GEORGIA: SRSG DESIGNATE VERBEKE ALARMED AT NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000819 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018 TAGS: PREL RS GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: SRSG DESIGNATE VERBEKE ALARMED AT NEW GEORGIA AGREEMENT Classified By: Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 1.(C) Summary. SRSG-designate for the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),Johan Verbeke, told Ambassador DiCarlo he concluded that Russia viewed the September 8 Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement as a mechanism to make the EU monitoring mission a "guarantor" of Georgia's pledge not to use force. Moscow is ready, in principle, for returns of Georgians to Abkhazia and would consider expanded UN involvement there in humanitarian issues-- provided UNOMIG were renamed to reflect Abkhazia's independence. Verbeke's Russian interlocutors were also ready to consider a UN fact-finding mission for South Ossetia, but would want to consider the terms of reference before giving their assent. Verbeke expressed concern that the U.S. needed to be more forceful in challenging what he considers the misplaced conceptual arrangements that have been agreed to by the EU and Moscow. End Summary. 2.(C) On September 11, the Secretary General's Special Representative-designate for UNOMIG, Johan Verbeke, gave Ambassador DiCarlo and poloff a readout of his September 8 meetings in Moscow with Foreign Minister Lavrov, Deputy FM Karasin, MP Konstantin Kosachev and others. Verbeke is concerned that the arrangements that had been agreed to in Moscow would put the UN, EU, and OSCE monitors in the position of serving as a buffer between Georgia and new defacto borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He noted U.S. silence on the agreed security arrangements and plans for an October 15 meeting in Geneva, and said he was hoping to get more clarity on U.S. views of the future UN role in both places. 3.(C) Verbeke said FM Lavrov had made clear that the EU and OSCE should maintain a "credible presence" of military monitors in the security zones outside of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to protect against Georgian aggression. Russia did not see the need to increase the international presence in South Ossetia by adding UN monitors. For Abkhazia, the Russians want a credible presence of UNOMIG and EU monitors and police on the Georgian side of the boundary with Abkhazia. DFM Karasin suggested that the area of operation ought to expand to include the entire boundary between Abkhazia and Georgia. For Abkhazia, DFM Karasin did not rule out a unified mission with the EU operating under a UN umbrella when Verbeke raised it. For both missions (OSCE-EU and UN-EU),Russia thought the organizations should coordinate modalities of their cooperation. 4.(C) Lavrov told Verbeke that the UN Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) would have to have a different name to reflect that it was operating in an independent Abkhazia. Likewise, he saw a different role for the UN in Abkhazia going forward. The FM thought the new role should be focused on humanitarian, reconstruction, economic and social issues, as opposed to the monitoring role that the UN currently has. DFM Karasin said to Verbeke that Russia wanted a multi-ethnic Abkhazia and wanted Georgians to return to their homes in the Gali district. The de facto Abkhaz authorities, Verbeke believes, want the UN to remain. He said this was confirmed by a brief conversation he had had with de facto Foreign Minister Shamba in Moscow, when they bumped into each other between meetings. 5.(C) Verbeke raised the proposed UN fact-finding mission in South Ossetia on humanitarian and human rights issues with his Russian interlocutors. They questioned the added value of such a mission, since the Council of Europe, the Red Cross, and the Swiss had already undertaken missions. The Russians said they would consider it, but would need to take a look at the terms of reference before making a decision. 6.(C) Lavrov did not rule out a ministerial on Georgia at the UNGA, though Russia would not ask for one. Lavrov made clear that Russia expected to have representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia "associated" with such a meeting. 7.(C) Verbeke said Russia is comfortable with the EU leading the international discussions to be held in Geneva. Given the absence of other parties weighing in on the issue, Verbeke thought that the UN would have a minimal role. Ambassador DiCarlo noted that the United States was still discussing the parameters for international discussions with the EU. 8.(C) Verbeke raised concerns with DiCarlo that the U.S. has not been more vocal in challenging the conceptual relationship of the EU monitors as guarantors of Georgian non-aggression. Verbeke (protect) believed that the agreement was flawed, in that it protects Russia's interests but not those of Georgia. Khalilzad