ISRAEL: CAUTIOUS WITH GEORGIA

S E C R E T TEL AVIV 002172 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV MASS RU GG IS SUBJECT: ISRAEL: CAUTIOUS WITH GEORGIA REF: TEL AVIV 2030 Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (S) Summary: The GOI is continuing to take a cautious approach in its relations with Georgia. According to MFA Director for Export Controls Roey Gilad, the Israelis continue to review Georgian military assistance requests on a case-by-case basis, and have approved several defensive requests. Following several thinly veiled threats from Russian officials, however, Gilad said September 22 that the Israelis are concerned renewing arms sales and training to Tbilisi will result in Russian retaliation through the sale of more advanced weaponry to Iran and Syria. He requested confirmation that the USG has resumed training of Georgian combat forces serving in Iraq. End summary. ¶2. (S) Gilad noted the GOI was still reviewing Georgian requests for military assistance on a case-by-case basis. He said approved requests have been defensive in nature, including mine clearing equipment, body armor, and electronic distress signalers for downed pilots. Gilad suggested the GOI may provide Tbilisi with equipment to remove explosive remnants ofwar (ERWs),but hesitated to acknowledge Russian forces had use d cluster munitions in Georgia. 3 (S) Gilad reiterated the GOI's support for Georgia territorial integrity, and noted FM Livni's pubic statement on Russian television that Israel wuld not recognize Abkhazian or South Ossetian inependence (reftel). That said, Gilad suggested srael will likely pursue a "more cautious, defensive-oriented" policy with Georgia. He opined tha Georgian President Saakashvili had "overreached"; the GOI was worried that its provision of military assistance may have contributed to Saakashvili's miscalculation. Referring to the new Israeli government coalition formation process, Gilad doubted any resulting coalition would disagree with a cautious approach to Georgia. ¶4. (S) Gilad framed Israel's relationship with Georgia through a Moscow prism. The GOI is still concerned that Russia may opt to provide S-300 and Iskandr missile systems to Iran and Syria, he said. According to Gilad, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Sultanov recently told an Israeli delegation in Moscow that he hoped the GOI "had learned its lesson" with regard to providing arms and training to Tbilisi (Note: The Israeli delegation was preparing for a PM Olmert visit to Moscow that was subsequently canceled. End note). Gilad said Sultanov expected the Georgian military to rebuild, but admonished the GOI to "carefully choose" future military assistance decisions with respect to Georgia. Gilad said Sultanov and other Russian officials "could not have made their displeasure more clear," and asserted that Georgian forces had destroyed synagogues in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali -- an argument Gilad said the Israeli Ambassador to Georgia also has heard repeatedly. ¶5. (S) Israel also is concerned how the conflict with Georgia might influence Russian cooperation regarding Iran's nuclear intransigence. Gilad said several members of the recent Israeli delegation to Moscow had asked whether Moscow would abandon international efforts to curb Iran's nuclear program as a result of damaged relations with the USG and the EU. According to Gilad, Russian interlocutors emphatically rejected any linkage between Iran and the Georgian conflict. ¶6. (S) Gilad confirmed the Georgian government has requested a return to "business as usual," including the provision of arms and training. He said the Georgian Defense Minister had personally appealed to Israeli authorities to resume training for Georgian special forces, claiming that the USG had restarted training efforts for Georgian combat forces serving in Iraq. Gilad said the GOI would appreciate confirmation from Washington that such training has resumed. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** CUNNINGHAM