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