Home
Cables mirror and Afghan War Diary
Privacy
| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05TBILISI2889 |
GEORGIA IN RECENT SURVEYS: GOOD NEWS ON PACE OF [...] Summary: Annual surveys on media freedom, anti- corruption, poverty reduction, and the general pace of reforms show Georgia doing well compared to other post-Soviet nations but behind former Warsaw-Pact and Baltic nations whose reform experiences the GOG is eager to emulate. Georgia is a top [...] |
2005-11-07 12:05:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ECON GG |
| 05TBILISI2897 |
DECLARATION OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE COMMUNITY OF [...] No summary [...] |
2005-11-07 12:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL GG |
| 05TBILISI2937 |
GEORGIAN TV CREWS COVER KATRINA IN LOUISIANNA [...] SUMMARY: Georgian media gave intensive coverage to Hurricane Katrina in prime time newscasts and lead newspaper stories. However, the coverage was based on international wire and news agency reports, such as AP and Reuters. The exceptions were Rustavi-2 and Imedi TV. Both television station [...] |
2005-11-10 03:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO OPRC OIIP |
| 05TBILISI3167 |
WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY: GEORGIA [...] Per reftel, Post delivered the message to the Chairman of the Georgian National Communication Commission, Dimitri Kitoshvili, on November 3. Post delivered the demarche including the talking points and background information on the U.S. position for the World Summit on the Information Society [...] |
2005-12-05 06:09:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ECPS EINT ETRD ETTC GG |
| 05TBILISI3171 |
VIOLATIONS IN SOUTH OSSETIA [...] In response to inquiries from the Department regarding Georgian complaints of misconduct by Russian peacekeeping forces in South Ossetia, post has compiled the following list of incidents and infractions as reported by the GOG. -- September 20, 2005: Military parade in Tskhinvali. -- V [...] |
2005-12-05 11:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG RU |
| 05TBILISI3194 |
COUNTERFEITING, ARRESTS, ABDUCTIONS IN SOUTH [...] (C) Summary. On December 5, the Georgian government orchestrated a sting operation against a counterfeiting operation in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, resulting in the wounding and arrest of an Ossetian law enforcement official allegedly involved in the illegal activity. The operati [...] |
2005-12-07 11:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 05TBILISI3198 |
TENSIONS RISING IN SOUTH OSSETIA [...] (U) On December 2, the South Ossetian press reported that a checkpoint on the road to the Ossetian village of Zari was hit by fire from a grenade launcher. Later press reports from South Ossetia claimed that Georgian special police forces attacked a bus traveling along a bypass road leading f [...] |
2005-12-08 05:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 05TBILISI3199 |
PEACE PLAN FOR SOUTH-OSSETIAN CONFLICT RESOLUTION [...] (C) In a November 30 meeting with Poloff, Deputy State Minister for Conflict Resolution Volski passed a copy of a non-paper on South Ossetia being prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The paper aims to demonstrate how the current peace plan is a logical outgrowth of President Saakashv [...] |
2005-12-08 12:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 05TBILISI3200 |
GEORGIA'S FINANCIAL POLICE: THE IRS WITH GUNS? [...] Summary. Recent business establishment closings by the Financial Police (FP) have prompted a renewed effort by local business and NGO leaders to encourage the Georgian Government to be transparent in their tax collection and enforcement efforts. Many in the business and NGO communities conten [...] |
2005-12-08 12:58:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD EFIN EINV KCRM GG |
| 05TBILISI3202 |
NON-PAPER ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ABKHAZIA [...] Poloff received the following non-paper on recent developments in Abkhazia from Giorgi Nikolaishvili, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The non-paper is laying out the Georgians position on Abkhazia. 2. Begin Text: After the UN Secretary General's last report on the situation [...] |
2005-12-09 03:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 05TBILISI3205 |
GEORGIA/ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROSECUTION [...] Summary. The DOJ supported anti money-laundering (M/L) unit of the Georgian Prosecutor's Office scored a first ever in Georgian jurisprudence by having a witness testify at trial pursuant to a plea bargain agreement. The case charges that the president of a local bank (and vice premier of Ge [...] |
2005-12-09 03:48:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PGOV OTRA KCRM KJUS GG |
| 05TBILISI3214 |
COMMENTS ON BANK OF GEORGIA'S APPLICATION FOR OPIC [...] In response to reftel, post knows of no information about Bank of Georgia's (BOG) shareholders that would cause us not to support the project. Econoff met on December 8 with Lado Gurgenidze, BOG's CEO, to discuss the OPIC loan to expand its residential mortgage loan program. According to Gur [...] |
2005-12-09 13:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON SENV GG |
| 05TBILISI3215 |
GEORGIA'S PARTICIPATION IN WORLD BANK DEVELOPMENT [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-09 13:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON SENV GG |
| 05TBILISI3216 |
S&P RATES GEORGIA AT B+ LONG TERM, B SHORT TERM [...] On December 6, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'B ' long-term and 'B' short-term sovereign credit ratings to the government of Georgia. This is Georgia's first sovereign credit rating. S&P says the ratings are "supported by the government's strong political commitment to prud [...] |
2005-12-09 13:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON GG |
| 05TBILISI3226 |
ABKHAZIA: THE NEED FOR CONFIDENCE BUILDING [...] (C) Summary: During a December 6 and 7 visit to Abkhazia, the Abkhaz and Georgians agreed ad ref to a draft of the joint declaration on security guarantees and the return of internally displaced persons, the European Commission launched a program of economic rehabilitation in the conflict ar [...] |
2005-12-12 13:11:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 05TBILISI3250 |
GEORGIAN SUPPORT ON IRAQ DECEMBER 15 ELECTION [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-14 07:37:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI2512 |
NEGOTIATION ROUND ABORTED AS SOUTH OSSETIANS [...] (C) The latest scheduled round of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) failed to convene after the South Ossetians refused to permit one member of the Georgian delegation, peacekeeping battalion commander Paata Bedniashvili, to enter Tskhinvali for the talks. OSCE Ambassador Roy Reeve told us [...] |
2006-09-20 06:57:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MOPS GG |
| 06TBILISI2590 |
GEORGIA ARRESTS RUSSIANS FOR SPYING, PLANNING [...] (S/NF) The Georgian government announced the arrests of four Russians and eleven Georgians on September 27, in connection with an alleged espionage ring. One Russian suspect remains inside a diplomatically protected Russian military building in Tbilisi. The Georgians tell us the arrests are [...] |
2006-09-28 12:26:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI2601 |
GEORGIAN ARRESTS UPDATE -- SEPTEMBER 29 [...] (C) As the Georgian-Russian confrontation over Russian military officers detained for spying enters its third day, the Georgians have been making their case with the diplomatic community and the public, releasing video and other evidence of espionage. OSCE Chair-in-Office de Gucht is planning [...] |
2006-09-29 10:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL GG |
| 06TBILISI2626 |
GEORGIA RELEASES RUSSIAN OFFICERS [...] Georgia released four Russian officers detained for spying to OSCE Chair-in-Office Karel de Gucht on October 2 in a televised handover ceremony. The Georgians expect further Russian retaliation for the incident, such as the reported Russian decision to cut off air travel, mail service, and mo [...] |
2006-10-02 14:25:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GG |
| 06TBILISI2668 |
GEORGIA TEXTILES AND APPAREL SECTOR:UPDATED [...] Pursuant to Ref A Embassy Tbilisi provides the following statistics and information regarding the textile sector in Georgia. 2. Statistics (2005 data): Total industrial production (USD thousands): 1,158,267 Total textiles and apparel production (USD thousands): 7,745 Textile/apparel sha [...] |
2006-10-04 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EIND ETRD GG |
| 06TBILISI2680 |
RUSSIA'S TIGHTENING THE ECONOMIC SCREWS ON GEORGIA [...] (U) This is an action request for EB and EUR. See paragraph 8. 2. (U) Russia has announced that all airline, rail, road, sea and postal links to Georgia will be closed after midnight Monday, October 2. On October 3, the Transport department of the Georgian Economic Development Ministry [...] |
2006-10-06 13:32:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETRD EWWT ECON PREL GG |
| 06TBILISI2698 |
GOG OFFICIALS INTERESTED IN ESTONIAN MODEL FOR [...] The USAID Georgia Business Climate Reform Project (GBCR) sponsored and participated in a very successful visit of key GoG officials to Latvia and Estonia September 4-14 as part of its technical assistance in the establishment of a new revenue service. The new GoG revenue service will unite the [...] |
2006-10-11 07:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV ECON ETRD PGOV KFIN GG |
| 06TBILISI2708 |
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF SOUTH OSSETIA ECONOMIC [...] (C) International donors, OSCE, Georgia, and South Ossetia kicked off the new economic rehabilitation initiative for South Ossetia with the first steering committee meeting in Tskhinvali October 6, much of which was open to Georgian and SIPDIS South Ossetian media. DCM signed a memorandum w [...] |
2006-10-11 13:25:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID GG |
| 06TBILISI2709 |
UN-CIS KODORI PATROL SCHEDULED, WHILE ABKHAZ TALK [...] (C) Georgian Deputy State Minister for Conflict Resolution Ruslan Abashidze told us October 9 that the main questions about the modalities of a UNOMIG monitoring patrol of the Upper Kodori Gorge with participation of CIS peacekeepers (reftel) had been resolved. He said an agreement was reached [...] |
2006-10-11 13:26:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 06TBILISI2754 |
SOUTH OSSETIA TALKS AT AN IMPASSE [...] (C) As described by OSCE, the October 12-13 Joint Control Commission (JCC) meeting in Vladikavkaz produced few real results because the Georgians and the other sides deadlocked over the Georgian proposal to change the format of the discussions. The commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces ( [...] |
2006-10-17 13:42:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OSCE PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI2789 |
UN AND CIS CONDUCT JOINT PATROL OF KODORI GORGE [...] (C) A joint UNOMIG-CIS patrol visited the Georgian-controlled Upper Kodori Gorge October 12, the first such international monitoring mission since Georgian forces re-established control over the area from local warlord Emzar Kvitsiani in July. Georgian Deputy State Minister for Conflict Resol [...] |
2006-10-20 08:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI2855 |
INITIAL RESULTS OF USDA'S TRADE MISSION TO GEORGIA [...] In May, 2006, USDA led the first ever Agribusiness Trade and Investment Mission (TIM) to Georgia, which was funded by the Freedom Support Act. The goal of the TIM was to facilitate investments and trade between the U.S. and Georgian companies, suppliers, and distributors. With the current st [...] |
2006-10-27 11:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EAGR ETRD EINV GG |
| 06TBILISI2866 |
A/S FRIED'S MEETING WITH GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili told A/S Fried October 18 that recent Russian statements and actions indicated that Russia had decided to launch an all-out diplomatic assault on Georgia, trying to marginalize the U.S. from the Group of Friends, targeting GUAM, and working to di [...] |
