RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000541 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PBTS GG RS IN SUBJECT: RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA AND BASING PLANS: DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: SECSTATE 024186 Classified By: Political Officer Pushpinder Dhillon for reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel demarche to Director Negma Malik of the Eurasia division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on March 17. Director Malik relayed to Poloff that she had delivered the nonpaper to the concerned individuals within MEA and that they are fully aware of the United States' position on the separatist regions of Georgia. ¶2. (C) Director Malik underlined that India's position on South Ossetia and Abkhazia is clear. India has not established diplomatic ties with either region. In a recent case Malik reported that India denied some scholastic exchange visa applications when it came to light that the applicants, who carried Russian passports, were in fact from one of the separatist regions. ¶3. (C) Director Malik underlined that India has no official confirmation of any Russian plans to construct military bases in Abkhazia or South Ossetia. the Government of India, therefore, prefers not to speculatively offer a position on the issue. WHITE