GAMSAKHURDIA CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE MOSCOW

P 100923Z APR 91
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0528
INFO RUEHLN/AMCONSUL LENINGRAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MOSCOW 10336 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SOV, C-ZOELLICK 
 
E.O.12356:DECL: OADR 
TAGS: PGOV, UR, PREL, SOCI, PINS 
SUBJECT: GAMSAKHURDIA CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE MOSCOW 
 
REFS: A) STATE 66817 B) MOSCOW 9932 C) MOSCOW 1511 
D) MOSCOW 1050 E) MOSCOW 5940 
 

r />5. THE PRELIMINARY REFERENDUM RETURNS WERE ANNOUNCED
AS THEY CAME IN. WITH EACH NEW ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT
THE OVERWHELMING VOTE IN VARIOUS REGIONS IN FAVOR OF
INDEPENDENCE, THE CELEBRANTS MADE MORE TOASTS AND
BECAME ALMOST DELIRIOUS WITH THEIR VICTORY. THE
BANQUET WAS LAID OUT IN TYPICAL GEORGIAN FASHION WITH
PLATES FULL OF GEORGIAN DELICACIES AND FREE-FLOWING
LIQUOR OF ALL SORTS. POLOFF ARRIVED RATHER LATE INTO
THE CELEBRATION AND GAMSAKHURDIA WAS ALREADY INTO HIS
SECOND ROUND OF TOASTS OFFERED TO MOST OF HIS MANY
GUESTS. THE TOASTS WERE INTERSPERSED WITH TYPICAL
GEORGIAN SINGING WHICH CONSISTS OF A FOUR-PART
HARMONY A CAPPELLA. ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING
TOASTS OFFERED BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE BEGAN WITH
REGRET THAT GEORGIA WAS REMEMBERED ONLY AS STALIN'S
BIRTHPLACE.

6. PRIME MINISTER SIGUA (PROTECT) SAT NEXT TO POLOFF
AND TOLD HER THAT IT WAS HIS IDEA THAT GAMSAKHURDIA
ATTEND THE MARCH 16 DINNER IN MOSCOW WITH SECRETARY
BAKER. SIGUA SAID THE CENTER HAD DISCOURAGED ALL
REPUBLIC LEADERS FROM ATTENDING AND THAT WAS WHY
GAMSAKHURDIA HAD ARRIVED AFTER ANNOUNCING OVER THE
TELEPHONE THAT HE WAS NOT COMING. SIGUA SAID THAT
GORBACHEV HAD SUCCESSFULLY PRESSURED MOST OF THE
OTHER REPUBLIC LEADERS TO DECLINE THE SECRETARY'S
INVITATION.

GEORGIA'S DISPUTE WITH THE CENTER INTENSIFIES
/ --------------

7. POLOFF MET WITH GAMSAKHURDIA SEVERAL TIMES DURING
THE VISIT TO DISCUSS GEORGIAN POLITICS AND THE
DEVELOPING POLITICAL DRAMA BETWEEN GEORGIA AND
MOSCOW. POLOFF DREW ON POINTS OUTLINED IN REF A
DURING DISCUSSIONS WITH GAMSAKHURDIA AND EMPHASIZED
THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING A PEACEFUL MECHANISM FOR
THE RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES. GAMSAKHURDIA FELT THAT
HE HAD OFFERED MORE THAN ONCE TO RESOLVE HIS DISPUTES
WITH THE CENTER THROUGH PEACEFUL DIALOGUE BUT WAS
REBUFFED BY MOSCOW. HE RECOUNTED SEVERAL RECENT
CONFRONTATIONS WITH USSR LEADERS OVER THE UNION
TREATY, SOUTH OSSETIA, AND THE GEORGIAN MVD.

8. GAMSAKHURDIA REFERRED TO A FEBRUARY 25
CONVERSATION WITH GORBACHEV IN WHICH THE SOVIET
LEADER REPORTEDLY WARNED GAMSAKHURDIA THAT IF HE DID
NOT SIGN THE UNION TREATY, GEORGIA WOULD FACE EVEN
MORE VIOLENCE AND POLITICAL UNREST. HE ALSO SHOWED
POLOFF COPIES OF TELEGRAMS HE HAD RECEIVED FROM
MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS BORIS PUGO AND GORBACHEV
WARNING HIM TO COMPLY WITH USSR DECREES OR FACE THE
CONSEQUENCES. GAMSAKHURDIA SAID HE STILL HAS NO
INTENTION OF SENDING EVEN OBSERVERS TO THE UNION
TREATY NEGOTIATIONS AND THE GEORGIAN SUPREME SOVIET
WOULD NOT EVEN BE DISCUSSING THE SUBJECT.

