GEORGIA -- DELIVERY OF LETTER ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 037083

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL PGOV US UR
SUBJECT: GEORGIA -- DELIVERY OF LETTER ON
RECOGNITION, COMMENTS ON INTERNAL SITUATION

REF: STATE 418469



1. (U) DEPUTY POLITICAL COUNSELOR DELIVERED
PRESIDENTIAL LETTER RECOGNIZING THE INDEPENDENCE OF
GEORGIA TO GEORGIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN MOSCOW PYOTR
PETROVICH CHIKMEIDZE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27. SHE ALSO
EXPLAINED THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND EXPRESSED U.S. DESIRE TO
CONTINUE AN ACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF
GEORGIA AND TO SUSTAIN CONTACTS THROUGH THE U.S.
EMBASSY IN MOSCOW.


2. (C) CHIKMEIDZE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE
PRESIDENTIAL LETTER, THEN EXPRESSED POLITE DISMAY THAT
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS REMAINED AT ISSUE. "THINGS ARE
VERY DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED FOR US. WE HAVE MADE
MANY MISTAKES, BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE TALK TO
EACH OTHER, IF YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR POINTS DIRECTLY TO
US, RATHER THAN SCOLDING US FROM A DISTANCE," HE
SAID. HE ASSERTED GEORGIAN RESPECT FOR DEMOCRACY
AND FOR THE VALUES REPRESENTED SPECIFICALLY BY
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, AND APPEALED FOR U.S. HELP AND
COOPERATION.


3. (C) TURNING TO THE CURRENT SITUATION IN TBILISI,
CHIKMEIDZE CRITICIZED THE OPPOSITION FOR "STRUGGLING
FOR DEMOCRACY WITH MACHINE GUNS." AT THE SAME TIME,
HE VOLUNTEERED THAT GAMSAKHURDIYA HAD MADE MANY
MISTAKES, AND IMPLIED PERSONAL DOUBT AS TO WHETHER
GAMSAKHURDIYA SHOULD ATTEMPT TO STAY ON. ACCORDING TO
CHIKMEIDZE, GAMSAKHURDIYA HAD BEEN OFFERED SAFE
PASSAGE OUT OF THE COUNTRY EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND HAD
INITIALLY AGREED TO THIS. HIS ADVISORS, HOWEVER, WHOM
CHIKMEIDZE DESCIBED AS "THE WOMEN AROUND HIM," OPPOSED
THIS, AND CONVINCED HIM OUT OF IT. CHIKMEIDZE ALSO
POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE TUNNELS LEADING FROM THE
GOVERNMENT BUILDING INTO THE HILLS SURROUNDING THE
CITY; HE ASSUMES THAT THE OPPOSITION IS ALSO AWARE OF
THESE POTENTIAL ACCESS/ESCAPE ROUTES.


4. (C) ACCORDING TO CHIKMEIDZE, THE ARMED OPPOSITION
STORMED THE FORMER KGB PRISON IN TBILISI AND HAS FREED
OPPOSITION FIGURES CHANTURIYA AND YOSELYANI, AMONG
OTHERS. (THIS HAS SINCE BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE MEDIA.)


5. (C) CONCERNING GEORGIA'S POSSIBLE PLACE IN THE
COMMONWEALTH, CHIKMEIDZE SAID THAT GAMSAKHURDIYA
FAVORS GEORGIAN MEMBERSHIP IN THE COMMONWEALTH, AND
THAT IF HE SURVIVES THE CURRENT STRUGGLE GEORGIA WILL
JOIN THE COMMONWEALTH. MANY OTHERS OPPOSE THIS MOVE,
HOWEVER, ARGUING THAT THE COMMONWEALTH WILL NOT WORK
AND THEY DO NOT WISH TO GET INVOLVED IN A FAILING
EFFORT. PROPONENTS OF THIS VIEW ACCOUNTED FOR
GEORGIA'S POSITION AT THE ALMA-ATA MEETING.
NONETHELESS, CHIKMEIDZE SUPPORTED INVOLVEMENT IN THE
COMMONWEALTH FOR WHAT BENEFITS MIGHT COME OF IT, AND
EXPECTS THAT GEORGIA WILL EVENTUALLY JOIN THE GROUPING
REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THE CURRENT POWER
STRUGGLE IN TBILISI.


COLLINS