MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED DEMANDING RUSSIAN

UNCLAS VALLETTA 000350 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED CAPTION) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: GG MOPS NATO OSCE PHUM PREL RS UN MT SUBJECT: MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED DEMANDING RUSSIAN WITHDRAWAL FROM GORI REF: SECSTATE 87098 ¶1. (SBU) On the afternoon of August 13, Ambassador Bordonaro raised reftel points with Maltese FM Tonio Borg, urging Malta to engage the Russian government about continued reports of Russian military activity around Gori, and to urge Russia to investigate and end any possible ongoing atrocities in South Ossetia and Gori, and to allow international inspections of, and assistance to, both areas. ¶2. (SBU) FM Borg said he fully concurred with the message, particularly the need to end any atrocities and allow immediate access. Noting that EU FM's would meet in two weeks' time in Avignon, he said he had already heard that Georgia would be the top agenda item. When the Ambassador asked whether FM Borg planned to press the Russian Ambassador to Malta on these points he was non-commital but generally positive, reiterating the importance of the matter to Malta and to the E.U. BORDONARO