2006-10-30 08:34:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL GG |
| 06TBILISI2935 |
FINANCE MINISTER HEARS USG RECOMMENDATIONS FOR [...] (U) On October 25, Econoff presented Finance Minister Aleksishvili with a non-paper on consolidation of the GOG revenue agencies (the tax administration, the customs service and the financial police) that the Ambassador gave to PM Noghaideli at their meeting on October 13 (reftel). Econoff al [...] |
2006-11-02 14:02:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN EAID GG |
| 06TBILISI2937 |
KVITSIANI ON FIRING IN UPPER KODORI: I DID IT [...] (U) Abkhaz television broadcast November 1 a video, quickly picked up on Georgian channels, in which ousted Upper Kodori warlord Emzar Kvitsiani took responsibility for the October 25 missile attack near the Georgian village of Azhara during the visit of Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs V [...] |
2006-11-02 14:32:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI2938 |
GORKONI FRUIT PROCESSING COMPANY: AFTER STALIN, [...] Summary. The city of Gori in the Shida Kartli region of central Georgia prides itself on many things: the birthplace of Josef Stalin, the home town of current Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, and host to the country's top fruit processing factory. Econoff visited the Gorkoni frui [...] |
2006-11-03 04:31:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV ECON ETRD PGOV KFIN GG |
| 06TBILISI2991 |
IMERETI REGION: SEEKING A VISION FOR ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary. The Georgian city of Kutaisi and its surrounding region, Imereti, are struggling to find a clear direction for future economic growth. Regional leaders view the city, and the region, as a transit and regional service center for medicine, education, and trade, but seem to focus mo [...] |
2006-11-09 15:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EIND ETRD GG |
| 06TBILISI3046 |
GOG NEEDS STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND [...] (C) Summary: On November 7-8, PolEcon Chief and Poloff traveled to the multi-ethnic region of Samstkhe-Javakheti to meet with newly-elected local officials, NGO leaders, media representatives, and university students. The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the USG's commitment to increased [...] |
2006-11-20 13:08:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG RU |
| 06TBILISI3061 |
MFA RELEASES FOREIGN POLICY STRATEGY [...] (U) The MFA recently released its 2006-2009 Foreign Policy Strategy document. The Strategy focuses on the goals of territorial integrity, Euro-Atlantic integration, economic growth, and the protection of Georgians abroad, and helps to fulfill a requirement in Georgia's NATO Individual Partner [...] |
2006-11-22 06:00:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI3069 |
THE ROSE REVOLUTION: THREE YEARS ON [...] (C) Summary: The Saakashvili administration came to power after the 2003 Rose Revolution promising to build democracy, increase prosperity, and reincorporate Georgia's separatist regions. Three years after the Rose Revolution, the Saakashvili administration has much to be proud of. In place [...] |
2006-11-22 15:32:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 06TBILISI3399 |
NO SHAH DENIZ GAS MEANS TOUGH CHOICES FOR GEORGIA [...] Summary: BP reported the delay in availability of Shah Deniz gas to the Embassy on December 21. ACG associated gas, which is now being re-injected to support oil production, could supply up to 8.1 million cubic meters (cm) per day to Azerbaijan and Georgia. However, the old pipeline from Az [...] |
2006-12-26 13:08:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG PREL GG |
| 06TBILISI3406 |
BILATERAL MEETING BETWEEN GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZ [...] (C) Georgian Deputy State Minister for Conflicts Resolution Ruslan Abashidze returned December 21 from leading a GoG delegation at the Conciliation Resources-organized discussions in London with an Abkhaz delegation. He briefed Charge about the results of the meeting. The Georgian delegation [...] |
2006-12-27 11:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1001 |
REPORT: ABKHAZ PRESSURING GEORGIAN STUDENTS TO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-30 10:03:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1037 |
GEORGIA: UN HRC - CANDIDACY OF BELARUS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-04 13:59:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNHRC GG |
| 07TBILISI1039 |
Georgia Bi-Weekly Update May 4 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of April 21-May 4. Opposition Supports South Ossetia Initiative -------------------------------------------- 2. Georgian opposition parties have embraced President Saakashvili' [...] |
2007-05-04 14:11:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1047 |
GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT [...] Prime Minister Zurab NOGAIDELI appointed Mindia GADAEVI as the Head of the new Revenue Service. Mindia GADAEV, will have three deputies. Irakli SIRADZE will head Customs, Koba Abuladze will head the Tax Department and David KARSELADZE will head the Financial Police Department. All the appoin [...] |
2007-05-07 11:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | GBSLE GG |
| 07TBILISI1063 |
ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILE FOUND IN SOUTH OSSETIA [...] (C) Summary: On May 7, Noah Lane, Security Officer for the OSCE reported that a joint OSCE-Joint Peacekeeping Force (JPKF) monitoring team found a South Ossetian ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun and an Igla (or SA-7) surface-to-air (SAM) missile between the villages of Nikozi and Avnevi, in the Zone [...] |
2007-05-08 12:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1064 |
ZOURABICHVILI WORKING TO FORGE COMMON OPPOSITION [...] (C) On May 7, Ambassador met with Salome Zourabichvili, former Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and current leader of the opposition party "Georgia's Way." Zourabichvili told the Ambassador that she was currently holding meetings with the leaders from all the opposition parties in Georgi [...] |
2007-05-08 13:29:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1079 |
GEORGIA: REQUEST FOR AMBASSADOR'S ASSESSMENT ON [...] (C) The Georgian government has confirmed to us that they oppose Belarus' candidacy to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and will vote against Belarus in the upcoming election (Ref B). In my assessment, this is a very firm commitment. The government of Georgia is dedicated to [...] |
2007-05-10 14:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM RPEL UNHRC GG |
| 07TBILISI1080 |
SANAKOYEV TO ADDRESS PARLIAMENT, RECEIVE [...] (C) The Georgian Parliament passed a resolution May 8 establishing the temporary administrative unit for South Ossetia that had been the subject of statements by President Saakashvili and earlier parliamentary action in April (reftel). As Georgian Deputy State Minister for Conflict Resolution [...] |
2007-05-10 14:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1100 |
INTERIOR MINISTER MERABISHVILI'S VIEWS ON THE [...] (C) In a wide-ranging discussion of the separatist conflicts with the Ambassador May 9, Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili said Abkhaz de facto president Sergei Bagapsh has the mentality of a typical Soviet administrator, hopelessly afraid of making any decisions that enta [...] |
2007-05-11 12:28:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1101 |
SPEAKER BURJANADZE ON OPPOSITION, CONFLICTS, AND [...] (C) Summary: During a May 10 meeting with Ambassador, Speaker Burjanadze said she was frustrated by opposition New Rights party MP David Gamkrelidze's decision to withdraw from an inter-faction parliamentary group established to draft a new law on property rights. Burjanadze said Gamkrelidze [...] |
2007-05-11 13:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1103 |
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES WIN CASE AGAINST GEORGIA IN THE [...] On May 3, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg ruled that Georgia violated three articles of the European Human Rights Convention in the case of "Ninety-seven members of the Jehovah's Witnesses of Gldani Congregation against Georgia." The case, which was first launched in 2 [...] |
2007-05-11 13:40:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1120 |
SOUTH OSSETIA WEEKEND SHOOTING INCIDENTS [...] (C) Summary: The situation in the South Ossetian zone of conflict (ZOC) appears relatively calm following a weekend of shooting activity described by an OSCE observer as the worst since 2004, when significant hostilities last broke out between Georgia and South Ossetia. Heavy small arms and [...] |
2007-05-14 14:28:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1121 |
GEORGIA INFORMED OF BOSNIA'S CANDIDACY FOR UNHRC [...] On May 11, Poloff informed Irakli Machitidze, the Americas' Desk Officer at the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that Bosnia has officially declared its candidacy for one of the two open Eastern European Group Human Rights Council seats (Ref A). Machitidze reiterated the GoG position aga [...] |
2007-05-14 14:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1130 |
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE REPRESENTS FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT [...] Summary: In 2007, Georgia will enact a new Criminal Procedure Code ("CPC") that replaces the former Soviet-style of prosecution with a new approach that equalizes the government's obligation to prosecute cases with the responsibility to protect the public's rights. This philosophical shift to [...] |
2007-05-15 07:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PGOV OTRA KCRM KJUS GG |
| 07TBILISI1135 |
GEORGIA: DEMARCHE ON KEY U.S. OBJECTIVES AT THE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-15 12:19:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO AORC PREL WHO KFLU GG |
| 07TBILISI1136 |
CEC COMMITS TO FALL VOTERS LIST UPDATE CAMPAIGN [...] During a meeting with Poloff on May 4, Guram Chalagashvili, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), said that the CEC will conduct a door-to-door campaign to update the voters list in September or October. He stated that this campaign, in concert with a newly launched quality c [...] |
2007-05-15 12:22:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1139 |
SOUTH OSSETIA CONTINUES BLOCKADE OF TRANSCAUCASIAN [...] (SBU) Summary: On May 15, OSCE Ambassador Roy Reeve told Ambassador that the South Ossetians continue to block the Transcaucasian Highway north of Tskhinvali, but all of the other side roads have been re-opened. Reeve said that de-facto president Kokoity has returned to Tskhinvali and the [...] |
2007-05-15 13:48:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1140 |
GEORGIA'S CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR UNDER FIRE [...] (C) Summary: Roman Gotsiridze, the president of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Georgia's central bank, came under withering criticism in Parliament after he presented the Bank's annual report on May 10. Parliamentary criticism reflected a less than exact understanding of the interplay b [...] |
2007-05-15 14:11:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EFIN GG |
| 07TBILISI1141 |
ARNAULT: ABKHAZ LEADERSHIP IN ANGRY MOOD [...] (C) Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Jean Arnault told the Group of Friends Ambassadors May 15 that Abkhaz de facto president Bagapsh is angry and politically weakened in the aftermath of his decision to release three Georgian students May 3 without any corresponding Georgian [...] |
2007-05-15 14:30:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1145 |
