GEORGIA - GUIDANCE FOR MAY 27 SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS STATE 052985 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA - GUIDANCE FOR MAY 27 SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS ¶1. (U) This is an action request: USUN is instructed to draw from the points below during UN Security Council consultations on Georgia scheduled for May 27, 2009. ¶2. (U) Begin points: -- The United States takes note of the Secretary General,s latest report on the situation in Georgia. -- The United States would like to thank Special Representative Verbeke for his briefing today and for his tireless work, both in the Geneva discussions on Georgia and as head of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia, to promote political dialogue and to encourage compromise among all parties as we strive to resolve differences in pursuit of a resolution of the conflict in the separatist regions of Georgia. -- We strongly believe that maintaining an international presence in Georgia,s separatist regions is vital to preventing a further outbreak of armed conflict. The UN Observer Mission in Georgia is a key contributor to security, transparency, and stability in the region. The mission has also helped address the grave humanitarian concerns in the region and to promote human rights, including the rights of internally displaced persons and the returnee population in the Gali district. -- Most importantly, the United States remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Georgia, and will continue to support Georgia,s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We call on all other members of the United Nations to do the same. -- The United States urges the parties to the conflict to continue political dialogue as called for under the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement. In this regard, we regret that more substantive progress has not been made in Geneva. We continue to hope that when the talks resume on July 1, the parties will pursue a spirit of compromise and good faith aimed at full implementation of the August 12 2008 ceasefire agreement and subsequent implementing measures of September ¶8. -- The United States welcomes the Secretary General,s recommendations for a new security regime and mandate for the UN Observer Mission in Georgia. -- As the Secretary-General,s report notes, the security situation remains fragile. The report also indicates that the &ceasefire ) the key foundation for the separation of forces and stabilization ) has continued to erode.8 UNOMIG reports have included numerous citations of non-respect of resolution 1866, due to the unauthorized introduction of heavy military equipment and military personnel into the security zones by the Russian and Abkhaz sides along with the continued presence of land mines and improvised explosive devices in the separatist region. In addition, reports from the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) indicate heavy buildup of Russian forces on the Abkhaz and South Ossetian sides of the ceasefire line. These violations of heavy military build-up in the security zones continue, along with the destabilizing deployment of improvised explosive devises in the separatist region, are serious. -- Thanks to its Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Georgia, the EUMM has been able to verify that claims of Georgian buildup along the administrative boundaries are unfounded. -- We remain concerned about these destabilizing activities and agree with the Secretary-General that an appropriate revised security regime is essential for the long-term stabilization of the region. We support the recommendations for such a security regime as outlined by the Secretary-General in his latest report. -- In addition to the elements outlined in the report, we emphasize that the UN mission must be given unfettered access to all of the area of responsibility encompassed by its mandate. Moreover, all parties must adhere to their ceasefire commitments, including those under the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement and subsequent implementing measure of September 8. We continue to call on Russia to fulfill its commitment to withdraw all of its troops to pre-August 7 positions, as called for in Point 5 of the ceasefire agreement, and for the withdrawal of Abkhaz and Russian heavy military equipment along the ceasefire line. -- We also call for full implementation of the provisions of UNSCR 1866 and the August 12, 2008 cease fire calling for unhindered and free humanitarian access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Recent efforts by Russia and the de-facto authorities of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to transform the administrative boundary lines into fortified borders move in the opposite direction. -- Providing access for humanitarian aid and ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights remains of paramount importance. Recent reports by the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities and the Council of Europe,s Commissioner for Human Rights indicate an increased number of cases of alleged harassment and intimidation of local civilians, especially in the Gali district of Abkhazia. UNOMIG reports also indicate that Abkhaz officials continue to require the local population to apply for so-called &Abkhaz passports8 or risk denial of basic rights such as access to public services, health care, and limited education and business opportunities. We repeat our calls for respect of human rights and adherence to international humanitarian law throughout Georgia, including the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. -- Internally displaced persons (IDPs) also continue to suffer as a result of the August 2008 conflict. We commend UNHCR,s efforts to address this issue; however, as UNHCR estimates the fighting in August led to the displacement of over 150,000 persons, much work remains to be done to assist these people to return to their homes in a safe and dignified manner. -- For IDPs to return to their former areas of residence, adequate security conditions and respect for human rights must be established. This is also critical for those IDPs who have already returned to the Gali district, and who continue to live in marginal circumstances and in an environment of intimidation and harassment. For this reason, we call for a strengthened UN police presence, and, over time, the introduction of an international police presence in Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflict zones. We also call for enhanced human rights monitoring in these areas. --With regard to the situation in South Ossetia, the Council should also consider seeking a robust UN presence in South Ossetia if consensus is not reached in support of the Greek OSCE Chairmanship,s status-neutral proposal to establish an OSCE Office in Tbilisi as well as a reasonable and balanced monitoring mission on both sides of the South Ossetian ceasefire line. -- IF RAISED: The Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise held in Georgia in May consisted of only several hundred troops, and was open to the participation of any PfP member, including Russia. -- IF RAISED: A Security Council meeting is not the appropriate venue to hear from the separatists. Last August the Council "heard no objection against considering with an open mind the request by South Ossetia and Abkhazia (de facto leaders) to be heard by the Council at an opportune moment and under a formula to be decided." The United States continues to believe that the opportune moment and venue for the participation of the de facto leaders in talks regarding the conflict in Georgia is via the Geneva discussions, which were most recently held on May 18-19 and are scheduled to resume on July 1. CLINTON