GEORGIA: FORMER PM GRIGOL MGALOBISHVILI NAMED NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001234

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: FORMER PM GRIGOL MGALOBISHVILI NAMED NATO
PERMREP

REF: A. A. 2008 TBILISI 002009

B. B. 2008 TBILISI 002171

C. C. TBILISI 000090

D. D. TBILISI 000170

E. E. TBILISI 000090

Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4 (b, d).


1. (C) Summary. Grigol Mgalobishvili, former Prime
Minister and career diplomat, was approved by the Georgian
Parliament as Georgia's Permanent Representative to NATO on
June 26, succeeding Revaz Beshidze. Mgalobishvili's tenure
as Prime Minister, though short, was relatively well
received(ref A) and he was a productive interlocutor with the
United State(ref B). He was replaced as Prime Minister on
January 30, 2009 due to serious health issues(ref C, ref D).
He has now recovered from his illness and will undoubtedly
continue to be a good contact for the U.S. in his new role.
End Summary.

PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY


2. (U) Mgaloblishvili, born 7 October 1973, is from Tbilisi
and has spent the majority of his diplomatic career working
on Georgian relations with Turkey. He graduated from Tbilisi
State University in 1995 with a BA and MA in Oriental
Studies. He spent 1992-1993 studying Turkish at Istanbul
University. He speaks English, Turkish, Russian and German
and is married with two children.

DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL CAREER


3. (U) Mgaloblishvili served as the Georgian diplomatic
representative to Turkey from 1995 to 2002 in various
positions, including as an interpreter, Attache, First
Secretary and Political Counselor. From 2002-2003 he studied
at Oxford in a postgraduate course in diplomatic studies, and
in 2003 Mgalobishvili assumed the position of Deputy Director
of the Department of U.S., Canadian and Latin American
Countries at the Georgian MFA. In 2004 he was promoted to
lead the Department of European and Euro Integration,
followed by promotion to Envoy Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary, and then on October 20, 2006 was promoted to
Ambassador. He served as Georgia's Ambassador to Turkey
until October 27, 2008 when he was nominated as Prime
Minister. He served in this position until submitting his
resignation on January 30, 2009, due to his ongoing kidney
illness (nephritis).


4. (C) In a November 2008 introductory meeting with
Ambassador Tefft(ref B) Mgaloblishvili stressed that a key
issue for the country is how Georgia's allies "address the
larger issue with Russia, whether they will let principles
govern the relationship or simply move forward with Russia as
a matter of convenience." Mgaloblishvili is known for not
being a particularly political figure(ref A) and according to
sources in the GOG is generally liked and considered a
skilled diplomat(ref A). Despite rumours in December 2008
that he had fallen out of favor with Saakashvili, including
one extensively covered in the press involving an incident
where Saakashvili allegedly threw a cell phone at him, these
rumors were dismissed by close confidants of both men as
false(ref C). Such rumors were fueled by Mgaloblishvili's
need to frequently travel to Europe while PM for medical
treatment, and his short tenure for the same reason.

5. (U) Mgaloblishvili told the Ambassador July eighth that
he will move to Brussels at the end of September to take up
his duties.
TEFFT