(U) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON GEORGIAN

S E C R E T STATE 127812 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL GG RS SUBJECT: (U) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON GEORGIAN LEADERSHIP (C-RE9-02345) Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS HAVE A KEEN INTEREST IN THE VIEWS OF GEORGIAN LEADERSHIP AND ITS POTENTIAL RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS IN SEPARATIST REGIONS, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA. PARTICULARLY OF INTEREST IS ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE PLANS OF PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI'S ADMINISTRATION FOR GEORGIA, ITS POLITICAL GOALS AND VIEWS, AND PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI'S INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER KEY GEORGIAN OFFICIALS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION POST CAN PROVIDE ON THE TOPICS AND QUESTIONS BELOW, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. 1) (C) WHAT ARE THE INTER-RELATIONSHIPS AND PERSONAL RIVALRIES OR ALLIANCES OF THE FOLLOWING TOP GEORGIAN OFFICIALS AND THEIR PLANS REGARDING SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA : -PRESIDENT - SAAKASHVILI -PRIME MINISTER - GILAURI -MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS - MERABISHVILI -MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HEAD - DATA AKHALAIA -DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER - BOKERIA -DEFENSE MINISTER - AKHALAIA -JUSTICE MINISTER - ADEISHVILI -SPEAKER - BAKRADZE -NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL ADVISOR - TKESHELASHVILI -CHIEF OF JOINT STAFF - CHANKOTADZE (C) 2) (C) WHO WITHIN PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI'S INNER CIRCLE HAS THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON HIM REGARDING HIS DECISION-MAKING? WHO IS PUSHING THE MOST AGGRESSIVE POLICIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE SEPARATIST AREAS? WHO IS SEEN AS SOMEONE ABLE TO TALK TO THE SEPARATISTS DE-FACTO GOVERNMENTS? 3) (C) TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE GEORGIAN LEADERSHIP HAVE A STRATEGY FOR ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA? WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBSTACLES? WHAT IS THE TIMETABLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION? 4) (C) WHO ARE THE SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA LOCAL LEADERS, AND WHO ARE THEIR CLOSEST ASSOCIATES? WHAT IS THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIAN FORCES? 5) (C) TO WHAT EXTENT CAN MOSCOW INFLUENCE THE ACTIONS OF GEORGIAN LEADERS, AND THE ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIAN "DEFACTO GOVERNMENTS?" ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-02345 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON