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