400 RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE RAILWAY ENGINEERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 000920 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS GG SUBJECT: 400 RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE RAILWAY ENGINEERS ENTER ABKHAZIA Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: On Saturday, May 31, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze informed the Ambassador that ten trainloads of Russian construction troops had entered Abkhazia to begin reconstruction of the railroad at Dranda, north of Sukhumi. Russia did not notify the Georgian government in advance of the deployment, he said, nor are they attached to the (entirely Russian) CIS peacekeeping mission in Abkhazia. Vashadze noted that these troops were also road construction experts, and could be used to upgrade the road between Sukhumi and Upper Kodori Gorge, making it easier for Russian troops to advance into the Georgian-controlled Gorge. Vashadze said that the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the move is a humanitarian gesture, but Georgia sees the move as the next step in Russia's military occupation of Abkhazia. The Georgian Foreign Ministry later issued a statement condemning the move, calling it an "act of open aggression." End summary. Russia deploys 400 MOD engineers to Abkhazia -------------- ¶2. (C) On May 31, in a move that drew strong and immediate Georgian condemnation, Russia deployed approximately 400 Ministry of Defense engineers to Abkhazia. Deputy Foreign Minister Vashadze called the Ambassador on May 31 to inform him of the Russian move. Vashadze said the Georgian government had received no prior notification from Russia about the deployment, nor are they attached to the (entirely Russian) CIS peacekeeping mission in Abkhazia. Vashadze thought the Russian deployment represented the next step toward a Russian military occupation of Abkhazia. He added that the Russian troops were also road construction experts, and Georgian intelligence sources believe that they are there to improve the highway from Sukhumi to the Upper Kodori Gorge. This, he speculated, would make it easier for Russian troops to advance into the Georgian-controlled Gorge. ¶3. (U) The Georgian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on May 31 condemning the Russian move, calling it an "act of open aggression." The statement said the additional Russian troop deployment, being outside the framework of the CIS peacekeeping mission, constituted a blatant violation of international law and accused Russia of carrying out a blatant annexation of Georgian territory. The statement demanded Russia immediately withdraw the troops from Abkhazia and noted that Russia would be fully responsible for any escalation of tension or clashes resulting from the deployment. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Russia continues to raise the stakes in Abkhazia in an apparent attempt to push Georgian patience to the breaking point and beyond. The Russian troop deployment, coming a day after Georgian Ambassador to the UN, Irakli Alasania, announced that Georgia is conditionally suspending all unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights over Abkhazia (a key Abkhaz and Russian concern) threatens to derail efforts to build upon President Saakashvili's peace proposal for Abkhazia in direct talks between the sides. Georgian hard-liners will likely see the Russian move as yet another manifestation of Russia's "creeping annexation" of Abkhazia, Russia's hold growing stronger with each additional deployment of troops. TEFFT