevent Georgia from achieving its goals of joining NATO and European institutions. Similar themes were mentioned in the meetings of the BENS group with Deputy Foreign Minister Vashadze and Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Chairman Ambassador Lasha Zhvania. What is BENS? ¶4. (U) Businessman Stanley A. Weiss founded the group in 1982 with the goal of engaging and educating leaders of the U.S. business community on U.S. national security issues. By visiting U.S. allies, partners, and nations of interest, BENS members learn first-hand the challenges that American's military and diplomatic corps face. BENS delegations typically meet one-on-one with the country's government to include its President, Prime Minister, Defense and Foreign ministers and military commanders. BENS members come from a broad range of business sectors and political views yet they are united in their commitment to a strong, effective, affordable defense and developing ways to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction. BENS members who participated in the visit to Tbilisi are as follows: Charles G. Boyd, Stanley A. Weiss, John W. Keker, Ramon Marks, Mark Treanor, QStanley A. Weiss, John W. Keker, Ramon Marks, Mark Treanor, Reggie Gibbs, Alfred Golstein, Frankin Pitcher Johnson, Jr., Donald V. Smith, Mary Boies, and Robert Cohn. EUCOM Reps were POLAD Ambassador Katherine H. Canavan and Vice Admiral Richard K. Gallagher. LOGSDON