NATO SECRETARY GENERAL REJECTS THE RUSSIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000301 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2017 TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS GG RS SUBJECT: NATO SECRETARY GENERAL REJECTS THE RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA ¶1. (U) The NATO Secretary General issued the following rejection of Russian President Medvedev,s statement recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on August 26. Perm Reps will discuss a possible North Atlantic Council (NAC) statement in their August 27 meeting. ¶2. (U) Begin Text I reject the decision of the Russian Government to extend recognition to the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia. This is in direct violation of numerous UN Security Council resolutions regarding Georgia,s territorial integrity, resolutions that Russia itself has endorsed. Russia,s actions in recent weeks call into question Russia,s commitment to peace and security in the Caucasus. NATO firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and calls on Russia to respect these principles. End text ¶3. (C) Private Office sources inform USNATO that they intend to draw on the above statement in preparing the North Atlantic Council (NAC) statement which will be submitted to PermReps for approval at the meeting of the NAC tomorrow, Wednesday, August 27. USNATO has encouraged them to reiterate calls for Russia to completely withdraw from Georgia and abide by the terms of the ceasefire brokered by French President Sarkozy. VOLKER