Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TBILISI1854
2009-10-08 14:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

GEORGIA: MFA PROPOSALS FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Tags:  ECON EINV ENIV ENRG PGOV PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5501
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHSI #1854 2811434
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081434Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2299
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS TBILISI 001854 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EINV ENIV ENRG PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: MFA PROPOSALS FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
COMMISSION WORKING GROUP MEETINGS THIS FALL IN TBILISI

UNCLAS TBILISI 001854

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EINV ENIV ENRG PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: MFA PROPOSALS FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
COMMISSION WORKING GROUP MEETINGS THIS FALL IN TBILISI


1. (SBU) Deputy Foreign Minister Giga Bokeria outlined to
the Charge Georgian plans for upcoming Strategic Partnership
Commission Working Group meetings in Tbilisi. In addition to
discussing dates, he suggested possible participation and
broad strokes for agenda items. Each of the four working
groups is addressed below and Bokeria envisions approximately
10-15 participants per side. In Georgia's view, a full
meeting of the Commission could take place again in early
2010, either in Tbilisi or in Washington, D.C. Action
Request: post requests Department guidance on responding to
the MFA on questions of participation, agenda and dates for
the four Working Groups proposed under the Strategic
Partnership Commission.

SECURITY WORKING GROUP


2. (SBU) Bokeria agreed that the Tbilisi visit of ASD Sandy
Vershbow on October 19 and 20 provided a valuable opportunity
to host the Security Working Group and to launch the working
group process agreed to during the inaugural June meeting of
the Strategic Partnership Commission in Washington. He
proposed that this session be held 10 am - 12 noon on October

20. ASD Vershbow would lead on the U.S. side along with
possible representatives from EUR and PM in the Department;
Deputy Defense Minister Vashakidze and Deputy FM Bokeria
would lead on the Georgian side (following the precedent set
in the June meetings).

-- The tentative agenda for the security working group:

-- Security Cooperation: Deployment to Afghanistan; defense
transformation and NATO integration.

-- Georgian Defense Reforms

-- Security/Regional Issues: current security situation;
Geneva prospects; maritime issues; international presence
(UN, OSCE, EUMM) and missile defense.

DEMOCRACY WORKING GROUP AND PEOPLE TO PEOPLE WORKING GROUP


3. (SBU) Bokeria recommended the Democracy Working Group
take place on the margins of the next Geneva meeting on
November 11 - and the group could precede or follow the
Geneva meetings. In one scenario, A/S Gordon or DAS Kaidanow
could co-chair the session on Tuesday, November 10 or Friday,
November 13 along with DRL A/S Posner or PDAS Stewart.
Bokeria and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Eka Zguladze
would likely chair for the Georgian side.


4. (SBU) Bokeria suggested the People to People session
follow the schedule of the Democracy Working Group in order
to allow some participants to be present at both. Due to the
travel needs of the Geneva participants, this group could
meet on Monday November 9 or Thursday November 12. The
People to People Working Group could be chaired on the U.S.
side by EUR DAS Boyer and/or an ECA DAS or representative,
and on the Georgian side by a deputy minister of culture
and/or of education. Agenda items may include English
language programs, Fulbright master's programs, exchanges and
sports diplomacy. There could also be a consular component
to this discussion and a CA representative would be welcome.

ECONOMIC WORKING GROUP


5. (SBU) The Georgian side has proposed holding the
Economic Working Group in December (no specific date is yet
available). Possible agenda items could include BIT
negotiations, enhanced GSP for Georgia, energy security,
investment issues and regional trade/transport.

EMBASSY POINT OF CONTACT


6. (U) Embassy Tbilisi's point of contact for questions on
the working groups is Pol-Econ Chief Julie Fisher,
fisherjd@state.gov.
LOGSDON