RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 024186 E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2019 TAGS: PREL MOPS PBTS GG RS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA AS INDEPENDENT STATES, AND BASING PLANS REF: 08 STATE 90980 CLASSIFIED BY: EUR A/S DANIEL FRIED; REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST FOR ALL POSTS EXCEPT NATO/EU POSTS, AND EMBASSIES CARACAS, LA PAZ, MANAGUA AND MOSCOW -- SEE PARA 4. THE POINTS ARE OPTIONAL FOR NATO/EU POSTS, WITH ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL POINTS FOR EU POSTS AT PARA 5. ¶2. (C) SINCE ITS AUGUST 26 RECOGNITION OF THE GEORGIAN REGIONS OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA AS INDEPENDENT STATES, RUSSIA HAS BEEN LOBBYING SEVERAL GOVERNMENTS TO FOLLOW ITS LEAD. MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS LATER, ONLY NICARAGUA HAS DONE SO, ALTHOUGH BELARUS IS REPORTEDLY UNDER HEAVY PRESSURE TO RECOGNIZE. SINCE FEW OTHER COUNTRIES WILL RECOGNIZE THE BREAKAWAY TERRITORIES, RUSSIA IS LIKELY TO ENCOURAGE MEASURES THAT COULD BE SEEN AS DE FACTO RECOGNITION. THE PRESS IN ABKHAZIA RECENTLY TRUMPETED THE VISIT OF THE MOSCOW-BASED AMBASSADOR OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, AND RUSSIA MAY TRY TO ARRANGE FURTHER SUCH VISITS. AS A FOLLOW-UP TO REFTEL, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSCORE OUR CONTINUING REJECTION OF RUSSIA'S RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA, AND TO CAUTION HOST GOVERNMENTS TO AVOID ACTIONS THAT COULD BE VIEWED AS CONFERRING RECOGNITION ON THE SEPARATIST GOVERNMENTS. ¶3. (C) IN ADDITION, RUSSIA HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR MILITARY BASES IN ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA, WHICH WOULD VIOLATE GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, AS WELL AS COMMITMENTS UNDER THE EU-BROKERED AUGUST 12 CEASEFIRE, WHERE RUSSIA PLEDGED TO RESTORE ITS FORCES TO THEIR PRE-WAR DISPOSITION. THE EU AND U.S. HAVE RECENTLY ISSUED STATEMENTS CONDEMNING THESE PLANS; THE U.S. STATEMENT IS AT PARA 6, AND POSTS SHOULD SHARE IT WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS AS APPROPRIATE. ¶4. (C) ACTION REQUEST: ACTION ADDRESSEES SHOULD DRAW FROM THE FOLLOWING POINTS IN DISCUSSIONS WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS. IF A POST BELIEVES THAT DELIVERY OF THESE POINTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, PLEASE REPORT THAT ASSESSMENT FRONT-CHANNEL, AND DO NOT DELIVER THE DEMARCHE PENDING RESPONSE FROM DEPARTMENT. -- THE UNITED STATES STRONGLY REJECTS AND CONDEMNS RUSSIA'S AUGUST 26 DECISION TO RECOGNIZE SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA AS INDEPENDENT STATES, AND URGES YOUR GOVERNMENT TO DO SO AS WELL. -- RUSSIA'S RECOGNITION IS INCONSISTENT WITH UNANIMOUSLY-APPROVED UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS WHICH HAVE CONSISTENTLY AND EXPLICITLY REAFFIRMED GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY, INDEPENDENCE AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, INCLUDING UNSCR 1808 (ADOPTED IN APRIL 2008) AND SUBSEQUENT RESOLUTIONS THAT REFER TO IT. -- THE UNITED STATES STRONGLY SUPPORTS GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND SOVEREIGNTY AND WILL NOT RECOGNIZE SOUTH OSSETIA OR ABKHAZIA AS INDEPENDENT STATES. WE STRONGLY URGE YOUR GOVERNMENT NOT TO RECOGNIZE THESE REGIONS AS INDEPENDENT STATES. WE URGE YOU TO REAFFIRM GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY. -- WE WOULD URGE COUNTRIES TO REFRAIN FROM ACTIONS SUCH AS VISITS TO GEORGIA'S ABKHAZ OR SOUTH OSSETIAN REGIONS BY DIPLOMATS ACCREDITED IN MOSCOW. WE DO NOT ADVOCATE COMPLETELY ISOLATING THE SEPARATIST REGIMES, AND WE HAVE SENT U.S. OFFICIALS TO ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA, BUT THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DIPLOMATS FROM OUR EMBASSY IN TBILISI OR OFFICIALS FROM WASHINGTON DEALING WITH RESOLUTION OF GEORGIA'S SEPARATIST CONFLICTS. -- WE WOULD ALSO URGE GOVERNMENTS TO RESIST POSSIBLE RUSSIAN CLAIMS THAT ITS DIPLOMATS ACCREDITED IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES ARE REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA. -- THE UNITED STATES REGRETS RUSSIAN PLANS TO ESTABLISH MILITARY BASES IN THE OCCUPIED SEPARATIST REGIONS OF GEORGIA. THESE BASES WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, AS WELL AS RUSSIA'S COMMITMENT UNDER THE AUGUST 12 EU-BROKERED CEASEFIRE TO WITHDRAW TROOPS TO THEIR PRE-WAR POSITIONS. -- WE NOTE THAT RESOLUTION 1647 OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (PACE) OF JANUARY 28 CONDEMNED RUSSIA'S RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA, AS WELL AS RUSSIA'S CREATION OF NEW MILITARY BASES IN THE SEPARATIST AREAS. ¶5. (C) ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL POINTS FOR EU POSTS: -- WE WERE PLEASED WITH THE FEBRUARY 5 EU PRESIDENCY STATEMENT ON RUSSIAN BASING PLANS, AND HAVE ISSUED A STATEMENT SUPPORTING THE EU POSITION. -- WE WERE ALSO ENCOURAGED BY THE FEBRUARY 23 CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER'S STATEMENT CAUTIONING BELARUS AGAINST DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA. -- WE