AUSTRIAN FM DISCUSSES GEORGIA IN MOSCOW

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001346 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL RU GG AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN FM DISCUSSES GEORGIA IN MOSCOW Classified by: Economic-Political Counselor J. Dean Yap for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: The Georgia crisis dominated FM Plassnik's September 8-9 official visit to Moscow. Plassnik emphasized to Russian FM Lavrov that the GOA and EU view the mediation process as a step toward the goal of restoring Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and would continue to object to Russia's decision to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Lavrov said he welcomed the EU's mediation efforts and averred that Russia would withdraw forces once EU observers were in place. He said Russia would maintain enough forces in South Ossetia/Abkhazia "to deter further Georgian aggression." End Summary. ¶2. (U) Franz-Josef Kuglitsch, MFA director for the South Caucasus and Southeast Europe, told us September 11 that Plassnik's official visit, scheduled in May, was originally intended to provide the FM with her first opportunity to discuss bilateral issues with her Russian counterpart since the establishment of the new Russian government. In the event, the Georgia crisis dominated her three-hour meeting with Lavrov. The atmosphere was cordial, but both sides stuck to their conflicting positions on Georgia, Kuglitsch said. ¶3. (C) According to Kuglitsch, Lavrov praised the EU and the French for their mediation efforts following the conflict in Georgia. He said Russia welcomed the EU decision to send 200 observers to Georgia. Russia would withdraw forces once the EU observers were in place. Plassnik replied that the EU was committed to sending observers as part of its mediation efforts, emphasizing that EU member states would determine the parameters of the observer mission (Note: According to Kuglitsch, this was meant as a rebuttal to Russian arguments that the observers should be placed under an OSCE umbrella. End Note). ¶4. (C) Lavrov asserted that Russia would maintain a troop presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia in order to "deter further Georgian aggression." He said Russia would consult with the governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to determine the required number of troops. (Note: Shortly after the meeting, Russia announced that it would maintain 3,800 troops in each of the two provinces. End Note). Lavrov said he was open to the idea of a continued UN and OSCE presence in Georgia, but he did not clarify whether Russia would allow UN/OSCE access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Kuglitsch said. ¶5. (U) Plassnik averred that the GOA, as well as the EU, viewed the observer mission and the mediation process as steps toward the ultimate goal of restoring Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. She emphasized that there remained fundamental differences between the EU and Russia concerning the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. ¶6. (C) Lavrov maintained that Russia was not opposed to an international investigation of the events surrounding the Georgia conflict, as long as the investigation were "objective." He said humanitarian aid could be delivered from Georgia proper, as long as prior approval was obtained from Moscow. Plassnik insisted that the borders between Georgia proper and South Ossetia/Abkhazia must be open. ¶7. (U) Before returning to Vienna September 9, Plassnik attended a ceremony in a Moscow cemetery involving the unveiling of a memorial for 104 Austrian victims of the Stalin regime in the 1950s. GIRARD-DICARLO