DEMARCHE DELIVERED - RESOLVING KOSOVO,S STATUS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 000067 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL GG SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED - RESOLVING KOSOVO,S STATUS IN EARLY 2008 - GEORGIA WORRIES ABOUT RUSSIAN RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 01087 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) DCM delivered demarche as requested by reftel to Deputy Foreign Minister Gogi Manjgaladze on January 15. Manjgaladze welcomed the update on the anticipated process and timing for resolving Kosovo,s status. Manjgaladze said the MFA has not yet formulated a plan for how to respond to a Kosovar declaration of independence and noted that Georgia is in a unique position considering Russia,s threat to respond by recognizing declarations of independence by the separatist authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. ¶2. (C) Manjgaladze said the political situation in Moscow is very dynamic, making it difficult to judge whether Russia would deliver on its threat. The Georgians are especially concerned in the current environment, where Russia judges that its aggressive policy has succeeded in driving Georgia to political crisis and weakening the government. According to Manjgaladze, the perception of weakness in Georgia could encourage Moscow to further efforts to destabilize Georgia, possibly including recognition of independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia. ¶3. (C) Manjgaladze said Georgia would welcome actions from the U.S. and Europe to discourage Russia from recognizing independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the wake of U.S. recognition of Kosovo. First, he encouraged the U.S. and European countries to prepare a clear statement to be delivered at the highest level against destabilizing the situation in the Caucasus by recognizing independence of separatist regions in Georgia. Second, Manjgaladze requested that the U.S. support adoption at the UN of the GUAM Resolution on Protracted Conflicts. He said our active support for the resolution would send a strong signal on the principle of territorial integrity in the frozen conflicts of Georgia and other GUAM member states. TEFFT