GEORGIA: BELARUSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT GEORGIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 002084

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV BO GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: BELARUSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT GEORGIA

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Kent D. Logsdon for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).


1. (C) Summary: Belarusian Parliamentarians paid a visit to
Georgia in late November, with part of the delegation
stopping in Tbilisi to meet with Georgian government
officials, and two smaller groups traveling into Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Georgian press broadly covered the visit, and
speculation was rampant about implications for Belarus'
recognition of Abkhaz independence. End Summary.


2. (C) Comment: The relatively even-handed responses by
the Belarusian delegation to repeated and constant requests,
official and otherwise, as to the reasons behind
non-recognition to date, appeared to demonstrate a measured
approach to the divisive issue of recognition of Georgia's
separatist regions. At this point, this is likely the best
the Georgians can hope for as they continue to make the issue
of territorial integrity and non-recognition one of their
highest foreign policy priorities. The delegations from
Minsk said many encouraging things to the residents of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia; however, their expressions of
understanding without firm commitments, and their regular
focus on their trip as a fact-finding mission, likely
disappointed the separatists to some extent, while also
shrewdly keeping Belarus' options open in Tbilisi and in
Moscow. The view from Tbilisi suggests Belarus plans to
continue to sit on the fence, at least until gas bills come
due this winter. End Comment.

MP's Visit Abkhazia, South Ossetia with MFA Blessing


3. (SBU) On 18 November, three separate groups of Belarusian
Parliamentarians visited Georgia, with a larger delegation of
six traveling to Tbilisi, and two smaller groups of three
each heading to Tskhinvali and Sukhumi. The delegation to
Abkhazia received the widest coverage in the press, with
reports from Georgian and Abkhaz media highlighting
particular comments which supported their respective
positions. Georgian MFA told us that Belarus had officially
informed the Georgian government of their intention to
conduct the visit, which would be led by the head of the
international relations and CIS committee Sergei Maskeyvich.
Upon arrival in Georgia, the group held meetings with
Georgian Parliamentary Chairman David Bakradze and Foreign
Minister Grigol Vashadze in Tbilisi. MFA reported that
Vashadze described in detail its version of the events
surrounding the war in 2008 with Russia, as longer term view
of the conflict. Bakradze stated that he focused his efforts
on making the issue of independence a choice for Belarus
based on international law and between "peace and violence."


4. (SBU) The delegation to Abkhazia met with the Abkhaz de
facto "president" Sergei Bagapsh, the self-appointed Abkhaz"patriarch" Besarion Aplia, and students at the Abkhaz State
University in Sukhumi. They visited areas along the
administrative boundary and denounced the "terrible"
conditions there. The parliamentarians answered questions
from Abkhaz students, such as reasons for the lack of
recognition by Belarus of Abkhaz independence, by stating
that the process had only just begin, and that there was no
effort to slow or create obstacles. MP Smirnov noted in
response to an official request from Abkhazia's parliament
that Belarus would have to commit to a position. Since the
visit, Georgian media has highlighted statements from Belarus
that the situation in the separatist zones was "stable" and
that no decisions would be made immediately.
Qthat no decisions would be made immediately.


5. (SBU) A delegation also traveled to South Ossetia,
although this portion of the visit received much less
coverage both in Georgian media, as well as in our
discussions with Georgian government officials. The
delegation leader, Vladimir Kuzhanov, stated that his
parliament needed to establish the "closest and warmest"
relations with "president" Eduard Kokoity. Kokoity noted
that he anticipates recognition by a country he emphasized as
having much in common with the people of South Ossetia;
however, he expressed his understanding that the decision
would have to be Belarus' and that the South Ossetians
acknowledged the possibility of different forms of
"recognition."
LOGSDON