TBILISI EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING - APRIL

UNCLAS TBILISI 000692

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS/IP/EUR, DS/IP/ITA; YEREVAN, BAKU, AND ANKARA
FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC GG
SUBJECT: TBILISI EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING - APRIL
22, 2008

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) Tensions have increased during the past couple of
weeks due to Russian provocative actions toward Georgia. In
particular, the Russian President has directed ministries to
begin working with de facto authorities in the separatist
regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in violation of
Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity. On April 20,
a Georgian unmanned aerial reconnaissance aircraft was shot
down in Georgian airspace over Abkhazia, and Georgia has
publicly accused Russia of military aggression.


2. (SBU) On April 22, 2008 the Emergency Action Committee
(EAC) convened to discuss the situation. DCM, RSO, MSG, DAO,
MGT, PC, USAID, POL/MIL, POL/ECON, IMO, CONS, and PAO were in
attendance.


3. (SBU) Although it was acknowledged that the recent
incidents increase the potential for drawdown, it was agreed
that no imminent larger scale conflict is likely in the short
term. However, given the potential for escalation or
retaliation, the EAC decided to hold weekly EAC meetings,
review the Georgian-Russian conflict tripwires for
sufficiency, and begin other sensible preparations in case of
a drawdown or evacuation.


4. (SBU) It was also mentioned that the quarterly update of
the EAP is under way, and that we need to coordinate with US
Embassy Yerevan regarding the logistics of an evacuation to
Armenia if the need arises. While the Sadaklo border
crossing into Armenia is the closest to Tbilisi, the EAC
determined that the border crossing near Dimenisi should be
visited and evaluated as an alternative.
TEFFT