COSTA RICA SUPPORTS GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000195 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/RUS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS PBTS GG RS SUBJECT: COSTA RICA SUPPORTS GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY REF: A. STATE 24186 ¶B. 08 SAN JOSE 662 ¶1. (SBU) On March 17 we delivered Ref A demarche to Adriana Murillo of the MFA's UNSC team, and on March 16 to Antonio Alarcon, COS to FonMin Bruno Stagno, regarding Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and plans to base Russian military forces in those areas. Alarcon offered no immediate reaction to Russian plans to base military forces there, but undertook to inform FonMin Stagno right away. (The MFA and FonMin Stagno had earlier expressed Costa Rica's support for Georgia's territorial integrity, Ref B.) ¶2. (SBU) Murillo indicated that, in general, Costa Rica has made it clear its past and current support for Georgia's territorial integrity. Like Alarcon, she did not elaborate further on Russia's plans to base troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but promised to provide more information upon further study of the issue. ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: We find it highly unlikely that Costa Rica would recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, even if they did not expressly say as much. We also cannot imagine Costa Rica, a country that prides itself on having abolished its military in 1948, supporting any expansion of Russian bases in Georgia. On Kosovo, Costa Rica was also one of the first countries to recognize an independent Kosovo, but, following its desire for multi-lateralism, has since indicated that it would accept an ICJ ruling on Kosovo. END COMMENT. CIANCHETTE