GEORGIA OUTLINES ANTI-TIP PLANS FOCUSING ON [...] On May 14, representatives from the Georgian government and civil society gathered to formally present the GOG's 2007-2008 Anti-TIP State Action Plan (emailed to EUR/CARC). The plan focuses on the "three Ps" of Protection of TIP victims, Prosecution of traffickers, and Prevention through publi [...] |
2007-05-16 10:15:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1165 |
EMBASSY TBILISI'S 2007 AMBASSADOR'S FUND PROJECT [...] For the FY07 Ambassador's Fund for Refugees for Georgia, Post proposes the rehabilitation of the water supply system in Tsinubani village in the Pankisi Gorge. Tsinubani village has a population of approximately 300 people, including over 100 refugees, and currently lacks running water. The [...] |
2007-05-18 12:43:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREF PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1169 |
Georgia Bi-Weekly Update May 18 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of May 5-18. Opposition Pulls Out of Parliamentary Group ------------------------------------------- 2. Both of the opposition members of the Parliamentary inter-faction group o [...] |
2007-05-18 12:59:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1171 |
RUSSIAN WTO NEGOTIATOR TO COME TO TBILISI FOR [...] (U) This telegram is Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet distribution. 2. (SBU) DCM met on May 16 with Valeri Chechelashvili, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who said that Russia has approached Georgia to hold further discussions about the Georgia-Russia bilateral agreement [...] |
2007-05-18 13:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD KTIA USTR GG |
| 07TBILISI1172 |
FURTHER DETAIL ON MOD PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING [...] (C) The Georgian Ministry of Defense has provided additional information about its priorities for spending the proposed GEL 442,100,000 (USD 261.6 million) increase in the defense budget reported reftel. The money will be spent by the MOD as follows: -- GEL 21.8 million (USD 13 million) on [...] |
2007-05-18 13:33:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV EFIN GG |
| 07TBILISI1181 |
SOUTH OSSETIA SHOOTOUT MAY 19 [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-21 12:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1212 |
DFM MANJGALADZE'S READOUT OF HIS MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: On May 22, Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Manjgaladze called in the Ambassador and the German Charge (representing the EU) to give a readout of his recent meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Karasin. Manjgaladze said Karasin did not present anything new and thought the [...] |
2007-05-23 09:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1213 |
ANTADZE ON PROSPECTS FOR DIALOGUE WITH ABKHAZIA [...] (C) Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Merab Antadze told the Ambassador May 22 that Abkhaz de facto officials appeared to have decided to block contacts with Georgia at virtually every level of society, rebuffing Georgian requests to discuss the security situation in Gali and oth [...] |
2007-05-23 09:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1247 |
EVIDENCE TAMPERING SCANDAL HITS GEORGIAN MINISTRY [...] (C) Summary: A top Ministry of Internal Affairs official (MOIA) was arrested May 2 on charges of evidence tampering, along with the deputy of the MOIA Forensics Lab and one other police officer. Deputy General Prosecutor and National Movement activist Nika Gvaramia downplayed the extent of evi [...] |
2007-05-29 07:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR GG |
| 07TBILISI1265 |
ABKHAZ DE FACTO PRIME MINISTER ANKVAB ON ECONOMY [...] (C) In a meeting with Ambassador May 23, Abkhaz de facto prime minister Alexander Ankvab acknowledged that neither economic growth nor Russian investment in Abkhazia were high, although he thought both would increase considerably with the prospect of the 2014 Winter Olympics in nearby Sochi. A [...] |
2007-05-30 12:07:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI1267 |
GEORGIA: DEMARCHE ON PROPOSED RUSSIAN DRAFT OF AN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-30 12:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PREL PGOV KTIA GG |
| 07TBILISI1278 |
SOUTH OSSETIA WATER STANDOFF [...] (C) As of May 31, the South Ossetian "capital" of Tskhinvali has been without water for a week, producing a SIPDIS tense political standoff. As OSCE officials have described it to us, the problem started when residents of the Georgian enclave north of Tskhinvali drilled holes in the water [...] |
2007-05-31 14:44:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1279 |
PARLIAMENTARIANS OUTLINE GEORGIA'S REFORMS, [...] (C) Summary: During a meeting with Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President Joseph Wood, key ruling party and opposition parliamentarians outlined planned internal reforms and weighed the challenges ahead. While citing strong progress, MPs admitted more work needs to be done in [...] |
2007-06-01 04:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ECON ENRG GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1284 |
PM NOGHAIDELI ON ECONOMIC REFORMS, ENERGY [...] (C) In a May 28 meeting with Joseph Wood, Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli said the Georgian economy was performing well, and the government was pushing hard to get major new reforms underway this year so that they would be well-e [...] |
2007-06-01 10:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI1293 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: NATO-AFGHANISTAN: URGENT NEED [...] (C) Per reftel request, on May 29, Poloff delivered demarche points to MFA America Desk Officer Irakli Machitidze. Machitidze said Georgia was committed to doing everything it can in the fight against Islamic fundamentalist forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, as evidenced by its significant troop [...] |
2007-06-01 13:08:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PINS PREL MOPS MARR AF GG PK |
| 07TBILISI1298 |
Georgia Bi-Weekly Update June 1 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of May 19-June  [...] |
2007-06-01 13:45:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1299 |
GEORGIAN POLITICAL REFORM UPDATE, PART ONE [...] (U) This is part one of a two-part series by outgoing officers on Georgia's progress on key internal reforms as Georgia tries to obtain a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in the next twelve months. 2. (C) Summary. The Saakashvili government, which came to power following the Rose Revoluti [...] |
2007-06-01 13:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1320 |
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ARVELADZE ON [...] (C) In a May 28 meeting, Georgian Minister of Economic Development Giorgi Arveladze described to Joseph Wood, Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President, Georgia's efforts and successes in attracting foreign investors in a broad range of sectors. Arveladze said the government's ph [...] |
2007-06-05 07:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI1364 |
GEORGIA: JUNE 7 UPDATE ON AFRICAN SWINE FEVER [...] (C) The Georgian government has begun to mobilize its forces to deal with the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) reported reftel. Prime Minister Noghaideli discussed the situation with the Cabinet on June 6 and ordered that appropriate measures be taken. The same day the government notif [...] |
2007-06-07 14:34:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR SENV PGOV TBIO GG |
| 07TBILISI1368 |
SOUTH OSSETIA WATER FLOWS AT LAST [...] (C) On the evening of June 7, the South Ossetian de facto authorities re-opened the drinking water pipeline in Java, allowing water to flow south to villages controlled by the Tbilisi-backed government of Dmitry Sanakoyev, and from there farther south to the de facto authorities' "capital" of [...] |
2007-06-08 13:49:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1386 |
LITTLE PROGRESS RESULTS FROM MAY 31 GEORGIA-RUSSIA [...] No summary [...] |
2007-06-11 13:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD USTR WTO GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1418 |
DEMARCHE BY FRIENDS OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL TO [...] (C) Summary. The Friends of the Secretary General (FSG) delivered a demarche, as agreed in capitals, to the Georgian Government on June 4 and to the Abkhaz de facto authorities in Sukhumi on June 8. The demarche pressed both sides to calm tensions, re-engage in dialog, implement confidence b [...] |
2007-06-13 13:21:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS KPKO UNSC RU GG |
| 07TBILISI1446 |
Georgia Bi-Weekly Update June 15 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of June 2-15. Meeting of Georgian and Russian Presidents ------------------------------------------ 2. Georgian President Saakashvili and Russian President Putin had a 50-minute [...] |
2007-06-15 11:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI1450 |
MOJ TAKES OVER IMPLEMENTATION OF SOUTH OSSETIAN [...] This cable contains an action request. Please see paragraph 5. 2. In late May, Minister of Justice Gia Kavtaradze and influential majoritarian Parliamentarian Giga Bokeria assumed responsibility for implementing the South Ossetian Restitution Law, replacing State Minister for Civil Inte [...] |
2007-06-15 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM PREF GG |
| 07TBILISI1476 |
FREEDOM HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS GEORGIAN PROGRESS ON [...] The 2007 Nations in Transit report released this week by Freedom House highlighted significant progress by Georgia in consolidating democratic reforms. Georgia received a "Democracy Score" of 4.68, an improvement from 4.86 in 2006 (Note: Nations in Transit ratings are based on a 1 to 7 scale, [...] |
2007-06-19 12:58:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI1477 |
OSCE AMBASSADORS GROUP UPBEAT ON ELECTION REFORMS [...] (C) Summary: During a June 18 meeting, the OSCE Ambassadors Group on Elections offered a glowing report on GOG efforts to implement suggestions delivered to Speaker Burjanadze and MP Giga Bokeria on May 2 (reftel). Council of Europe (COE) Ambassador Igor Gaon said there has been "good progres [...] |
2007-06-19 13:03:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1479 |
JUDICIAL REFORM: MOVING FORWARD [...] (C) SUMMARY: Georgian officials admit privately that judicial reform was not high on the list of reform projects immediately following the Rose Revolution. It was deemed too hard to accomplish quickly, and as a result, was slow to get started. International pressure, however, has moved this [...] |
2007-06-19 13:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1504 |
UN DOWNBEAT ON INCREASING ASSISTANCE TO ABKHAZIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a June 11 meeting with USAID representatives, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for Georgia Jean Arnault was downbeat on the prospect of increasing assistance to Abkhazia. He said that the current atmosphere is as bad as it has been since he arrived so [...] |
2007-06-21 13:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON PHUM PREF EAID GG |
| 07TBILISI1528 |
MCC DANILOVICH MEETS MINORITY LEADERS IN ETHNIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: On June 14, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) President John Danilovich, accompanied by Ambassador Tefft and MCC Country Director Colin Buckley, traveled to the ethnic Armenian area of Samtskhe-Javakheti to meet members of the local government and civil society. This isolate [...] |
2007-06-26 12:45:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM ECON EAID GG |
| 07TBILISI1530 |
GEORGIAN PROSECUTORS INSTITUTIONALIZE NEW TRIAL [...] Summary. In January 2007, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Public Prosecution Service (OPP) developed a year-long training program, including a cadre of local trainers, a core curriculum, explanatory materials and interactive training techniques, to ensure that th [...] |
