Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TILISI1526
2009-08-11 11:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

GEORGIA: NATIONAL FORUM - QUIETLY BECOMING A PLAYER

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL GG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9520
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHSI #1526/02 2231146
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 111146Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2019
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 TILISI 001526

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: NATIONAL FORUM - QUIETLY BECOMING A PLAYER

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TBILISI 08111526 002 OF 002


democratic development Georgia needed to undertake. In
National Forum's view, true economic and political
development was only achievable from within. Shartava and
Melashvili said the goal should be to improve Georgia and
raise it to EU or NATO standards but not view joining these
organizations as some sort of magic bullet to solve Georgia's
problems. Shartava said discussing the benefits of EU or
NATO membership now was a false debate since Georgia was in
no way ready to join either organization. Shartava and
Melashvili said they supported joining the EU and/or NATO
some time in the future but when Georgia would be prepared to
be a full-fledged contributor and ally.


5. (C) Domestically, National Forum supports a general
devolution of power to regions and villages as the only way
to foster true civil society and democratic development.
Shartava and Melashvili said the defense budget should be cut
and directed towards more social spending. National Forum
seeks to direct government resources on small business
development and developing Georgia's internal market rather
than solely attracting foreign investment. Shartava and
Melashvili stressed to Poloff the importance of improving the
educational system (with more resources) as key to Georgia's
development. As for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Shartava and
Melashvili were clear that Russia initiated the problems in
both regions but also criticized Saakashvili for making
unrealistic demands rather than negotiating with the
separatists regimes. According to both, Saakashvili's
rhetoric and unwillingness to compromise shut off any chance
for progress.

Local Guys Want Self Rule


6. (C) Poloff visited with National Forum local leaders in
both Kutaisi and Adjara. The theme that was repeated
consistently was that local GoG authorities in both areas
were unresponsive to the larger needs of the local
populations. In Kutaisi, employment was the main concern.
Local leaders said that constant changes of mayors in Kutaisi
created a poor environment for investment. The Kutaisi
leaders stressed that local officials should be elected and
have budgetary authority which would make them accountable
and responsive to their local electorate. Directly elected
officials would also serve to promote a better investment
environment due to increased political legitimacy. Adjaran
leaders also stressed above all other issues the need for
local officials to control local budgets. They questioned
how Adjara could be considered an autonomous republic within
Georgia without the direct election of its governor or mayor.
The local Adjaran leaders stressed that a truly autonomous
Adjara could serve as a positive example for potential
reintegration of Abkhazia and South Ossetia into a more
federal model of governance.

Rumors, Partners and Plan


7. (C) In the early days of the protests, rumors were
rampant that the National Forum initially accepted money from
pro-Kremlin sources; however, no concrete evidence has
emerged to validate the rumors. National Forum was the first
to quit the protests, leaving the streets before the May 25
rally. The Forum has been concentrating on continuing to
develop its grass-roots political network ever since.
Shartava guessed that the National Forum did not experience
the same backlash as other non-parliamentary opposition
leaders and parties because it never fostered false hopes
that Saakashvili would immediately resign. In contrast,
Shartava said that people want change but not instability.
As a result, the National Forum is pursuing a longer term
QAs a result, the National Forum is pursuing a longer term
strategy based on what the Georgian public appears to want.
Shartava indicated that they were speaking with Irakli
Alasania's party, and to a lesser degree the Conservative
party, to find mutually beneficial ways in which to
cooperate, but said they had no desire to join any other
party. Melashvili added that creating a viable political
force was not a short-term process and that much more work
was needed before the National Forum would be a major
political player able to shape GoG policy decisions.
LOGSDON