GEORGIA: RUSSIA'S RECOGNITION "REGRETTABLE"

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002363 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV RU GG JA SUBJECT: GEORGIA: RUSSIA'S RECOGNITION "REGRETTABLE" REF: STATE 91894 Classified By: James P. Zumwalt, Charge d'Affaires, a.i., per 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) In discussing reftel points with Embassy Tokyo August 28, MOFA Caucasus Division Director Shigeyuki Shimamori echoed FM Koumura's statement August 27 that Russia's unilateral recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia contravenes international efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and is regrettable. Japan supports a peaceful solution based on the principle of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the ceasefire agreement. Japan strongly expects Russia to "act responsibly" as a member of the G8, FM Koumura's statement added. ¶2. (C) Russia's Charge has called on MOFA Europe DG Tanizaki several times since the conflict began, most recently August 27 to discuss Russia's recognition of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia, Shimamori continued. The Russian Charge argued that "genocide was taking place, like in Kosovo" and that to restore stability and protect innocents, Russia had to recognize the two territories. DG Tanizaki rejected this line of argument, Shimamori noted, and stressed to the Russian Charge the contents of FM Koumura's statement. ¶3. (C) MOFA is still considering what to do about Russia, particularly the visits later this year of PM Putin and FM Lavrov, Shimamori said. The debate within MOFA is between those who would punish Russia by excluding it from the G8 and downgrading contacts, and those who would continue to engage Moscow to try to shape its behavior. The situation is changing every day, Shimamori said, and actions like the recognition of the two territories "have a big impact on our discussions." ZUMWALT