2007-06-26 13:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PGOV KCRM KJUS GG |
| 07TBILISI1542 |
GEORGIA: JUNE 27 UPDATE ON AFRICAN SWINE FEVER [...] (C) Summary. As of June 26, over 42,000 pigs have died of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Georgia with an additional 4500 culled. First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Bakur Kvezereli confirmed to Econoff the GoG strategy of containment: quarantine affected areas, disinfect entrance points to AS [...] |
2007-06-27 13:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR SENV PGOV TBIO GG |
| 07TBILISI1562 |
SANAKOYEV SPEAKS IN BRUSSELS [...] On June 26, Dmitry Sanakoyev, head of Georgia's Temporary Administration of South Ossetia, addressed the European Parliament in Brussels. Georgian media gave extensive and positive coverage to the event, hailing it as the first ever address made in Brussels in the Ossetian language. The sepa [...] |
2007-06-29 09:54:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV RS GG |
| 07TBILISI1563 |
SOUTH OSSETIA TENSIONS HIGH [...] (SBU) A number of dangerous eruptions in tension have recently occurred in South Ossetia, suggesting that we may be in for a long, hot summer in the conflict zone. Georgian villagers have squared off with Russian peacekeepers over Georgian efforts to improve a road connecting two Georgian vil [...] |
2007-06-29 13:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1566 |
RUSSIA TRANSFERS AKHALKALAKI MILITARY BASE TO [...] On June 27 Russia officially handed over its military base in Akhalkalaki to Georgia, several days ahead of schedule. Georgian First Deputy Defense Minister Levan Nikoleishvili and Russian Commander of the Group of Russian Forces in the Transcaucasus Andrei Popov attended the handover ceremo [...] |
2007-06-29 13:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1573 |
SOUTH OSSETIA REOPENS ONE IRRIGATION CANAL [...] (C) OSCE confirmed on July 2 that the South Ossetians have re-opened one of the two irrigation canals that bring water to Georgian farms both inside and outside the zone of conflict (reftel). The move came either during or after South Ossetian de-facto president Kokoiti's visit to Moscow, s [...] |
2007-07-02 13:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1574 |
Georgia Bi-Weekly Update June 29 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of June 16-29. Criminal Procedure Code Moving through Parliament --------------------------------------------- ---- 2. The Legal Committee of Georgian Parliament is currently i [...] |
2007-07-02 15:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1595 |
MORE TIME NEEDED TO REOPEN GEORGIA-RUSSIA AIR LINKS [...] Georgian Airways announced on July 1 that it is about to start periodic charter flights to Moscow, beginning July 3. The company's press release indicated that this is a temporary arrangement between the company and Russia's transport administration, facilitated by Georgia's Orthodox Church Pa [...] |
2007-07-03 14:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR PGOV PREL GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1601 |
CHECHEN REFUGEES RECEIVE TEMPORARY RESIDENCE [...] Summary: Georgian Minister of Refugees Giorgi Kheviasvhili marked World Refugee Day on June 20 by distributing temporary residence permits to 600 Chechen refugees living in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge. The remainder of the estimated 1,300 refugees living in the Gorge will receive their permits [...] |
2007-07-05 13:00:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PREF GG |
| 07TBILISI1604 |
ABKHAZIA: GENEVA-STYLE MEETING IN BONN: SMALL [...] (C) SUMMARY: On June 27 and 28, representatives of the Friends of the UN Secretary General (FSG), together with the UN, met the Georgian and Abkhaz sides for a Geneva-style meeting in Bonn. Most significantly, the sides agreed to resume Quadripartite meetings on law enforcement cooperation i [...] |
2007-07-06 11:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS KPKO UNSC GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1605 |
MERABISHVILI ON WHAT'S NEXT IN SOUTH OSSETIA [...] (C) Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili told the Ambassador July 5 that while he thought tensions would continue in South Ossetia, he did not expect a major escalation. He said the Georgians hoped to be able to recruit a number of prominent de facto officials at the "deput [...] |
2007-07-06 11:40:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1619 |
GOOD SIGNS AND BAD AT SOUTH OSSETIA DONORS' [...] (C) A July 2 meeting in Tskhinvali of the Steering Committee for the donors' South Ossetia economic rehabilitation projects was marked by confrontations between the Georgian and South Ossetian sides -- including over whether the Georgian delegation would be allowed into South Ossetia for the m [...] |
2007-07-09 13:21:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1621 |
DETAINEE TREATMENT BETTER--TRANSPARENCY STILL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Georgia's Ombudsman told DCM and Poloff in a meeting on 5 July that detainee treatment at pre-trial detention centers has improved due to monitoring of these venues. He recounted specific cases where independence of courts, instances of misuse of power by police, government's in [...] |
2007-07-09 13:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1622 |
OCTOBER LAUNCH OF JUDICIAL TRAINING PROGRAM TAKES [...] (SBU) Summary. The USAID Caucasus Mission Director and Poloff attended the opening of a new High School of Justice (HSOJ) facility on 22 June in Tskaltubo (Kutaisi) where the Georgian Chairman of the Supreme Court released to the international community copies of the much anticipated curricul [...] |
2007-07-10 05:27:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1624 |
GEORGIA-CHINA: TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary. On June 28, press reports announced that Chinese buyers purchased Tbilisi's central supermarket. The news sparked mild protests by some Georgians who feel threatened by increasing Chinese immigration and investment in Georgia, which is a natural outgrowth of Georgia's efforts to [...] |
2007-07-10 07:09:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETRD PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1639 |
USG TO HOST THE WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE [...] Per reftel, Ambassador sent information about the conference by letter to Minister of Energy Gilauri and Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Tkeshelashvili. As requested, we will look for other opportunities to highlight WIREC 2008 with host country media, civil society, [...] |
2007-07-11 11:54:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV SOCI EAID EPET TRGY KPAO GG |
| 07TBILISI1675 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE JULY 13 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of June 30-July 13. Education Minister Disputes Corruption Charges --------------------------------------------- - 2. A corruption controversy surrounding Education Minister Ale [...] |
2007-07-13 13:34:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON ENRG GG |
| 07TBILISI1687 |
SCAM - FRAUDULENT FAXES CLAIMING TO BE FROM FDIC: [...] On July 13, Econoff delivered ref A notice to Guram Abashidze of the National Bank of Georgia and Tina Burjaliani, Head of the Legal Department in the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia. Econoff also delivered ref B notice to Abashidze on 15 May. Post is not aware of any fraudulent [...] |
2007-07-16 12:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN KCRM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1701 |
GEORGIAN RESPONSE TO US CANDIDATE FOR IOM DIRECTOR [...] No summary [...] |
2007-07-17 12:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC EUN PREF PREL SMIG GG |
| 07TBILISI1702 |
SOUTH OSSETIA: INCHING TOWARD DIALOGUE? [...] (C) Georgian and South Ossetian representatives are currently negotiating the details of a meeting of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) and a joint inspection of the contested drinking water pipe that runs through South Ossetia. While the sides have not reached final agreement on either issu [...] |
2007-07-17 12:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1731 |
DAVID BAKRADZE TO BE NEW STATE MINISTER FOR [...] (C) Officials in the State Ministry for Conflict Resolution have confirmed to us that Minister Merab Antadze is departing his post to return to the MFA, and he will be replaced by David Bakradze, currently Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration. Bakradze is a young, t [...] |
2007-07-20 12:02:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1732 |
RUSSIAN ACTIVE MEASURES IN GEORGIA [...] (C) The strains between Russia and Georgia play out in leaders' statements, the Russian economic embargo, the separatist conflicts, and a number of other public ways, but they also play out on a level that is at least slightly below the surface: Russian "active measures" (or covert actions) aimed a [...] |
2007-07-20 12:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1765 |
GEORGIA: UNESCO HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-07-25 05:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | UNESCO GG |
| 07TBILISI1780 |
62ND UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: HIGH-LEVEL GEORGIAN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-07-25 13:06:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL ITRA OVIP KSEP UNGA GG |
| 07TBILISI1781 |
CEC CHAIR GIVES AMBASSADOR ELECTION UPDATE [...] (C) Summary: In a follow-up to the June 18 OSCE Ambassadors Group on Elections (reftel), Ambassador met with Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Guram Chalagashvili on July 18. Chalagashvili said the CEC is close to completing work on the voters' list and inaccuracies are now down to " [...] |
2007-07-25 13:06:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1857 |
DFM MANJGALADZE EXPRESSES GOG CONCERN OVER UNSYG [...] Summary: On July 27, Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Manjgaladze called a meeting of the Group of Friends of the Secretary General to express Georgia's concerns about the UN SIPDIS Secretary General's interim report on the situation in SIPDIS Abkhazia. German, Russian, British, U.S. rep [...] |
2007-07-31 12:43:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1933 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE AUGUST 3 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of July 14-August 3. Commission on Ossetian Status Starts Work ----------------------------------------- 2. The state commission defining the status of the temporary autonomous [...] |
2007-08-03 13:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON ENRG GG |
| 07TBILISI1940 |
SOUTH OSSETIA: SHOOTINGS AND ACCUSATIONS [...] (C) OSCE Political Advisor Gantcho Gantchev told us August 6 that South Ossetian accusations of a Georgian "terrorist attack" August 3 should not be taken too seriously. In the incident, a bomb reportedly exploded in Tskhinvali, damaging a gas station but causing no injuries. The next day the [...] |
2007-08-06 11:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1944 |
GEORGIAN STATE DEBT RESTRUCTURING COMMISSION TO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-08-06 12:11:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL KNNP GG |
| 07TBILISI1946 |
THE REPUBLICANS' OKRUASHVILI PROBLEM [...] (C) Summary: During a July 19 meeting with Ambassador, opposition Republican Party Chairman, David Usupashvili, confirmed his party is in talks with Irakli Okruashvili on forming a joint bloc to run in the 2008 elections. Usupashvili, who appears to favor the idea, said the Republican Party's [...] |
2007-08-06 13:14:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI1956 |
GEORGIA WARNS OUTSIDE INVESTORS ON BUYING PROPERTY [...] On August 3, Post received a diplomatic note from the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding its concern about possible sales of property belonging to IDP's by the de facto governments in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. As part of the 1994 Quadripartite Agreement, signed by Georgia, Abkha [...] |