9. ON APRIL 7, THE GEORGIAN SUPREME SOVIET PRESIDIUM
PASSED A RESOLUTION PROTESTING THE ADDITION OF
FURTHER SOVIET TROOPS IN SOUTH OSSETIA AS A "RUDE
VIOLATION OF GEORGIAN SOVEREIGNTY," ACCORDING TO
GEORGIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGIY KHONELIDZE
(PROTECT),WHO CALLED POLOFF THAT SAME DAY. THE
RESOLUTION DECRIES THE USE OF TROOPS AGAINST SOCIETY
AND EXPRESSES THE HOPE THAT THE CENTER WOULD REFRAIN
FROM FURTHER DESTABLIZING THE SITUATION IN THE
REPUBLIC. THE RESOLUTION ALSO CALLS FOR A PEACEFUL
DIALOGUE TO FIND A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE OSSETIAN
PROBLEM. THE RESOLUTION EMPHASIZED GEORGIA'S INTENT
TO LEGALLY SEEK INDEPENDENCE AND INITIATE DIRECT
ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL RELATIONS WITH THE
RSFSR, ARMENIA, AZERBAYDZHAN AND OTHER REPUBLICS.
KHONELIDZE ALSO TOLD POLOFF THAT GEORGIA'S WORKERS
WERE PREPARING TO CALL FOR A GENERAL STRIKE IN
SUPPORT OF THE MINERS AS A RESULT OF THE PRICE RISES
AND CONTINUED PARTIAL ECONOMIC BLOCKADE.

GAMSAKHURDIA SEES CENTER'S HAND IN SOUTH OSSETIA
/ -------------- ---

10. GAMSAKHURDIA INSISTED THAT THE CENTER WAS
FUELING THE OSSETIAN PROBLEM AND THAT GORBACHEV HAD
REFUSED TO ENGAGE IN ANY KIND OF DIALOGUE ON THE
PROBLEM. THE GEORGIAN LEADER ACCUSED USSR COUNCIL OF
NATIONALITIES CHAIRMAN RAFIK NISHANOV OF
MASTERMINDING THE CENTER'S MANIPULATION OF OSSETIA.
GAMSAKHURDIA CLAIMED THAT ARRESTING OSSETIAN LEADER
KULUNBEGOV WAS "THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE BLOODSHED
AND DEFUSE THE SITUATION." (SEE SEPTEL FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION ON KULUNBEGOV'S DETENTION.)

11. GAMSAKHURDIA CLAIMED THAT GEORGIA WOULD BE
WILLING TO ALLOW THE OSSETIANS TO HOLD A REFERENDUM
ON AUTONOMY BUT ONLY AFTER GEORGIA ACHIEVED
INDEPENDENCE. HE SAID THAT NOW THEY COULD NOT BE
SURE WHETHER THE OSSETIANS GENUINELY WANTED POLITICAL
AUTONOMY OR WHETHER THEY WERE BEING DRIVEN BY THE
CENTER TO DEMAND THIS AUTONOMY. AS IN PAST
CONVERSATIONS (REFS C-E),HE ROUTINELY REFERRED TO
THE OSSETIANS AND THEIR LEADERS AS "CRIMINALS" AND
"TERRORISTS." HE CLAIMED THAT HE HAD ORDERED AN END
TO THE GEORGIAN BLOCKADE OF TSKHINVALI BUT THAT
"BANDS OF CRIMINALS" CONTINUED TO SABOTAGE THE
OSSETIANS.

12. WHEN POLOFF SUGGESTED THAT INNOCENT OSSETIANS,
SUCH AS TSKHINVALI'S CHILDREN, MIGHT BE SUFFERING,
GAMSAKHURDIA AGAIN BLAMED THE OSSETIANS FOR THE
PROBLEM. HE CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD BROUGHT THIS FATE
UPON THEMSELVES BY CONTINUING TO DEMAND AUTONOMY. HE
ALSO ASSERTED THAT "BANDS OF OSSETIAN CRIMINALS" WERE
FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER --A POINT THE OSSETIANS
DENY.

13. ON THE EVENING OF APRIL 2, POLOFF SAT WITH
GAMSAKHURDIA IN HIS OFFICE IN THE GEORGIAN SUPREME
SOVIET AND WATCHED THE SOVIET NEWS PROGRAM "VREMYA"
WHICH WAS FEATURING AN ITEM ON THE VIOLENCE IN
TSKHINVALI. "THEY ARE ANGRY BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH AN
OVERWHELMING VICTORY IN THE REFERENDUM ON
INDEPENDENCE. NOW THEY ARE PREPARING THE GROUND TO
SEND IN TROOPS TO TAKE OVER OSSETIA AND MAYBE THE
REPUBLIC," HE SAID.

