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