2007-08-07 10:59:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1958 |
GEORGIA BOMBING UPDATE [...] (C) Georgian officials report that SU-type airplanes from Russia crossed into Georgian airspace on the evening of August 6, and that one of the planes dropped a "precision-guided Russian missile" -- estimated to weigh 700-1,000 kilograms -- that impacted near the Georgian village Tsitelubani, [...] |
2007-08-07 12:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MOPS GG |
| 07TBILISI1976 |
DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS [...] (C) Summary: On July 27, EUR DAS Matt Bryza met with influential majority Members of Parliament. Saakashvili insider Giga Bokeria complained that the recent UN report on the situation in Abkhazia was unbalanced. Bryza argued that the UNOMIG Joint Fact Finding Group (JFFG) report made a stron [...] |
2007-08-08 13:02:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1977 |
GEORGIA: CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE ELECTION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-08-08 13:04:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM UNGA GG |
| 07TBILISI1979 |
DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH OPPOSITION MP'S [...] (C) Summary: On July 27, EUR DAS Matt Bryza met with leading opposition Members of Parliament. Their most urgent concern was elections, and they raised the issues of the fairness of the majoritarian system and composition of the Central Election Commission (CEC) (reftel A). Although they als [...] |
2007-08-08 13:15:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG RU |
| 07TBILISI1980 |
GEORGIA CONDEMNS UNOFFICIAL JPKF CHECKPOINTS IN [...] On August 3, Post received two diplomatic notes from State Minister for Conflict Resolution, Davit Bakradze, addressed to Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Jean Arnault and United Nations Observer Mission to Georgia (UNOMIG) Chief Military Observer General Niaz Khattak. T [...] |
2007-08-08 13:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1992 |
SOUTH OSSETIA DONORS STEERING COMMITTEE ADDRESSES [...] (SBU) In a meeting August 2, the Steering Committee for the OSCE-led economic rehabilitation projects in South Ossetia conditionally approved three water-related projects for contracting, although the Georgian and South Ossetian sides made final approval contingent on resolving some remaining [...] |
2007-08-09 12:48:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAID OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI1993 |
GEORGIA MISSILE ATTACK UPDATE -- AUGUST 9 [...] (C) Speaking at a press conference August 8, Foreign Minister Bezhuashvili maintained the Georgian government's moderate tone in talking about the missile impact on Georgian territory August 6 (reftels). He called for a "group of international experts" to investigate the incident, something t [...] |
2007-08-09 13:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI1994 |
SOUTH OSSETIAN CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY IN TBILISI [...] (C) Building on previous accusations that the Georgians were plotting bombings and assassinations (reftel), South Ossetian de facto president Kokoity told a meeting of the "Union of Elders of South Ossetia and North Ossetia" on August 8 in Tskhinvali that Georgia was planning terrorist attacks [...] |
2007-08-10 04:49:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI1998 |
DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH OSCE AMBASSADOR REEVE [...] (C) Summary: In a July 27 meeting with DAS Bryza, OSCE Ambassador Roy Reeve said that the Georgians have rejected a Spanish proposal to allow Reeve to continue on as "Acting" Head of Mission until his successor is found. Reeve said his last day as OSCE Ambassador to Georgia will be Tuesday, [...] |
2007-08-10 05:08:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2000 |
DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH SPEAKER BURJANADZE [...] (C) Summary: On 27 July, DAS Bryza met with Georgian Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze and discussed a wide range of issues. Burjanadze told us that Turkmenistan is interested in closer business and military ties with the West. She believed the ruling National Movement needed to find a [...] |
2007-08-10 05:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2012 |
GEORGIA MISSILE ATTACK UPDATE -- AUGUST 10 [...] (C) U.S. military experts arrived August 10 to review the evidence related to the August 6 missile impact in Georgia. Other international experts are expected to arrive in coming days, as the Georgian government begins to put together an international team to provide transparency to the invest [...] |
2007-08-10 11:29:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2018 |
DAS BRYZA MEETS WITH FM BEZHUASHVILI [...] (C) Summary: On July 27, DAS Bryza met with Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili on the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Bezhuashvili told Bryza that the Georgian government was not happy with the latest United Nations report on the situation in Abkhazia, adding that the Group of Fri [...] |
2007-08-13 05:30:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2019 |
DAS BRYZA MEETING WITH PROSECUTOR GENERAL [...] (C) Summary: On July 27, DAS Bryza and GoG Prosecutor General Adeishvili discussed judicial reform, Abkhazia, property issues and crime. Adeishvili talked about the training of judges and implementation of the magistrate system, both of which are on track. He cited great strides in the last [...] |
2007-08-13 08:29:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2024 |
GEORGIA: POTENTIAL POLISH MANPADS SALE TO GEORGIA [...] (U) On August 11 Charge delivered reftel demarche to Deputy Foreign Minister Nikoloz Vashakidze. Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili received the message from EUR Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried in a telephone conversation on August SIPDIS 10. 2. (U) Vashakidze responded that the MFA u [...] |
2007-08-13 11:22:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MASS ETTC PGOV PREL GG PL |
| 07TBILISI2029 |
GEORGIA INTENDS TO CONTINUE WORKING IN JCC [...] (C) Georgian officials tell us they plan to continue working in the Joint Control Commission (JCC) on the South Ossetia conflict, even as they push for other mechanisms that they believe would be more effective. Although the South Ossetians torpedoed a planned JCC meeting in Tbilisi August 9- [...] |
2007-08-13 13:21:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2030 |
DEPUTY SPEAKER MACHAVARIANI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS, [...] (C) Summary: During a July 24 meeting with Poloff, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mikheil Machavariani, discussed the upcoming 2008 elections. He said that he will be the campaign chairman for the ruling National Movement (UNM) party and lead its nationwide campaign. He advised that the major [...] |
2007-08-13 14:11:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG RU |
| 07TBILISI2043 |
GEORGIA: FRIENDS OF SYG DISCUSS FOLLOW-UP TO BONN [...] (C) Summary: On August 7, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (D/SRSG) Ivo Petrov briefed representatives of the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General (U.S., Germany, France, Britain, and Russia) on progress by the sides in implementing steps agreed to during their [...] |
2007-08-14 06:26:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2050 |
NINO BURJANADZE, THE CONSTANT GARDENER [...] (C) Summary: One of the few constants in the Georgian political landscape over the past decade has been Nino Burjanadze. Since her election to Parliament in 1995, Burjanadze has emerged as one of the most moderate voices in Georgia, a reformer with credibility at home and abroad. Both her as [...] |
2007-08-14 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR GG |
| 07TBILISI2061 |
GEORGIA LAUNCHES ANTI-TIP CAMPAIGN IN SVANETI [...] (U) As part of a national anti-trafficking awareness campaign, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) - a USAID implementing partner - conducted consultations and distributed anti-TIP publications in the remote, mountainous border region of Svaneti from 27 July until 2 August. Rumors [...] |
2007-08-15 12:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2062 |
GEORGIA MISSILE INVESTIGATION UPDATE -- AUGUST 15 [...] (C) International experts have completed a preliminary report on the August 6 missile incident. Key conclusions are: the aircraft entered Georgian airspace from Russia, and the Georgian Air Force does not possess aircraft capable of firing this type of missile or of flying the profile flown by [...] |
2007-08-15 13:12:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2063 |
DAS BRYZA'S MEETING WITH STATE MINISTER FOR [...] (C) David Bakradze, Georgia's new State Minister for Conflict Resolution, told EUR DAS Bryza July 27 that the Georgian government was concerned UNOMIG and the Group of Friends had lost "strategic focus" over Abkhazia, as reflected in a recent UN report criticizing Georgia for minor issues, whi [...] |
2007-08-16 06:29:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2074 |
USAID SURVEY REVEALS POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD NATIONAL [...] Summary: On July 19, the USAID-funded National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia (NITG) program implemented by the UN Association of Georgia (UNAG) (http://www.una.ge/eng/) presented the results of a survey of national minorities in Georgia. The survey revealed that the overwhelming major [...] |
2007-08-17 12:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI2075 |
GEORGIA MISSILE INVESTIGATION UPDATE -- AUGUST 17 [...] (C) Additional international experts are arriving in Georgia to provide further, more specific analysis following up on the International Group of Experts (IGE) report released August 15 (reftel). An OSCE delegation led by former Croatian Foreign Minister Zuzul is also expected in Tbilisi Aug [...] |
2007-08-17 12:55:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2076 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE AUGUST 17 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of August 4-17. Saakashvili Visits Upper Abkhazia --------------------------------- 2. On August 11, President Saakashvili visited the Upper Kodori Gorge (or Upper Abkhazia) fo [...] |
2007-08-17 13:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON ENRG GG |
| 07TBILISI2084 |
WHO'S RUNNING GEORGIA: IT'S THE EKA'S [...] (C) Summary: Amid the crowd of young, talented, Western-educated officials in Georgia, one feature often stands out: many of those in key power positions are women. In addition to the prominent role held by the Speaker of Parliament,Nino Burjanadze, one of the founders of the Rose Revolutio [...] |
2007-08-21 07:31:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2089 |
GEORGIA MISSILE INVESTIGATION UPDATE -- AUGUST 21 [...] (C) A second round of the International Group of Experts (IGE) has completed a report on the August 6 missile impact, endorsing the conclusions made by earlier experts while providing additional detail and more specific information to confirm that Georgian aircraft could not have fired the mis [...] |
2007-08-21 11:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI2090 |
ABKHAZIA: UN BASE ESTABLISHED IN UPPER KODORI [...] (C) Summary: On August 16, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Jean Arnault and the Chief of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) General Khattak provided the Friends of the Secretary General (FSG) an update on the situation in Abkhazia, following the Geneva-s [...] |
2007-08-21 13:20:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2091 |
REVENUE SERVICE HEAD POSITIVE ABOUT TAX AND [...] Summary. On August 8, Mindia Gadaevi, head of Georgia's Revenue Service, discussed with Econoffs the progress made to date in the reorganized service, which includes customs and tax departments and elements of the former Financial Police. Tax revenues are up by one third year on year in the fi [...] |
