GEORGIA: ABKHAZ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FLIRTS WITH

UNCLAS TBILISI 001797 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETTC PREL GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: ABKHAZ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FLIRTS WITH INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. BRIEF REGISTRATION FOR THE CCIA ¶2. (SBU) The World Chambers Federation (WCF),part of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC),accepted the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Abkhazia (CCIA) as a member on September 8. This announcement took the Tbilisi-based Georgia branch of the ICC by surprise, as the application had not been vetted through the ICC membership. According to the ICC constitution and WCF by-laws, no chamber can join WCF directly if there is a national committee of the ICC already present in the country. As a result of the efforts of the Tbilisi-based ICC Georgia, ICC headquarters together with the WCF nullified CCIA's application due to a series of "regrettable procedural errors in ICC's handling of the dossier." It is likely that the CCIA will reapply for membership, and the ICC and WCF will send the application through the full procedure for granting membership. NEXT STEPS -- CCIA LIKELY TO TRY AGAIN ¶3. (SBU) If the CCIA reapplies for membership, the Secretary General of the ICC has assured ICC Georgia that the application will be considered in line with ICC regulations and that stakeholders would be notified by the ICC's Membership Department. The application would then be submitted to the WCF General Council which would make a recommendation for a final decision by the ICC World Council. The new ICC World Council meeting will take place in Hong Kong in June 2010. ¶4. (SBU) President of ICC Georgia Fady Asly told Econoff that CCIA president Gennadiy Gagulia had spent three months working behind the scenes to acquire membership in the ICC. While the effort was turned around for the short-term, Asly expressed his concern to ICC Secretary General Jean Rozwadowski and to post that Gagulia's efforts may have led to some level of political support on the part of the ICC. COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST ¶5. (SBU) Comment: The CCIA's attempt at recognition by the ICC is a part of an ongoing Abkhaz strategy to bolster its "independence" in as many venues as possible. Tbilisi's government and business community are concerned by Abkhaz attempts to use business and commercial vehicles to support separatist "independence" claims. While this issue seems to have subsided for now, it is likely to re-emerge. Post understands that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is an influential voice within the ICC and could influence the ICC's decision to admit the CCIA as a member. Post requests the Department to clarify U.S. Chamber of Commerce views on this ICC issue. Post suggests asking appropriate representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to voice concern over CCIA membership in upcoming meetings, including the October 12 WCF Steering Group meeting in New York or the 2010 Hong Kong ICC World Council Meeting. LOGSDON