Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO214
2009-01-29 07:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPANESE REPORT GEORGIA CONCERNED UNOMIG MAY LAPSE
how-toVZCZCXRO7659 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHKO #0214 0290737 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 290737Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 0116 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0394 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 2144 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 4491 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 5932 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 2703 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3500 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000214
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID EFIN JA GG RS
SUBJECT: JAPANESE REPORT GEORGIA CONCERNED UNOMIG MAY LAPSE
REF: 08 TOKYO 02931
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000214
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID EFIN JA GG RS
SUBJECT: JAPANESE REPORT GEORGIA CONCERNED UNOMIG MAY LAPSE
REF: 08 TOKYO 02931
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)
1. (C) Georgian officials are worried about the prospect of
maintaining an international presence in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia if UNOMIG's mandate expires on Feb. 15, according to
MOFA's Central Asia and Caucasus Division Director Hiroshi
Tajima. Tajima met with Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister
Alexandre Nalbandov and Deputy Finance Minister Dimitri
Gvindadze as part of a delegation to Georgia from MOFA's
International Cooperation Division Jan. 12-13.
2. (C) Japan, as chair of the UNSC, has instructed its UN
Ambassador to discuss the situation with concerned
participants in New York, according to Tajima. Noting that
Moscow rejected efforts to extend the OSCE mandate at the end
of 2008, Tajima opined that the Kremlin might well be
inclined to allow UNOMIG's mandate to expire if Russia "is
not satisfied" with the results of the February round of the
Russia-Georgia talks in Geneva. Tokyo officials remain
uncertain about the outcome of the Geneva discussions but see
merit in the fact the meetings provide Georgian
representatives their only real chance for contact with the
Russians. Authorities in Tbilisi complained to Tajima that
Moscow was blocking Georgia's efforts to resolve the
conflict, and that each passing day brought the prospect that
the Russians might launch another attack.
3. (C) Tajima said the Foreign Ministry delegation visited
Georgia to assess implementation of the loan aid part of a
$200 million assistance package which Tokyo offered Tbilisi
during the October 2008 Georgia Donors' Conference (reftel).
Georgian officials appeared to be "quite happy" with the
Japanese aid which was intended to help rebuild
infrastructure projects such as the East-West Highway, Tajima
said.
4. (C) Japan hopes to learn what the United States' long-term
policy on Georgia will be under the new Obama Administration,
Tajima noted. He said Tokyo officials are aware of ideas
expressed during "brainstorming" sessions that included
speculation Georgia might eventually develop into a state
federation.
ZUMWALT
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID EFIN JA GG RS
SUBJECT: JAPANESE REPORT GEORGIA CONCERNED UNOMIG MAY LAPSE
REF: 08 TOKYO 02931
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)
1. (C) Georgian officials are worried about the prospect of
maintaining an international presence in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia if UNOMIG's mandate expires on Feb. 15, according to
MOFA's Central Asia and Caucasus Division Director Hiroshi
Tajima. Tajima met with Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister
Alexandre Nalbandov and Deputy Finance Minister Dimitri
Gvindadze as part of a delegation to Georgia from MOFA's
International Cooperation Division Jan. 12-13.
2. (C) Japan, as chair of the UNSC, has instructed its UN
Ambassador to discuss the situation with concerned
participants in New York, according to Tajima. Noting that
Moscow rejected efforts to extend the OSCE mandate at the end
of 2008, Tajima opined that the Kremlin might well be
inclined to allow UNOMIG's mandate to expire if Russia "is
not satisfied" with the results of the February round of the
Russia-Georgia talks in Geneva. Tokyo officials remain
uncertain about the outcome of the Geneva discussions but see
merit in the fact the meetings provide Georgian
representatives their only real chance for contact with the
Russians. Authorities in Tbilisi complained to Tajima that
Moscow was blocking Georgia's efforts to resolve the
conflict, and that each passing day brought the prospect that
the Russians might launch another attack.
3. (C) Tajima said the Foreign Ministry delegation visited
Georgia to assess implementation of the loan aid part of a
$200 million assistance package which Tokyo offered Tbilisi
during the October 2008 Georgia Donors' Conference (reftel).
Georgian officials appeared to be "quite happy" with the
Japanese aid which was intended to help rebuild
infrastructure projects such as the East-West Highway, Tajima
said.
4. (C) Japan hopes to learn what the United States' long-term
policy on Georgia will be under the new Obama Administration,
Tajima noted. He said Tokyo officials are aware of ideas
expressed during "brainstorming" sessions that included
speculation Georgia might eventually develop into a state
federation.
ZUMWALT