GEORGIA: SAAKASHVILI TAKES HIS CASE PUBLIC, MAKES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002225

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: SAAKASHVILI TAKES HIS CASE PUBLIC, MAKES
HISTORY

REF: TBILISI 2219

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (U) Begin Summary: In an unprecedented development in
modern Georgian history, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili voluntarily testified on November 28 in front of
Parliament's "Ad Hoc Commission Investigating the August
events and Russia's invasion." The country watched on live
TV as the President sat before the Commission for nearly five
hours, first reading a prepared statement and then answering
the questions of the commissioners. The Ambassador and
diplomatic corps attended the testimony at Parliament.
Saakashvili did not defer any questions to a closed session
and admitted readily that he had made the decision for
Georgian ground forces to enter South Ossetia in order to
protect Georgian citizens. Saakashvili defended the decision
as "inevitable," because Russian troops were advancing into
South Ossetia and Georgian-controlled villages were being
heavily shelled. Saakashvili claimed repeated attempts to
speak with Russia's leaders and stop hostilities were
rebuffed, and that he and the government were left no choice
but to try and defend Georgia's citizens and sovereignty by
force. He said the combat decision was his and his
government's, and was not taken in consultation with any
other country. Saakashvili argued that any responsible
democratic government in Georgia would have reached the same
decision. He said Georgia was neither a loser nor a winner
in the war, as the struggle continues. However, he said the
invasion demonstrated once and for all that Russia could not
be considered a "peacekeeper" in Georgia. An unofficial
transcript of Saakashvili's testimony is on-line at
(www.civil.ge). Saakashvili was the Commission's final
witness and the Commission expects to issue its report and
recommendations within 10 days. End Summary.


2. (C) Comment: This Commission is an unprecedented
development in modern Georgian history. Commission Chairman
Paata Davitaia told us that his commission is the first in
the former Soviet Union before which a head of state has
testified. Saakashvili voluntarily chose to appear before
the Commission and readily addressed all questions; during
his testimony, he reiterated his willingness to testify
further before Parliament. Saakashvili maintained his
position, which has remained consistent since the August war,
that he and his Government made the decision to use force
only as a last resort. He has openly acknowledged the orders
he gave and has presented his justification for them to the
Parliament, his country, and the world. While the
Commission's work has been met with some skepticism by some
in the Georgian opposition and among Tbilisi's elite, and
even though it does not have formal powers to recommend or
order changes in government policy, many of our interlocutors
believe it is an important step in Georgia's democratic
development. We agree. End comment.

COMMITTEE, TESTIMONY IS UNPRECEDENTED


3. (U) Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili testified on
November 28 in front of Parliament's ad hoc Commission
Investigating the August events and Russia's Invasion
(Hereafter referred to as the Commission). The President sat
before the Commission for nearly five hours, the entirety of
which was broadcast live on TV throughout the country. The
Ambassador and diplomatic corps attended the first part of
the testimony at Parliament, in a chamber equipped with
simultaneous translation. Saakashvili did not defer any
questions to a closed session, as some members of his
Qquestions to a closed session, as some members of his
national security team had done during earlier testimony.

DEMOCRACY IS RESPONSE TO AGGRESSION


4. (U) Before addressing the Commission members' questions,
Saakashvili gave a brief statement. He noted that the
Commission itself was an historic development for Georgia,
that it was being led by an opposition member (Davitaia) who
less than a year ago was calling for his (Saakashvili's)
resignation (reftel). He said this was a further example
that "democracy is this government's response to aggression."
The President had ordered all members of his government to
cooperate with the Commission, and they had done so. He said
the commission had heard many versions of the events of
August.

YES, WE ORDERED MILITARY DEFENSE


5. (U) The President admitted readily that he had made the
decision for Georgian ground forces to enter South Ossetia,
but he denied Russia's allegation that the GOG's goal was to
regain control over Tskhinvali. Rather, Saakashvili said the

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decision was "inevitable," because Russian troops were
advancing into South Ossetia and Georgian-controlled villages
were being heavily shelled. Saakashvili said any democratic
government in Georgia would have reached the same decision
under those circumstances in order to save Georgians in
Tskhinvali and surrounding villages. He stressed that not
one Georgian soldier had entered another country, while tens
of thousands of Russians entered sovereign Georgian territory.

OUR DECISION ALONE


6. (U) Saakashvili said the order for Georgian forces to
engage Russian and Ossestian troops in combat was his and his
government's alone. The decision was not taken in
consultation with any other country. Saakashvili said he
tried to contact Russian President Medvedev and Russian MFA
envoy Yuri Popov to stop the escalation and invasion on
August 7, but his calls were refused. He said he then called
the Polish and Lithuanian Presidents, and the NATO Secretary
General. He said as far as he knew Foreign Minister Eka
Tkeshelashvili was in contact with U.S. State Department
officials.

RUSSIA IS AGGRESSOR


7. (U) The President said Georgia was neither a loser nor a
winner in the war. Rather, he said the struggle continues
today, as Russian troops are digging in, fewer than 30 miles
from Tbilisi. Now, said Saakashvili, the rest of the world
can no longer ignore Russia's true colors as an aggressor and
occupier, and the invasion demonstrated once and for all that
Russia could not be considered a "peacekeeper."

KITSMARISHVILI "A MISTAKE"


8. (C) Saakashvili also denounced former Ambassador to Russia
Kitsmarishvili's earlier allegations against him and his
administration. Kitsmarishvili had alleged before the
Commission (reftel) that Saakashvili received a "green light"
from the USG to take Tskhinvali by force of arms.
Saakashvili said this was not true, that Kitsmarishvili was
not present at any policy decisions, and that he had had no
real influence since even before he was recalled from Moscow.
The President said it had been a "mistake" to appoint
Kitsmarishvili as Ambassador. (Note: Upon leaving the
observation room, the press asked the Ambassador about
Kitsmarishvili's "green light" allegations. The Ambassador
said unequivocally, "There was no green light." End note.)


9. (C) In a separate meeting with Davitaia on December 1,
Davitaia told the Ambassador that Kitsmarishvili's testimony
was intentionally provocative in order to grab headlines for
himself. Davitaia told the Ambassador that he had received
copies of Kitmarishvili's cables from Moscow, in which
essentially no substance was reported. Davitaia believed
that Kitsmarishvili spent much of his short time in Moscow
enhancing his own business interests with representatives
from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

REPORT DUE IN 10 DAYS, NEXT STEPS


10. (C) Davitaia told the Ambassador that the Commission
hopes to issue its report within 10 days. Davitaia said the
rport will include assessments of what happened, how the
government responded, and recommendations about what
structural and process improvements the government can put in
place to better respond to future crises. Davitaia has based
much of his commission's structure and approach on the USG
9/11 Commission. Davitaia is interested in further
understanding how the results of his Commission can be used
to strengthen the government of Georgia for the future.
TEFFT