CODEL PRICE MEETS GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000346 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS H FOR CODEL PRICE, DEPT FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM OVIP KDEM GG SUBJECT: CODEL PRICE MEETS GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS, OPPOSITION REF: TBILISI 188 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On February 23-24 members of the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) visited Tbilisi to support democratic reform and fair elections. CODEL Price met with ruling National Movement MPs and Parliament staff over dinner and, on February 24, met with opposition leaders from five parties. Congressman Price made brief remarks to the press on the purpose of his visit. With both the majority MPs and the opposition, Congressman Price reiterated the United States' support and encouragement in developing democracy in Georgia. He also stressed the need for a "truly free and democratic" parliamentary election this Spring. CODEL members encouraged the majority and opposition to continue talking and work out their differences in Parliament, rather than with street protests. Finally, Price assured both sides that the HDAC would continue its support of Georgia's Parliament and would visit again after the new Parliament was seated. End Summary. -------------- Dinner with the MPs -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Jemal Inaishvili, hosted CODEL Price and the Ambassador to a traditional Georgian dinner on February 23. Additional attendees included: -- MP Mrs. Nino Nakashidze, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration; -- MP Mr. George Tsereteli, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Healthcare and Social Issues, and Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the USA; -- MP Mr. George Gegelashvili, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Healthcare and Social Issues; -- MP Mr. Zurab Davitashvili; -- Mr. Temur Murghulia, Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament; -- Mrs. Nana Chkoidze, Head of the International Relations Department of the Parliament; -- Ms. Tina Narsia, Head of Division of the Research Department of the Parliament. ¶3. (SBU) During the dinner, Congressman Price reiterated the United States' support and encouragement in developing democracy in Georgia. He reaffirmed HDAC's desire to continue working with and strengthening Georgia's Parliament. He said Parliament should be a representative and influential body in the Georgian government. He also stressed the need for a truly fair and democratic electoral process during this Spring's parliamentary elections. CODEL members encouraged the majority MPs to continue talking with the opposition and work out their differences in Parliament, rather than protesting on the street. -------------- Coffee with the Opposition -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On February 24, CODEL Price met with five leaders of different opposition parties. Attendees included: -- MP Mr. David Gamkrelidze, Chairman of the New Rightists; -- MP Mr. Zurab Tkemeladze, Chairman of the Industrialists; -- MP Mr. Kakha Kukava, Current Chair of Democratic Front faction in Parliament, Conservative Party; -- Mr. David Usupashvili, Chairman of the Republican Party; -- Ms. Sophie Jajanashvili, representing Salome Zourabichvili and Georgia's Way party. (Note: MP Levan Gachechiladze, leader of the United National Council of Opposition (UNC) and former presidential candidate, was unable to attend. End Note.) ¶5. (SBU) Gamkrelidze opened the opposition's presentation to CODEL Price. Gamkrelidze said that some of the united opposition's recent demands put forth to the government (reftel) are being negotiated, but none are yet solved. The opposition agreed that continued democratic development of Georgia depends on the government's response and the results of these negotiations. Gamkrelidze noted "a peaceful transfer of power in Georgia's government has never taken place as the result of elections." Consequently, he said, people do not trust elections. The key, according to Gamkrelidze, is to ensure "not just free, but fair" parliamentary elections this Spring. ¶6. (SBU) Each opposition leader addressed the congressmen. TBILISI 00000346 002 OF 002 All focused on the opposition's belief that democratic institutions and safeguards on personal liberty are lacking in Georgia. Areas of concern included: -- The reported lack of true justice and an independent judiciary; -- A perceived inability to influence the government in the face of the ruling party's constitutional current super-majority; -- Election issues, including the still unannounced date for the election, the proposed "majoritarian" system, and the composition of the election commissions at all levels; -- The alleged use of administrative resources and law enforcement to influence the January 5 election with the willful consent of President Saakashvili; -- The forced closure of opposition-oriented Imedi TV in November 2007, and alleged government efforts "to co-opt the ownership and/or force opposition journalists out;" -- Alleged wiretaps of all opposition politicians' phone conversations by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with no judicial or legal recourse; -- Concern over Saakashvili's recent meeting with Russian President Putin at the CIS Summit on February 21, and rumors of a "deal" which could threaten Georgia's independence from its Northern neighbor; -- The need (and one of the opposition's demands) for a bi-partisan Parliamentary committee for oversight of law enforcement activities. ¶7. (SBU) The opposition leaders agreed "that the elections must be done in a just manner." Usupashvili said this would allow Parliament to restore "some influence and balance in the government," whereas it is now dominated by the executive branch. Such a development, said Usupashvili, would "help Georgia become a real democracy." ¶8. (SBU) On a different note, Tkemeladze said he believes not all of the opposition parties should run as one group (e.g. on a single United National Council of Opposition party list),nor should they run individually. Rather, he thinks several opposition parties should run together on several party lists. ¶9. (SBU) The phone tapping issue was a main concern of the opposition leaders. Usupashvili told the CODEL that most people believe their phones are tapped. He said the MOIA runs the wiretapping program entirely, and the Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice are subject to Minister of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili. Gamkrelidze alleged that the government shows the tapes of opposition politicians' conversations on TV "to create a culture of fear among the people, so they will do the government's will." Gamkrelidze said no judicial oversight or legal recourse exists regarding the wiretaps. (Note: The Ambassador explained that he has spoken with the government about it, and the situation has gotten somewhat better since the November political confrontation. End note.) Gamkrelidze pointed out that the opposition's demand for a bi-partisan Parliamentary law enforcement oversight committee is designed to address just this type of issue. ¶10. (SBU) In response to the opposition presentations, members of the CODEL acknowledged that it is difficult to work as the opposition. Still, they said it is better if Parliament, rather than the street, can serve as a forum to resolve differences. The CODEL members agreed that the questions of Imedi's ownership, wiretapped conversations, and free elections are important to Georgia's democratic development. The congressmen reaffirmed that they are committed to working with Georgia's Parliament to strengthen and improve it as a representative, influential body. They said the HDAC hopes to visit Georgia in the coming year, after the new Parliament is seated. ¶11. (U) CODEL Price has cleared this cable. TEFFT