14. THOSE WORDS PROVED TO BE PROPHETIC BECAUSE
GORBACHEV BEGAN TO SEND IN ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO SOUTH
OSSETIA THE NEXT DAY. ON ALRIL 3, GAMSAKHURDIA TOLD
POLOFF HE HAD SPOKEN TO USSR SUPREME SOVIET CHAIRMAN
LUK'YANOV BY TELEPHONE ABOUT THE TROOPS BEING SENT TO
SOUTH OSSETIA. GAMSAKHURDIA SAID HE HAD WARNED
LUK'YANOV THAT MORE TROOPS WOULD INCREASE BLOODSHED
IN THE REGION AND THAT HE AND GORBACHEV WOULD BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS BLOODSHED. LUK'YANOV REPLIED
THAT HE WOULD PASS THIS MESSAGE TO GORBACHEV.
LUK'YANOV ALSO TOLD GAMSAKHURDIA THAT THE RSFSR
CONGRESS' RESOLUTION CALLING ON GORBACHEV TO "TAKE
URGENT MEASURES TO NORMALIZE THE SITUATION IN SOUTH
OSSETIA" HAD HEAVILY INFLUENCED GORBACHEV'S DECISION
TO SEND MORE TROOPS. GAMSAKHURDIA ASKED LUK'YANOV,
"WHAT RIGHT DOES THE RSFSR HAVE TO TELL THE CENTER
WHAT TO DO IN GEORGIA?" THE GEORGIAN LEADER SAID HE
CONSIDERED THIS INTERFERENCE IN GEORGIA'S INTERNAL
AFFAIRS. HE SAID LUK'YANOV HAD NO ANSWER AND WAS
SILENT.

15. GAMSAKHURDIA TOLD POLOFF THAT ACCORDING TO THE
GEORGIAN MVD COMMANDANT IN TSKHINVALI, THE CENTER
PLANNED TO SEND IN THE DZHERZHINSKIY DIVISION TO
IMPOSE ORDER IN SOUTH OSSETIA. THIYSPARTICULAR
DIVISION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRUTAL TREATMENT OF
AZERBAYDZHANIS IN BAKU IN JANUARY 1990.

16. GAMSAKHURDIA CLAIMED THAT THE CENTER WAS
FUNNELING WEAPONS THROUGH THE SOVIET ARMY TO THE
OSSETIANS. HE TOOK POLOFF TO A ROOM WITH A DISPLAY
OF SOVIET ARMY WEAPONS ALLEGEDLY CONFISCATED FROM THE
OSSETIANS. THE GEORGIAN LEADER ALSO SHOWED POLOFF A
ROCKET WHICH ALLEGEDLY HAD BEEN USED IN AN ATTACK ON
A GEORGIAN VILLAGE NEAR TSKHINVALI. THE ROCKET HAD
KILLED A GEORGIAN FAMILY OF FIVE AND WAS THE SAME
TYPE USED IN THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN, ACCORDING TO A
GEORGIAN VETERAN OF THAT WAR. GAMSAKHURDIA USED THIS
EXHIBIT TO ILLUSTRATE THAT OSSETIANS WERE NOT THE
ONLY ONES SUFFERING IN THIS CONFRONTATION. THE
GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT ALSO HAD SEVERAL GEORGIAN
REFUGEES FROM TSKHINVALI ON DISPLAY IN THE LOBBY OF
THE INTOURIST HOTEL IVERIA WITH SIGNS WRITTEN ONLY IN
ENGLISH PROTESTING OSSETIAN ACTS AGAINST GEORGIA.
ALTHOUGH THE REFUGEES' SUFFERING APPEARED TO BE
GENUINE, THEIR USE AS PAWNS IN A POLITICAL PROPAGANDA
GAME WAS OBVIOUS AND A BIT CRUDE.

17. INTERESTINGLY, GEORGIAN REPUBLIC OPPOSITION
LEADERS ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE OSSETIANS ARE "TOOLS OF
THE KGB" AND THAT OSSETIAN LEADER CHOCHIYEV IS A KGB
OFFICER. LIKE GAMSAKHURDIA, THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL
CONGRESS LEADERS BELIEVE THAT OSSETIANS SHOULD BE
GRANTED CULTURAL BUT NOT POLITICAL AUTONOMY.

