AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD'S MEETING WITH GEORGIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000802

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018
TAGS: PREL UNSC UNGA GG RS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD'S MEETING WITH GEORGIAN
PERMREP ALISANIA

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1.(C) Summary. Georgian PermRep Alisania discussed future
peacekeeping scenarios and plans for an UNGA debate on
Georgia with Ambassador Khalilzad on September 4. Alasania
believes the United Nations Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) will
need to be reconfigured. It is important that international
peacekeepers have the ability to move freely throughout the
conflict zone. Georgia plans to call for a General Assembly
debate as early as mid-September on the question of Russia's
unilateral recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Alasania understands the need to have many speakers lined up
to support Georgia in a debate, and he asked Khalilzad for
U.S. assistance to ensure support. Georgia also understands
that NATO membership is not on the horizon, but is interested
in an "enhanced relationship" with the U.S.. Georgia also
plans to develop closer relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan and
other GUAM members to counter the Russian threat. End Summary.

2.(C) Georgian PermRep Irakli Alisania told Ambassador
Khalilzad on September 4, that he believes UNOMIG will need
to be reconfigured based on the new realities in Georgia.
Alasania stressed the importance for any peacekeeping mission
to have the autonomous ability to move around throughout
Georgia. Since UNOMIG already has a UN mandate, Alasania
thought an immediate option for an enhanced presence would be
to increase the number of UNOMIG observers. Since the mandate
will expire on October 15, Alasania agreed with a UN
preference for extending the mandate for two to three months
to give the Council time to rethink the whole peacekeeping
presence.

3.(C) Ambassador Alasania plans to call for an open debate in
the General Assembly as early as next week on Russia's
unilateral recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as
independent countries. Georgia has no plans to submit a
resolution as part of the debate. Georgia also has decided
against following Serbia's example and seeking a referral of
South Ossetian and Abkhaz independence to the International
Court of Justice. Ambassador Khalilzad encouraged Ambassador
Alasania to ensure that there were many speakers lined up to
support Georgia in an UNGA debate. Alasania said he
understood the need to have overwhelming support, and that he
had already received assurances of support from some Baltic
countries, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey and other European
countries. He asked for United States assistance to engage
other countries to speak at an UNGA debate.

4.(C) Thanking Ambassador Khalilzad for the package of
assistance announced by the Secretary and the White House on
September 3, and for the visit of Vice President Cheney on
September 4, Alasania outlined Georgia's strategy to address
its security needs. Given the reality that NATO membership
was not in the cards for Georgia in the immediate future,
Alasania said Georgia was seeking a special relationship with
the U.S. similar to the relationship between the U.S. and
Israel. Georgia also planned to develop robust regional
relations with Turkey and GUAM members, Azerbaijan and
Ukraine. Georgia also understood it needed to strengthen its
relationship with the EU, and with Germany in particular, as
the latter relationship had suffered somewhat in recent
years, possibly due to poor chemistry between Saakashvili and
Chancellor Merkel. He said, over time Georgia will need to
open a channel to Russia as well. He believes whenever this
happens, it would have to be in coordination with the U.S.
and Germany.

5.(C) Alasania also said he believed there would soon be a
change in leadership in Georgia, as President Saakashvili
would be held to account for the electorate for his actions
against Russia.
Khalilzad