2007-08-21 13:21:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2092 |
HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN GALI--SAME PROBLEMS [...] (C) Summary: On 31 July-2 August, an Embassy team traveled to Abkhazia to review the human rights situation there. The team participated in a patrol with the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) in the ethnically Georgian Gali region, visited local NGOs in Gali and Sukhumi, and met with the [...] |
2007-08-21 13:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID PGOV PHUM PREF PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2114 |
IMPACT OF RUSSIAN SANCTIONS ON GEORGIAN ECONOMY [...] (U) Summary. A recent report by the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University provides a rigorous analysis and confirms the widely held view that Russian economic sanctions on Georgia have not had the intended overall negative effect on the Georgian economy. Although grow [...] |
2007-08-23 10:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON ETRD PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2117 |
GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM [...] July 7, 2007 GBSLE Program Manager Karen Chaisson arrived from CBP Headquarters to conduct a program review and visit Embassy Officers and other high level Georgian Revenue and Border Police Officials. During the course of her stay she visited Border Crossing Points and Radar Stations currently [...] |
2007-08-24 03:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | GBSLE GG |
| 07TBILISI2131 |
GOG PROPERTY GRANT TO JUDGES' ASSOCIATION RAISES [...] (U) On June 5, in accord with Georgia's effort to fight corruption among judges, President Saakashvili issued a decree directing the Ministry of Economic Development to sell a building and adjoining property in the Tbilisi suburb of Saburtalo to a "community-based organization," Temida. The [...] |
2007-08-24 12:19:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2139 |
MAIA TOPURIA CASE [...] (C). Summary: On August 24, the Tbilisi City Court found all 13 defendants accused of plotting to overthrow the country's leadership in September 2006 guilty. Most of the 13 are linked with Igor Giorgadze's Justice Party. Igor Giorgadze is a Georgian fugitive wanted for attempted murder of [...] |
2007-08-27 14:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2151 |
PROSECUTOR GENERAL ON MAIA TOPURIA [...] (C) On August 29, Ambassador used a previously scheduled meeting with Prosecutor General Adeishvili to raise concerns about the Maia Topuria case (reftel) and noted the high level of interest in the case, including by members of Congress. Ambassador said there were allegations from Topuria's [...] |
2007-08-29 12:05:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2170 |
PEACEKEEPING ACCIDENT SPURS DISPUTE OVER MOSCOW [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 28, a CIS Peacekeeping Force (PKF) contingent collided with a civilian minibus in the Georgian city of Khobi. According to the UN, Georgian police responded and detained 14 CIS PKF, 6 of whom the Georgians claimed were Chechens armed with silencers. The Georgian poli [...] |
2007-08-30 13:57:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2221 |
BURJANADZE SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CABINET CHANGES [...] (U) On September 4, Speaker of Parliament, Nino Burjanadze, used the first planning meeting of the new Parliamentary session to speak out publicly against the proposed Cabinet changes announced on August 29 by Prime Minister Noghaideli (reftel). Burjanadze said she was disappointed that the g [...] |
2007-09-05 11:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2267 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 7 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of August 18-September 7. Government Adopts New Agenda ---------------------------- 2. Parliament is expected to adopt the government's new plan action, entitled For a United a [...] |
2007-09-07 12:06:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2269 |
STAFFDEL ANAND'S AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 1 VISIT TO GEORGIA [...] (SBU) Georgian officials gave a four-member staff delegation from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs an overview of Georgia's ongoing reforms August 30, in areas including rule of law, elections, defense, prisons, and the economy. The officials stressed the importance of NATO integration a [...] |
2007-09-07 12:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2272 |
REGIONAL GOVERNORS - WHO ARE THEY? [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Summary: Following a series of scandals involving the misuse of public funds by newly elected local officials, the Georgian Parliament recently passed two laws that strengthen the powers of regional Governors, who are appoint [...] |
2007-09-07 13:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PINR GG |
| 07TBILISI2290 |
REGIONAL GOVERNORS - WHO ARE THEY? [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Summary: Following a series of scandals involving the misuse of public funds by newly elected local officials, the Georgian Parliament recently passed two laws that strengthen the powers of regional Governors, who are appoin [...] |
2007-09-11 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PINR GG |
| 07TBILISI2291 |
REGIONAL GOVERNORS - WHO ARE THEY? [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. 2. (SBU) Summary: Following a series of scandals involving the misuse of public funds by newly elected local officials, the Georgian Parliament recently passed two laws that strengthen the powers of regional Governors, who are appoin [...] |
2007-09-11 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PINR GG |
| 07TBILISI2304 |
CONVERSATION WITH SALOME ZOURABICHVILI [...] (C) Summary: On September 6, former Foreign Minister and hopeful presidential candidate, Salome Zourabichvili, met Ambassador. Zourabichvili has been conducting research in the regions and meeting with other opposition members, but not campaigning. She said a strong, coherent opposition is c [...] |
2007-09-12 12:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2308 |
PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS MINISTERS, ALEKSISHVILI WAITS [...] (U) Summary: On September 7, the Georgian Parliament approved the new Cabinet of Ministers (ref A) at its first fall session after the summer holidays. The nomination of the former Minister of Finance, Aleksi Aleksishvili, to be President of the National Bank of Georgia was not considered (ref [...] |
2007-09-13 03:05:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SENV SOCI GG |
| 07TBILISI2389 |
ABKHAZ CONTINUE TO BLOCK UN MISSION TO ASSESS [...] (C) Summary: On September 18, the Ambassador attended a Tbilisi meeting of the Group of Friends of the Secretary General, minus Russia, for a discussion of the situation in Abkhazia ahead of a planned Group of Friends meeting in Berlin on September 19. Special Representative of the Secreta [...] |
2007-09-21 09:45:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2392 |
GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZ FORCES CLASH NEAR KODORI [...] (C) On the evening of Thursday, September 20, Georgian media reported a clash between Georgian and Abkhaz forces near the Georgian-controlled upper Kodori gorge. Georgian Minister of Interior Vano Merabishvili held a press conference on Thursday evening to inform the public about it. He sai [...] |
2007-09-21 10:45:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2393 |
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SLOWLY AWAKENS IN WESTERN GEORGIA [...] (C) Summary: On August 7-9 an Embassy team traveled to Western Georgia to assess the development of local governance. Government of Autonomous Republic of Adjara Chairman Levan Varshalomidze reaffirmed his support for the USAID-funded Public Administration Reform program, which is working to [...] |
2007-09-21 10:55:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2398 |
LABOR TRENDS IN GEORGIA [...] Summary: Post submits the following voluntary report on labor trends in Georgia. Most Georgians work in agriculture and unemployment and underemployment are high, while wages in hired employment are relatively low. Creating new employment opportunities is a key challenge for the Georgian [...] |
2007-09-21 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB BEXP SENV EAGR ENRG GG |
| 07TBILISI2400 |
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT VIEWS ON WIREC AND CLIMATE [...] Post received the following letter from the new Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, David Chantladze on September 19, regarding the GOG's views on WIREC and climate change. 2. Begin text of letter: To: The Honorable John F. Tefft Ambassador Embassy of the Unite [...] |
2007-09-24 12:15:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2401 |
IMF REPRESENTATIVE WARNS OF INFLATION, GOVERNMENT [...] (C) Summary: In a September 19 meeting with the Ambassador, the IMF's resident representative in Georgia, Robert Christiansen, told the Ambassador that he is concerned about a possible resurgence of inflation, which hit more than 14 percent in mid-2006 but has subsided to around 7-8 percent s [...] |
2007-09-24 12:20:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2413 |
DIPLOMATS TURN OUT FOR CONFERENCE IN SOUTH OSSETIA [...] Summary: On September 21, the Georgian State Ministry for Conflict Resolution held a conference for the western diplomatic corps in the village of Tamarasheni, a Georgian-controlled village in the South Ossetian zone of conflict. The purpose of the conference was to share information with d [...] |
2007-09-26 11:54:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2414 |
GEORGIA TO SUPPORT US CANDIDATE FOR UN CAT [...] Per reftel request, Poloff delivered demarche to Merab Manjgaladze, the Head of the UN Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Manjgaladze said that it was in Georgia's interest to elect candidates from democratic countries to the UN Committee Against Torture, and therefore Georgia would [...] |
2007-09-26 12:02:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM UNHRC GG |
| 07TBILISI2415 |
OKRUASHVILI THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET [...] (SBU) Summary: On September 25, former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili made the long-awaited announcement on the establishment of his political party - Movement for United Georgia. In his announcement and a subsequent television interview, Okruashvili for the first time harshly attacked P [...] |
2007-09-26 13:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2423 |
IRI NATIONAL VOTER SURVEY: ECONOMY SLOWS [...] (SBU) Summary: President Saakashvili's, and his government's, popularity have slipped since February (ref A). According to a USAID-funded poll conducted in early September by the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the Gallup Organization, the highest percentage of respondents in 3 y [...] |
2007-09-27 11:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2424 |
OKRUASHVILI ALLY ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION [...] (C) Summary: On September 11 and 12 four local government officials from Gori District were arrested on corruption charges. The same day, the presidentially-appointed Governor of the Shida Kartli region, Mikheil Kareli (ref A), led a public protest outside the government building, which was s [...] |
2007-09-27 11:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2437 |
OKRUASHVILI DETAINED FOR CORRUPTION, OPPOSITION [...] (U) Summary: Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was arrested in his office on the evening of September 27 by the criminal police and detained in the Special Operations Department (SOD) detention facility. Charges leveled at Okruashvili by the Prosecutor General's office include: abuse [...] |