ECONOMIC PRESSURE INEFFECTIVE AGAINST GEORGIA
/ --------------

18. GAMSAKHURDIA ASSERTED THAT THE CENTER'S ATTEMPTS
TO USE ECONOMIC PRESSURE AGAINST GEORGIA HAD FAILED
FOR SEVERAL REASONS. HE SAID THAT GEORGIA HAD BEEN
ABLE TO RETALIATE AGAINST THE CENTER'S ATTEMPTS TO
USE ECONOMIC PRESSURE BY THREATENING TO CLOSE THE
REPUBLIC'S RAILWAYS AND PORTS. HE SAID THAT THIS
TACTIC HAD BEEN EFFECTIVE DURING THE REPUBLIC'S
DISPUTES WITH MOSCOW LAST SUMMER WHEN GEORGIA WAS
ABLE TO FORCE THE CENTER TO GIVE INTO ITS DEMANDS ON
SOVEREIGNTY. GAMSAKHURDIA POINTED OUT THAT BECAUSE
OF THE ARMENIAN-AZERBAYDZHANI CONFLICT, GEORGIA'S
RAILWAYS WERE THE ONLY ONES FULLY FUNCTIONING IN THE
CAUCASUS AND THEREFORE CONSTITUTED A CRITICAL
TRANSPORTATION LINK TO THE REST OF THE USSR.
GAMSAKHURDIA ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MANY SOVIET
MILITARY FAMILIES LIVED IN GEORGIA AND THEY TOO WOULD
SUFFER FROM ANY MORE SHORTAGES OF FOOD AND ENERGY.
IN ADDITION, THE NON-GEORGIANS IN THE REPUBLIC WOULD
PAY A PRICE FOR ANY ECONOMIC SANCTIONS OR DEPRIVATION
IMPOSED ON GEORGIA.

19. GAMSAKHURDIA OBSERVED THAT THE ECONOMIC WEAPON
WAS NOT GEORGIAN-SPECIFIC AND THEREFORE COULD NOT BE
USED EFFECTIVELY TO STEM GEORGIAN NATIONALISM AND THE
DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENCE. HE MAINTAINED THAT THE
CENTER WAS MORE LIKELY TO USE A COMBINATION OF
POLITICAL AND MILITARY PRESSURE SUCH AS IMPOSING
PRESIDENTIAL RULE, INSTEAD OF ECONOMIC THREATS WHICH
HAD PROVEN INEFFECTIVE.

BETRAYED BY YEL'TSIN
/ --------------

20. GAMSAKHURDIA SAID HE COULD NO LONGER TRUST RSFSR
LEADER BORIS YEL'TSIN "BECAUSE ONE DAY HE SAYS ONE
THING AND THE NEXT DAY HE SAYS THE OPPOSITE."
GAMSAKHURDIA WAS REFERRING TO THE PROTOCOL HE HAD
SIGNED WITH YEL'TSIN ON MARCH 23. THE PROTOCOL
STIPULATED RSFSR-GEORGIAN COOPERATION IN QUELLING THE
OSSETIAN CONFLICT WITHOUT THE CENTER'S INTERFERENCE.
THE PROTOCOL ALSO CALLED FOR CLOSER POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLICS IN THE
FUTURE. GAMSAKHURDIA AND OTHER GEORGIAN OFFICIALS
SUCH AS GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KHOSHTARIA ON
PREVIOUS OCCASIONS HAD EMPHASIZED THE GREAT
IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROTOCOL FOR GEORGIA'S FUTURE (REF
B).

21. GAMSAKHURDIA TOLD POLOFF THAT YEL'TSIN WAS
"FIGHTING FOR HIS POLITICAL LIFE IN THE RSFSR
CONGRESS AND HE HAD TO GIVE UP HIS AGREEMENT WITH US
IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS OWN POLITICAL FUTURE." THE
GEORGIAN LEADER SAID YEL'TSIN HAD REJECTED THE
PROTOCOL AS A SOP TO THE RSFSR COMMUNIST PARTY.
GAMSAKHURDIA CONTINUED TO LAMBAST YEL'TSIN AND HIS
PERSONAL CHARACTER SAYING THAT THE RSFSR LEADER IS A
"DRUNKARD AND OBVIOUSLY UNTRUSTWORTHY." "YEL'TSIN
WILL DO ANYTHING TO SAVE HIS SKIN," GAMSAKHURDIA
SAID. INTERESTINGLY, ONLY A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE,
GAMSAKHURDIA HAD BEEN SINGING YEL'TSIN'S PRAISES AND
STRESSING THAT YEL'TSIN WAS THE SOVIET UNION'S ONLY
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. GAMSAKHURDIA ALSO CRITICIZED
USSR PEOPLE'S DEPUTY GALINA STAROVOYTOVA FOR HER ROLE
IN BACKING THE SOUTH OSSETIANS' CAUSE.

22. LENINGRAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.


MATLOCK