WOULD APPRECIATE FURTHER EU SUPPORT IN DISSUADING OTHER COUNTRIES FROM RECOGNIZING ABKHAZIA OR SOUTH OSSETIA AS INDEPENDENT STATES. ¶6. (U) U.S. STATEMENT ON RUSSIAN BASES IN GEORGIA BEGIN TEXT: THE UNITED STATES REGRETS THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S EXPRESSED INTENTION TO ESTABLISH BASES IN THE TERRITORY OF GEORGIA AS CONTRARY TO THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF RUSSIA'S EXISTING COMMITMENTS. THESE RUSSIAN PLANS INCLUDE A NAVAL BASE AT THE PORT OF OCHAMCHIRE, ARMY BASES IN THE AKBHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA REGIONS OF GEORGIA, AND THE POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT OF COMBAT AIRCRAFT. UNDER THE AUGUST 12 AND SEPTEMBER 8 CEASEFIRE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN GEORGIA AND RUSSIA, MEDIATED BY THE FRENCH EU PRESIDENCY, RUSSIA COMMITTED TO RETURN ITS FORCES TO THEIR PRE-WAR NUMBERS AND LOCATIONS IN SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA. THIS LATEST ANNOUNCED BUILD-UP OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE GEORGIAN REGIONS OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD CLEARLY VIOLATE THAT COMMITMENT. IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE BASING PLANS WOULD ALSO VIOLATE GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, TO WHICH RUSSIA REPEATEDLY COMMITTED ITSELF IN NUMEROUS UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS. THE U.S. URGES RUSSIA TO RESPECT GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND FACILITATE STABILITY IN THE REGION THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS COMMITMENTS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE GENEVA PROCESS. END TEXT. ¶7. (SBU) IF RAISED: IF HOST GOVERNMENT DRAWS A PARALLEL BETWEEN RUSSIAN RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA ON THE ONE HAND, AND KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE ON THE OTHER, POSTS MAY DRAW UPON THE FOLLOWING TALKING POINTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT KOSOVO IS A SPECIAL CASE THAT SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER SITUATIONS. -- KOSOVO IS A UNIQUE CASE AND NOT A PRECEDENT FOR ANY OTHER CONFLICT. IN 1999, FOLLOWING THE OUSTER OF MILOSEVIC'S MILITARY FROM KOSOVO, THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL CREATED THE FRAMEWORK FOR RESOLVING KOSOVO'S STATUS IN U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION (UNSCR) 1244. UNSCR 1244 WAS ADOPTED WITHOUT ANY DISSENT (CHINA ABSTAINING) ON JUNE 10, 1999, TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO THAT HAD RESULTED FROM MILOSEVIC'S ACTIONS. -- ELEMENTS OF UNSCR 1244 INCLUDE: DENYING SERBIA A ROLE IN GOVERNING KOSOVO; AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERIM UN ADMINISTRATION; PROVIDING FOR LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT; AND ENVISIONING A UN-LED POLITICAL PROCESS TO DETERMINE KOSOVO'S FUTURE STATUS. UNSCR 1244 CONTEMPLATED INDEPENDENCE AS A POSSIBLE OUTCOME OF THAT PROCESS. -- THUS, KOSOVO -- UNLIKE ABKHAZIA OR SOUTH OSSETIA -- WAS NEVER A BREAKAWAY TERRITORY, BUT HAD A STATUS RECOGNIZED BY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL. -- AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF INTERNATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AIMED AT BUILDING KOSOVO'S CAPACITIES FOR SELF- GOVERNMENT WAS FOLLOWED BY A UN-LED PROCESS OF NEGOTIATION, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CAREFULLY CRAFTED BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL MARTTI AHTISAARI, TO PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR A MULTI-ETHNIC KOSOVO SOCIETY. KOSOVO HAS COMMITTED TO FULFILLING ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE AHTISAARI PLAN TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEANINGFUL AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF KOSOVO SERB COMMUNITIES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. -- THE PROCESS PRECEDED KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE IN 2008. -- EVEN WHILE CLAIMING A "KOSOVO PRECEDENT," RUSSIA HAS ACTIVELY AVOIDED MENTIONING THE EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN KOSOVO, INCLUDING ESPECIALLY THE UN ADMINISTRATION OF KOSOVO FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS, THAT WAS A CENTRAL ELEMENT IN THE RESOLUTION OF THE KOSOVO CRISIS. -- UNLIKE IN KOSOVO, THERE IS NO UN-SANCTIONED INTERNATIONAL ADMINISTRATION IN ABKHAZIA OR SOUTH OSSETIA. THERE IS NO TRUE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE OPERATING IN THESE TERRITORIES UNDER UN AUTHORIZATION OR MANDATE. THERE ARE NO SECURITY GUARANTEES IN ABKHAZIA OR SOUTH OSSETIA TO PROTECT THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC COMMUNITIES, AND RUSSIA HAS FAILED FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR THE RETURN OF REFUGEES. ON THE CONTRARY, RUSSIA HAS DELIBERATELY AVOIDED USING AVAILABLE AVENUES TO BRING RESOLUTION TO ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA. -- FINALLY, KOSOVO -- UNLIKE ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA -- IS A GENUINELY SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY. CLINTON