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