2007-09-28 10:49:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2439 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 28 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of September 8-28. New CEC Chair to be Chosen Soon ------------------------------- 2. On September 23, a special Selection Commission under the President's administration compl [...] |
2007-09-28 13:23:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2450 |
PROBLEMS REMAIN IN PRISON HEALTH CARE [...] (U) Summary: Health care in Georgian prisons continues to be problematic due to overcrowding, lack of professional medical staff, and unclear delineation between Ministries of Health and Justice over which ministry is responsible for medical care. Despite increased prison capital expenditures [...] |
2007-10-01 09:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2451 |
GEORGIA GETS IMPROVED RANKINGS ON BUSINESS [...] Summary: The annual report of the International Financial Corporation (World Bank Group) has moved Georgia up from thirty-seventh to eighteenth place out of 178 surveyed countries in terms of ease of doing business. Georgia is the fifth top reformer country on the list. An annual report by [...] |
2007-10-01 10:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD EINV PROV GG |
| 07TBILISI2452 |
THOUSANDS PROTEST OKRUASHVILI ARREST, SAAKASHVILI [...] (U) Summary: On September 28, several thousand people took part in a demonstration against President Saakashvili's government and the arrest of former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili on corruption charges (ref A). All opposition parties participated, except the New Rightists. Saakashvili [...] |
2007-10-01 12:57:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2453 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON GUIDANCE FOR OCTOBER 2 NATO [...] (SBU) DCM Perry delivered the demarche (reftel) to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgi Manjgaladze regarding guidance on the October 2 meeting between NATO and the Georgian delegation. Manjgaladze expressed gratitude for the guidance and said he would get it to the head of delegation, S [...] |
2007-10-02 07:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | NATO PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2463 |
COURT OF APPEALS CONFIRMS OKRUASHVILI DETENTION [...] (U) Summary: The Tbilisi Court of Appeals rejected an appeal of former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili's two month pre-trial detention on October 1. Okruashvili's lawyer called it an "illegal decision" and said she would file a case in the European Court of Human rights in Strasbourg. For [...] |
2007-10-02 12:37:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2476 |
MILITARY LEADERS SAY THEY WILL NOT SUPPORT [...] (C) On October 3, Embassy's Defense Attache spoke with senior, high ranking members of the Georgian Army leadership regarding their views on the political confrontation between former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili and the Georgian Government led by President Saakashvili. These milit [...] |
2007-10-04 11:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINS MARR GG |
| 07TBILISI2483 |
BURJANADZE SPEAKS OUT, OPPOSITION CALLS FOR [...] (U) Summary: In her first comments regarding the Okruashvili arrest, Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze called Okruashvili's allegations against President Saakashvili "absurd" and criticized the Government's personnel policy which allowed people such as Okruashvili to enter government. She [...] |
2007-10-04 13:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2484 |
SENTENCING IN THE GIORGADZE TREASON CASE [...] (C) As promised to the Ambassador (ref C) the office of the Prosecutor General made the trial court's decision in the Maia Topuria treason case available to the Embassy. On August 24, the Tbilisi City Court found all 13 defendants linked to Igor Giorgadze's Justice Party guilty of treason in [...] |
2007-10-04 13:13:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2485 |
GEORGIA: U.S. DRAFT RESOLUTION ON "CONDEMNING THE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-05 03:03:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC PHUM KWMN SOCI UN GG |
| 07TBILISI2498 |
PM NOGHAIDELI TALKS TOUGH ABOUT BP AND AZERI GAS [...] (C) On October 4, the Ambassador met with Georgian Prime Minister Noghaideli. Noghaideli told the Ambassador that shortly before he went to Baku on September 27-28 for a meeting of the Georgian-Azerbaijani Economic Commission, he received word from the Azerbaijanis that there would be no chan [...] |
2007-10-05 09:37:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET GG AJ RU AR |
| 07TBILISI2499 |
PRIME MINISTER NOGHAIDELI ON OKRUASHVILI AFFAIR [...] (C) In an October 4 meeting with the Ambassador, Prime Minister Noghaideli admitted that the sequence of former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili's allegations against President Saakashvili and his subsequent arrest made the government look bad. He said it was a mistake for the government n [...] |
2007-10-05 09:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2501 |
GEORGIA: DEMARCHE ON BLACK SEA STRATEGY [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-05 11:11:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PARM PBTS PHSA SENC ECON EWWT GG |
| 07TBILISI2532 |
SAAKASHVILI QUESTIONS INTERIOR MINISTER ON MOD [...] (U) Summary: During a televised government session with his cabinet, President Saakashvili criticized Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili for allowing the former Head of Procurements at the MOD, Iason Chikhladze, to escape to Russia. Merabishvili said Chikhladze traveled to Turkey with Okruas [...] |
2007-10-05 12:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2542 |
OKRUASHVILI PLEADS GUILTY AND RECANTS ALLEGATIONS [...] (C) Summary: A video-taped testimony by Irakli Okruashvili, confessing to charges of extortion and criminal negligence and recanting his accusations against President Saakashvili, was broadcast on Georgian television October 8. Presidential Advisor Giga Bokeria said Okruashvili may have realiz [...] |
2007-10-09 11:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2545 |
DEMARCHE ON RELEASE OF SOUTH OSSETIAN PEACEKEEPERS [...] (C) On October 7 the Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili. The Ambassador recommended that the Georgians release the two Ossetians and the seven Abkhaz they are holding after separate incidents in September. Bezhuashvili said he had already reco [...] |
2007-10-09 11:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2558 |
PATRIARCH'S PROPOSAL FOR RESTORATION OF GEORGIA'S [...] Summary: In a sermon on October 7, Georgian Patriarch Ilia II suggested a constitutional monarchy for Georgia. The proposal was welcomed by many opposition parties in Georgia. His proposal echoes other ideas circulated by the opposition for a "parliamentary republic", without a presidency. [...] |
2007-10-10 12:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2559 |
OPPOSITION COALITION MEETS AMBASSADOR, WANTS EARLY [...] (C) Summary: On October 9, three opposition leaders representing the United National Council of opposition parties (ref A) called on Ambassador to discuss their activities during the current political crisis. The trio presented a letter on behalf of the opposition parties appealing for early [...] |
2007-10-10 13:10:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2560 |
Georgia's Woman of Courage Nominee 2008 [...] Post's nominee for the International Woman of Courage Award is Marina Tabukushvili, artist, civil society activist, and chairman of the Georgian NGO TASO. Nominee is willing to be considered for the award and agrees if selected to travel to Washington DC. Biographical data requested in reftel [...] |
2007-10-11 11:40:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM KPAO KWMN GG |
| 07TBILISI2574 |
OKRUASHVILI FADES FOR NOW, PATARKATSISHVILI [...] (U) Summary: Irakli Okruashvili has secluded himself in his Tbilisi apartment following two weeks of ups and downs in his political fortunes. In an October 11 press conference, Okruashvili's Movement for a United Georgia party secretary, MP Koka Guntsadze, announced that the former Defense Min [...] |
2007-10-12 13:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2576 |
JURY TRIALS WILL RETURN TO GEORGIA AFTER NEARLY 100 YEARS [...] Summary: For the first time since the 1920's, jury trials will return to Georgia. On October 6, 2007, prosecutors from the Office of Public Prosecution (OPP) and ABA/ROLI-trained defense lawyers conducted mock jury trials before juries composed of Georgian law students. Attorneys questioned t [...] |
2007-10-15 05:58:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PGOV OTRA KCRM KJUS GG |
| 07TBILISI2579 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE OCTOBER 12 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of September 29-October 12. Opposition Rally Planned for November 2 --------------------------------------- 2. Several leading opposition parties which have rallied around the [...] |
2007-10-15 10:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2590 |
GOG AMENDMENTS TO TRAVEL PROCEDURES FOR DIPLOMATIC [...] (U) Post received a Circular Note, no. 6/4302-12, on October 13 from the Government of Georgia, regarding GOG rules for notification by diplomats before travel to Abkhazia or South Ossetia. This amends travel procedures for Diplomatic Agents accredited to Georgia and Foreign State Officials t [...] |
2007-10-16 11:02:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP GG |
| 07TBILISI2595 |
ISOLATED ABKHAZIA GROWS BUT DEVELOPMENT LAGS [...] (C) Summary: On a September 4-8 visit to Abkhazia, Embassy officers found that the region's economy and its tourism industry are growing and that investment in hotels and vacation homes, mostly from Russia, is increasing. The overall standard of living is comparable to that in Georgia, or per [...] |
2007-10-17 12:00:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2596 |
SAAKASHVILI: LOWER PARTIES' PARLIAMENTARY [...] (U) Summary: On October 16, in a televised meeting with parliamentarians from the ruling National Movement (UNM), President Saakashvili publicly addressed details of the upcoming elections for the first time. The President called for initiatives to reduce the party list threshold from 7 perce [...] |
2007-10-17 12:09:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2608 |
GOVERNMENT ISSUES STATEMENT SUPPORTING CHARGES [...] (U) Summary: On October 16 the Government of Georgia released an "information note" setting out the legal basis for charges against former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili and his subsequent bail. The note explains the investigation and evidence for allegations of abuse of power and offici [...] |
2007-10-19 11:15:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2610 |
OPPOSITION RESPONDS TO SAAKASHVILI, OTHER RECENT [...] (SBU) Summary: President Saakashvili's October 16 proposal (ref A) for lowering the party list threshold for next year's Parliamentary election was pocketed by the opposition and met with additional demands. The United National Council of opposition parties (ref B) on October 17 released a man [...] |
2007-10-19 13:43:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2614 |
GEORGIA: REACTION TO 2007 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM [...] (U) Government reaction. On September 20, 2007, Emboff presented a copy of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) report text to Irakli Machitidze, the U.S. desk officer in the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and offered to address any questions or concerns. Machitidze noted with sati [...] |
2007-10-22 06:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI263 |
SOUTH CAUCASUS SUMMIT ENERGY RESULTS DISAPPOINT [...] (C) Summary: IN a February 8 meeting with DCM Mark X. Perry, Valeri Chechelashvili, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia expressed strong disappointment that the February 7 meeting of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian President Saaka [...] |
