GEORGIA: RUSSIAN VETO FORCES EXPIRATION OF UNOMIG

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000595 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UNSC UNOMIG RS GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: RUSSIAN VETO FORCES EXPIRATION OF UNOMIG MANDATE REF: SECSTATE 60825 Classified By: Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The Russian Federation vetoed a two-week technical rollover of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) on June 15, 2009, after several attempts by the Quad to reach compromise with Russia on the terms of a substantive resolution. Per Reftel instructions, USUN had consulted closely with Quad missions in New York and attempted to reach agreement on a substantive resolution prior to the expiration of the UNOMIG mandate on June 15, 2009. Late in the day on June 14, when it became certain that Russia would not engage further on a substantive resolution, Quad missions, joined by Croatia, Austria and Turkey, tabled a two week technical rollover that contained an explicit reference to Resolution ¶1808. During consultations of the whole on June 15, Russia attempted several procedural tactics to delay a vote, and eventually vetoed a technical rollover that had garnered 10 votes in favor and 4 abstentions. UNOMIG's mandate expires on June 15, 2009. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Russian Federation vetoed a technical rollover of the mandate for the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia on June 15. When the draft resolution was put to a vote late in the day on June 15, Austria, Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Japan, Mexico, Turkey, U.K, and U.S. voted in favor. China, Libya, Vietnam and Uganda abstained and Russia voted against. Since Russia vetoed the resolution, the UN mandate will expire on June 15. ¶3. (C) Prior to tabling the draft technical rollover, per reftel instructions, USUN consulted closely with Quad (France, Germany, U.K., U.S.) and Croatia missions throughout June 12-15 in an attempt to reach agreement on the elements of a substantive mandate to extend the UN Observer Mission in Georgia. Quad Croatia presented Russian Permrep Vitaly Churkin with a substantially pared down draft resolution on June 12, and attempted for five hours to negotiate in earnest on the draft. Ambassador Churkin was visibly uncomfortable with efforts by the Quad to engage, and when faced with compromises offered by the Quad, he would offer new objections to language he had already agreed to. Churkin walked out of the negotiations on Friday evening when the Quad refused to change its position on the necessity of a reference to Resolution 1808 in a preambular paragraph. ¶4. (C) Ambassador Churkin did not return to the negotiations throughout June 13-14 and Quad Ambassadors determined on June 14 that it would be necessary to introduce a two-week technical rollover resolution late in the day on June 14 in order to give sufficient time for Members to receive instructions that would allow them to vote on June 15. ¶5. (C) At Security Council consultations on June 15, Ambassador Churkin insisted that language in the preambular paragraph of the technical rollover referring to Resolution 1808 was unacceptable, and he insisted that he would veto the resolution if the reference to Resolution 1808 were not removed, despite the fact that this language mirrored exactly the previous resolutions adopted in February 2009 (1866) and October 2008 (1839). During a break in consultations, Ambassador Churkin announced to the press that he would veto the draft resolution, if put to a vote. ¶6. (C) When consultations resumed just prior to the vote, Russia attempted to delay a vote by raising several procedural issues, including whether the meeting should be open or closed, whether the Georgian Permrep could participate, and whether Abkhaz de facto authorities should be represented. The Turkish Presidency polled the members on each issue, and 12 members agreed that the Georgian Permrep could speak in an open meeting of the Council for the vote. ¶7. (U) The UNOMIG mandate expires on June 15, 2009. DICARLO