GEORGIA:UN PLANNING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000807

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2018
TAGS: PREL RS GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA:UN PLANNING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM

Classified By: Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

1.(C) Summary. SRSG-designate Johan Verbeke outlined
Department of Political Affairs (DPA) views on the future UN
presence in Georgia. Verbeke is concerned that if the EU
agrees to accept Russian proposals that international
observers should deploy only on the Georgian side of the
security zones along the Abkhazia and South Ossetian
boundaries, it will be very difficult to convince Russia at a
later date to allow an international mechanism within
Abkhazia and South Ossetia proper. Verbeke, instead, wanted
to push for international observers to be deployed on both
sides of the boundaries. Verbeke also said DPA is concerned
that the fact-finding mission called for by the U.S. France,
and others at the August 28 Security Council meeting needed
to keep a low profile, in order to achieve buy-in from
Russia. The UN may suggest a 2-3 month rollover of the UNOMIG
mission, while the Security Council determines the way
forward for the mission. Verbeke will travel to Moscow on
September 8 to consult with Russia on UN plans in Georgia.
End Summary.

Security Arrangements
--------------

2.(C) SRSG-designate for the United Nations Mission in
Georgia (UNOMIG) Johan Verbeke told Ambassador DiCarlo on
September 5 he was concerned that the EU's apparent readiness
to accept Russia's terms for the EU monitoring presence in
Georgia --specifically, that the 200 proposed EU monitors
would only be permitted to deploy on the Georgian side of the
boundary with Abkhazia and South Ossetia-- would lead to de
facto borders. Verbeke understood the urgent need to deploy
the international mechanism in order to precipitate the
Russian withdrawal, but he called acceptance of the Russian
terms "short sighted". If international monitors were only
to be deployed on the Georgian side of the boundaries with
Abkhaz and South Ossetian sides and only Russian monitors
were to be deployed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia proper, the
situation would be frozen. Verbeke believed that the West
should focus more attention on achieving an international
mechanism within Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

3.(C) Verbeke believes international monitors are needed on
both sides of the boundaries. An international protective
force is needed as well in areas within Abkhazia and South
Ossetia where Georgian populations are concentrated, such as
the town of Gali in Abkhazia. Verbeke thought Russia would
continue to refuse access to international monitors within
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but said also, "we can't sit back
and let them get away with it". He suggested that perhaps a
formula could be worked out to allow a limited number of
Russian monitors on the Georgian side of the boundary and an
equal number of international monitors on the Abkhaz side.

UNOMIG Reconfiguration
--------------

4.(C) Verbeke confirmed the UN is looking at a two to three
month technical roll-over of the UNOMIG mandate when it
expires on October 15, as a way to give the Security Council
time to decide on the future of UNOMIG. Verbeke was not
certain how Moscow would react to a rollover request, but he
did not rule out the possibility that Moscow might go along
with it. The downside of a technical rollover of the mandate,
would be that the return of refugees and IDPs would not be
addressed. He pointed out that the six-point cease-fire
agreement also did not refer to IDP returns, which would make
it more difficult to address these in an international
context.

5.(C) Verbeke suggested it would be preferable to have a UN
mandate for all of the international efforts, with the UN
playing a coordinating, "umbrella", role over EU and OSCE
activities, but he understood that this was unlikely. The EU
wanted a UN mandate for its planned mission, but made clear
that it planned to operate autonomously in Georgia. NOTE. In
a separate conversation with Ambassador DiCarlo on February
5, Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe
said that DPA would like Verbeke to head the UN's notional
umbrella mission in Georgia, with two Deputy SRSGs-- one for
the UNOMIG mission in Abkhazia and one that would provide
coordination for the EU and OSCE efforts. Like Verbeke,
Pascoe believed the concept would not likely come to
fruition, since the EU was opposed to UN oversight of its
mission. END NOTE.

UN Assessment Mission
--------------
6.(C) Referring to the UN fact-finding mission on human
rights and humanitarian issues called for by the French, U.S.
and others at the August 28 Security Council meeting, Verbeke

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said that the Secretary General was committed to establishing
the facts about potential human rights violations by parties
to the conflict and assessing the needs of internally
displaced persons (IDPs). However, Verbeke said it was in the
interest of the UN to downplay the public profile of the
mission in order to achieve Russian approval for the mission
to gain access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Once the
mission is on the ground, it could establish the facts
related to claims of human rights abuses.

Travel to Moscow
--------------
7.(C) Verbeke said he planned to travel to Moscow on
September 8 to discuss the UN role in Georgia with the
Russian side. He had suggested to Moscow that he delay his
trip until after the EU Troika meetings, but his Russian
interlocutors said they were prepared to meet him.
Khalilzad