Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YEREVAN645
2008-08-13 13:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
REFUGEES FROM GEORGIA-RUSSIA CONFLICT WELL
how-toVZCZCXRO9573 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHYE #0645 2261329 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131329Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7889 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE// PRIORITY
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000645
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PBTS CASC PGOV PREL UNHCR GG RU AM
SUBJECT: REFUGEES FROM GEORGIA-RUSSIA CONFLICT WELL
PROVIDED FOR IN ARMENIA
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000645
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PBTS CASC PGOV PREL UNHCR GG RU AM
SUBJECT: REFUGEES FROM GEORGIA-RUSSIA CONFLICT WELL
PROVIDED FOR IN ARMENIA
1. Post has assidiuously followed the situation of refugees
who fled Georgia into Armenia as a result of the
Russian-Georgian conflict. UNHCR reports that about 5,000
non-Armenian citizens crossed into Armenia as a result of the
conflict. UNHCR estimates that about 60 percent of those
individuals are of Armenian heritage/ethnicity, with many
holding Georgian or Russian citizenship and passports. A
sizeable majority of ethnic-Armenian refugees who fled into
Armenia from Georgia have a pre-existing support network in
the form of relatives or friends willing to house them. There
is also a population of Georgians, predominantly from Gori
and South Ossetia, who have successfully found temporary
lodging in hotels. UNHCR is not/not currently providing any
emergency services to refugees from Georgia, for lack of
demand. UNHCR hastens to point out, however, that many
refugees are poorly prepared for an extended stay. Hotel
costs can quickly mount and many packed few belongings in
their haste to leave Georgia. Thus, UNHCR predicts that,
should instability in Georgia be protracted, a refugee
population in need of more active help may well emerge. Two
Georgian families have reportedly applied for formal
refugee/protection status, and those cases are being
processed.
2. A conoff who spent both August 11 and 13 at the main
Bagratashen border crossing reports that the inflow of people
from Georgia to Armenia has slowed to almost nil, while there
is brisk traffic crossing back northward into Georgia.
Lufthansa and BMI airlines are reportedly adding some flights
from Yerevan to Western Europe, while Armavia is reportedly
mulling additional flights to Moscow and the North Caucasus
to meet increased demand. These factors may soon alleviate
the acute crunch in Yerevan hotel availability, presuming
that the security situation in Georgia continues to improve.
3. The Migration Agency director informed emboffs August 12
that his agency is providing some services to the relatively
few conflict refugees who arrived without lodging or means of
support. He also reported that a problem that briefly arose
about persons arriving at the Armenian border without travel
documents had been solved, at his order, with an
administrative procedure to enable the refugees to enter
without passports on an emergency basis.
PENNINGTON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PBTS CASC PGOV PREL UNHCR GG RU AM
SUBJECT: REFUGEES FROM GEORGIA-RUSSIA CONFLICT WELL
PROVIDED FOR IN ARMENIA
1. Post has assidiuously followed the situation of refugees
who fled Georgia into Armenia as a result of the
Russian-Georgian conflict. UNHCR reports that about 5,000
non-Armenian citizens crossed into Armenia as a result of the
conflict. UNHCR estimates that about 60 percent of those
individuals are of Armenian heritage/ethnicity, with many
holding Georgian or Russian citizenship and passports. A
sizeable majority of ethnic-Armenian refugees who fled into
Armenia from Georgia have a pre-existing support network in
the form of relatives or friends willing to house them. There
is also a population of Georgians, predominantly from Gori
and South Ossetia, who have successfully found temporary
lodging in hotels. UNHCR is not/not currently providing any
emergency services to refugees from Georgia, for lack of
demand. UNHCR hastens to point out, however, that many
refugees are poorly prepared for an extended stay. Hotel
costs can quickly mount and many packed few belongings in
their haste to leave Georgia. Thus, UNHCR predicts that,
should instability in Georgia be protracted, a refugee
population in need of more active help may well emerge. Two
Georgian families have reportedly applied for formal
refugee/protection status, and those cases are being
processed.
2. A conoff who spent both August 11 and 13 at the main
Bagratashen border crossing reports that the inflow of people
from Georgia to Armenia has slowed to almost nil, while there
is brisk traffic crossing back northward into Georgia.
Lufthansa and BMI airlines are reportedly adding some flights
from Yerevan to Western Europe, while Armavia is reportedly
mulling additional flights to Moscow and the North Caucasus
to meet increased demand. These factors may soon alleviate
the acute crunch in Yerevan hotel availability, presuming
that the security situation in Georgia continues to improve.
3. The Migration Agency director informed emboffs August 12
that his agency is providing some services to the relatively
few conflict refugees who arrived without lodging or means of
support. He also reported that a problem that briefly arose
about persons arriving at the Armenian border without travel
documents had been solved, at his order, with an
administrative procedure to enable the refugees to enter
without passports on an emergency basis.
PENNINGTON