Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TBILISI567
2008-04-04 13:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:
GEORGIA REACTS POSITIVELY TO NATO SUMMIT OUTCOME
how-toVZCZCXRO3655 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSI #0567 0951348 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 041348Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9228 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS TBILISI 000567
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA REACTS POSITIVELY TO NATO SUMMIT OUTCOME
UNCLAS TBILISI 000567
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA REACTS POSITIVELY TO NATO SUMMIT OUTCOME
1. Although Georgia did not receive a Membership Action (MAP) at the
NATO summit in Bucharest, top Georgian officials have lauded the
results as a major success, pointing to language in the April 3
summit communique that Georgia and Ukraine "will become members of
NATO." In a broadcast from Bucharest, a visibly pleased President
Saakashvili termed the document a "crossing of the Rubicon by
Georgia," in which NATO members in support of Georgia had prevailed
in a "life and death struggle" against the skeptics. Saakashvili
said that while MAP is "a pledge that if you pass through the action
plan well, you may become a member of NATO," the communique is a
"direct commitment by NATO that Georgia and Ukraine will become
members of the alliance." Saakashvili expressed certainty that
Georgia would be a member of NATO "much sooner" than the end of his
presidential term in five years.
2. Foreign Minister David Bakradze also commented that Georgia
received something more than MAP: a pledge that Georgia will join
the alliance. Bakradze said the language in the communique marked
an "absolutely new stage in relations between us and NATO" and is
"determinant for Georgia's future."
3. Initial reaction from opposition figures and the Georgian media
to the Bucharest summit focused on the decision not to give Georgia
MAP, which was reported earlier than the release of the communique.
Several opposition party leaders blamed the Georgian government for
losing MAP due to a failure to fulfill commitments to democracy.
Respondents to an unscientific survey conducted during the popular
night talk show of Rustavi-2 TV on April 3 focused on other
explanations: about 65 percent identified the Russia factor as the
reason for NATO's refusal to grant MAP to Georgia, 33 percent
pointed to the separatist conflicts, and only 2 percent identified
lack of democracy as the primary obstacle. During the day April 4,
Georgian media began highlighting statements from U.S. officials on
the positive language in the communique, and it is likely that the
reaction in Georgia to the summit will shift as the importance of
the communique sinks in.
TEFFT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA REACTS POSITIVELY TO NATO SUMMIT OUTCOME
1. Although Georgia did not receive a Membership Action (MAP) at the
NATO summit in Bucharest, top Georgian officials have lauded the
results as a major success, pointing to language in the April 3
summit communique that Georgia and Ukraine "will become members of
NATO." In a broadcast from Bucharest, a visibly pleased President
Saakashvili termed the document a "crossing of the Rubicon by
Georgia," in which NATO members in support of Georgia had prevailed
in a "life and death struggle" against the skeptics. Saakashvili
said that while MAP is "a pledge that if you pass through the action
plan well, you may become a member of NATO," the communique is a
"direct commitment by NATO that Georgia and Ukraine will become
members of the alliance." Saakashvili expressed certainty that
Georgia would be a member of NATO "much sooner" than the end of his
presidential term in five years.
2. Foreign Minister David Bakradze also commented that Georgia
received something more than MAP: a pledge that Georgia will join
the alliance. Bakradze said the language in the communique marked
an "absolutely new stage in relations between us and NATO" and is
"determinant for Georgia's future."
3. Initial reaction from opposition figures and the Georgian media
to the Bucharest summit focused on the decision not to give Georgia
MAP, which was reported earlier than the release of the communique.
Several opposition party leaders blamed the Georgian government for
losing MAP due to a failure to fulfill commitments to democracy.
Respondents to an unscientific survey conducted during the popular
night talk show of Rustavi-2 TV on April 3 focused on other
explanations: about 65 percent identified the Russia factor as the
reason for NATO's refusal to grant MAP to Georgia, 33 percent
pointed to the separatist conflicts, and only 2 percent identified
lack of democracy as the primary obstacle. During the day April 4,
Georgian media began highlighting statements from U.S. officials on
the positive language in the communique, and it is likely that the
reaction in Georgia to the summit will shift as the importance of
the communique sinks in.
TEFFT