GEORGIA: RUSSIA AND WESTERN FRIENDS AT AN IMPASSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000583 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UNSC UNOMIG RS GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: RUSSIA AND WESTERN FRIENDS AT AN IMPASSE ON FUTURE OF UN MISSION REF: A. STATE 59890 ¶B. STATE 56222 Classified By: Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: Per Ref A and B instructions, USUN has maintained close unity with the Quad in negotiations over extension of the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG). At a June 10 negotiating session among Croatia, France, Germany, Russia, U.K., and U.S. Permreps/Deputy Permreps, Russian Ambassador Churkin refused to budge on any of the issues that cross our redlines. Quad Ambassadors assess that Russia is unlikely to accept a mission mandate that would not cross our redlines. Ambassadors agreed to seek guidance from capitals, with the expectation that the Security Council would not be able to extend the UNOMIG mandate prior to its June 15 expiration. USUN has laid out options below, discussed with Quad Ambassadors, for a way forward. These options include pursuing further discussion with Russia in capital, which could include a one-two week technical rollover to allow more time for negotiations; letting the mandate expire; adopting another technical rollover of 4-6 months. USUN recommends that Quad political directors consult on the way forward on Thursday June 11, and requests Department guidance on next steps in New York. END SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. ¶2. (C) Permreps/Deputy Permreps from Croatia, France, Germany, Russia, U.K. and U.S. met on June 6 in an effort to bridge differences on the text of a resolution that would extend the UNOMIG mandate. Russian Permrep Vitaly Churkin made clear that he would not negotiate on certain changes Russia had proposed to the German draft resolution, which would directly undermine Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Churkin insisted that there be no mention of Resolution 1808, no mention of Georgia's territorial integrity, and that the mission name must be changed. Quad Ambassadors all insisted that the PP1 reference to "relevant resolutions on the situation in Georgia, including Resolution 1808..." was an absolute redline for capitals. Churkin also refused an earlier suggestion from Germany, which Quad Ambassadors had subsequently agreed to, that the security regime and mandate in the resolution be adopted verbatim from the SYG's report. After several fruitless discussions on elements of the text in which Churkin insisted on language that was unacceptable to the Quad, French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert summed up the Quad position by saying that if Russia's goal was "to get us to agree to a resolution that would recognize the separatist entities, to get us to accept an asymmetrical security regime, or to get us to force Georgia to sign agreements with the separatist entities, then let's go home." Churkin responded that there was nothing to talk about, since Russia would insist that there be "nothing in the resolution that would call into question the new status of Abkhazia." ¶3. (C) At the conclusion of the meeting, Quad Croatia Ambassadors discussed the prospects for reaching an agreement on a substantive resolution before the June 15 expiration of the current mandate. Ambassadors assessed that it is highly unlikely we would bridge gaps with Russia on resolution text that would not cross our redlines on territorial integrity, and that would institute a symmetrical security regime, which Russian forces would be bound to accept. Ambassadors agreed to jointly recommend to capitals that Quad Political Directors discuss options on Thursday June 11, in order to revert to New York with further guidance. ¶4. (C) USUN sees the following as possible options for a way forward: -- Pursue further discussions with Russia in capital. Quad capitals may wish to seek confirmation directly with Moscow about whether it is possible to find an agreed basis for moving forward, given our significant divergence of views in New York on the political framework for the mission. We might need to adopt an interim resolution of 1-2 weeks, pending further substantive negotiations. It would be important to ensure that an interim technical rollover resolution did not in itself contain/omit any language that would signal a change to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. A short rollover would make sense only if we believe there is a basis for the Quad and Russia to agree on a set of principles that would underline a new mission. -- Allow the mission to expire. The Quad have repeatedly made clear that we will not accept a mission at any cost. Georgia has repeatedly made this clear to us, but Russia has also insisted that it will not accept a mission that crosses USUN NEW Y 00000583 002 OF 002 their redlines. If we choose to let the mission expire, we will need to make clear that we made a good faith effort based on the SYG's recommendations to find a reasonable way forward, and also supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a UN member state. -- Pursue another technical rollover of 4-6 months. As with previous rollovers, we would need to ensure that a rollover did not in itself diminish our understanding of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. At a minimum, it would need to refer to Resolution 1808, something that Russia has already rejected in our negotiations over a substantive resolution. ¶5. (C) ACTION REQUEST. USUN requests Department guidance on further engagement with the Quad and Russia. END ACTION REQUEST. RICE