2007-02-09 14:42:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL GG TU AJ |
| 07TBILISI2644 |
GEORGIA: UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS DEMARCHE [...] Per reftel request, Poloff delivered talking points to Alexander Nalbandov, Director of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the issue of "no-action" motions, Nalbandov said that it was Georgia's policy not to support no-action motions and they [...] |
2007-10-25 08:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KTIA GG |
| 07TBILISI2645 |
SUPREME COURT CHAIRMAN ON JUDGES' TRAINING, ETHICS [...] (U) Summary: The Chairman of the Supreme Court of Georgia, Konstantin Kublashvili, recently updated Ambassador on two milestones of judicial reform expected by the end of October: enrolling students in the High School of Justice (HSOJ) and approval by the Conference of Judges of an Ethics Co [...] |
2007-10-25 09:22:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2657 |
GEORGIA'S NEW ENERGY MINISTER OUTLINES 2007-08 [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Georgia's new Minister of Energy, Aleksandr Khetaguri, on October 18. Khetaguri outlined increasing hydroelectric production in Georgia that has enabled Georgia to export significant amounts of power to Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan in 2007, as well as supp [...] |
2007-10-26 07:26:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PREL GG RU AJ |
| 07TBILISI2659 |
USUPASHVILI ADDRESSES NOVEMBER 2 PROTEST, [...] (C) Summary: On October 24, Chairman of the opposition Republican Party David Usupashvili met with Ambassador regarding the united opposition's planned November 2 protest against the Saakashvili government (ref A). Usupashvili voiced two main concerns about the protests: First, that the gover [...] |
2007-10-26 11:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2660 |
GEORGIA LIKELY TO SUPPORT CUBA EMBARGO RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-26 11:43:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM ETRD UNGA GG CU |
| 07TBILISI2661 |
GEORGIAN RESPONSE TO DAVID WALKER CANDIDACY FOR UN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-26 11:43:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AORC UNGA UN GG |
| 07TBILISI2662 |
OPPOSITION DRUMMING FOR SUPPORT IN REGIONS FOR NOVEMBER 2 [...] Summary: The United National Council of ten opposition parties (reftel) has applied for a public demonstration permit with the city of Tbilisi for their November 2 anti-government demonstration. They are actively promoting smaller-scale demonstrations in the regions and recruiting people to a [...] |
2007-10-26 11:48:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2663 |
GEORGIA TACKLES CHILD PORNOGRAPHY [...] Summary: In an effort to protect children from sexual exploitation, Georgia is working to criminalize online child exploitation, building upon its recent aggressive legislative and enforcement efforts which resulted in Tier I status for Georgia in the 2007 United States Government's Annual Repo [...] |
2007-10-26 12:04:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PGOV OTRA KCRM KJUS GG |
| 07TBILISI2664 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE OCTOBER 26 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of October 13-26. Deputy Governor Resigns, Levels Charges --------------------------------------- 2. Deputy Governor of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region Beso Sabashvili announced h [...] |
2007-10-26 12:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2675 |
GEORGIA WILL SUPPORT DAVID WALKER FOR UN IAAC [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-29 11:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AORC UNGA UN GG |
| 07TBILISI2708 |
G/TIP VISITS GEORGIA [...] (SBU) Summary: In Tbilisi on October 22 and 23, G/TIP Officer Brittany Brown and EUR/PGI Officer Jody Buckneberg visited multiple NGOs and government agencies who comprise Georgia's joint effort to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). Accompanied by Emboffs, Brown and Buckneberg discussed the [...] |
2007-11-02 07:09:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2709 |
UNITED COUNCIL OF OPPOSITION MEETS AMBASSADOR [...] (C) Summary: On October 26, representatives of the ten-party United National Council of opposition (ref A) met the Ambassador and presented to him a copy of the four core demands they submitted earlier to President Saakashvili's and Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze's offices. The Council [...] |
2007-11-02 07:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2710 |
OVERVIEW OF GEORGIA'S LEADING OPPOSITION PARTIES [...] (SBU) Summary: Of the 191 political parties officially registered at the Ministry of Justice, 182 parties are formally operating, but only a few are really active on the political scene. The arrest of former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili (ref A) for corruption on September 27 acted as a [...] |
2007-11-02 07:28:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2719 |
OPPOSITION KICKS OFF DAY OF PROTEST, OKRUASHVILI [...] (C) Summary: Protesters arrived from outside Tbilisi on November 1 in anticipation of the November 2 opposition rally at the Parliament Building. Media reported that police in various Western Georgian districts were taking measures to block roads or confiscate drivers' licenses to prevent pr [...] |
2007-11-02 12:28:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2729 |
GAP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PROTESTERS WIDENS AS [...] (C) Summary: Street demonstrations against the Saakashvili government continue in Tbilisi for the fourth day on November 5, following their start on November 2 (reftel). Conservative estimates placed the crowd at up to 70,000 people on Rustaveli avenue at the peak on November 2. Georgian oliga [...] |
2007-11-05 12:46:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2738 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON IRAN [...] On October 30, Embassy Econ Officer met with David Amaghlobeli, vice president and acting president of the National Bank of Georgia (Georgia's central bank) and familiarized him with the FATF statement and guidelines on Iran transmitted reftel. Amaghlobeli confirmed that the NBG and its financ [...] |
2007-11-05 15:59:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL MNUC ECON EFIN KNNP IR GG |
| 07TBILISI2739 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON IRAN [...] This is a corrected copy. Number of referenced telegram is corrected. 2. On October 30, Embassy Econ Officer met with David Amaghlobeli, vice president and acting president of the National Bank of Georgia (Georgia's central bank) and familiarized him with the FATF statement and guidelines [...] |
2007-11-05 16:05:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL MNUC ECON EFIN KNNP IR GG |
| 07TBILISI2752 |
LIVE FROM MUNICH, OKRUASHVILI ENCOURAGES PROTESTERS [...] (U) Summary: Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili appeared via live telecast on Imedi TV from Munich on November 5. Okruashvili claimed he "was forced to leave Georgia." He apologized for disappointing Georgians with the recantation of the charges he had leveled against the government [...] |
2007-11-06 12:30:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2762 |
RIOT POLICE MOVE PROTESTERS OUT OF STREET WITH [...] (C) On November 7 at 1:20 local time Georgian riot police used water cannons and tear gas to move the increasing crowd of protesters out of Rustaveli Avenue and away from the front of Parliament. Embassy Tbilisi is monitoring events. Embassy will soon issue a warden message and is convening th [...] |
2007-11-07 09:33:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2764 |
PROTEST IN TBILISI SITREP NO. 1 [...] (SBU) This cable provides a rough timeline of ongoing events on November 7 regarding protests against the Saakashvili government in front of Parliament, and the police actions that have been used to break up the protests and push people to the perimeter streets. 2. (C) Chronology of Events [...] |
2007-11-07 12:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2771 |
TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO.2 [...] (U) As of 1700 local time, the street in front of the Georgian Parliament remains clear after riot police used tear gas to clear the area that has been the scene of continuous anti-government demonstrations, on the morning of November 7 (reftel). The scene of protest has moved to the opposite [...] |
2007-11-07 13:25:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2772 |
RESOURCE NATIONALISM IN GEORGIA [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-07 14:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2773 |
BURJANADZE REACHING OUT TO OPPOSITION [...] (C) The Ambassador met privately with Nino Burjanadze, Speaker of Parliament, on November 6. The meeting took place at the Parliament and about 2000 demonstrators were outside the building. Burjanadze said that she had been talking to more moderate members of the opposition leadership, inclu [...] |
2007-11-07 14:21:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2774 |
TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP 3 [...] President Saakashvili addressed the Georgian nation live on television at approximately 1900 on November 7. Meanwhile, demonstrators clashed in the streets with police after being dispersed from the Rike area on the other side of the Mtkvari River from Parliament. The demonstrators had retrea [...] |
2007-11-07 17:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ASEC GG RU |
| 07TBILISI2777 |
PROTEST IN TBILISI SITREP NO. 4 [...] (C) This cable details the latest information regarding the November 7 government crackdown on opposition protests in Tbilisi, including Embassy EAC action. Currently, RSO reports that the Freedom Square and Rustaveli metro stations are closed. Major streets Rustaveli Avenue and Baratashvili [...] |
2007-11-08 09:44:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2778 |
TBILISI EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE [...] (SBU) On November 2, 2007, Post convened the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) in response to threat information against Baku, to review our crisis preparedness status, and to discuss the implications for armed conflict between Russia and Georgia if and when the international community recogniz [...] |
2007-11-08 11:29:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | AEMR ASEC GG |
| 07TBILISI2787 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON THE 4TH COMMUNITY OF [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-08 13:47:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KOEM UNGA GG |
| 07TBILISI2789 |
GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER BEZHUASHVILI ON [...] (C) Summary: In a meeting on November 8, Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili said that the government has decided not to go for parliamentary approval of the full 15 day state of emergency if there are no incidents during the next two days, thereby letting it lapse. It will also sta [...] |
2007-11-08 14:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MARR CFE GG |
| 07TBILISI2790 |
SAAKASHVILI RESIGNS PRESIDENCY, CALLS FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-08 15:49:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2791 |
SAAKASHVILI ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS FOR [...] (C) Summary. In a live address November 8 President Saakashvili announced his intention to hold a presidential election on January 5, 2008, effectively giving up a year of his term. According to the constitution, Speaker Nino Burjanadze will assume the presidency until the election date. Sa [...] |
2007-11-08 15:57:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2796 |
GEORGIA OUTLINES WORK OF COMMISSION ON SOUTH [...] (SBU) Embassy received the below letter and non-paper (full texts in paragraph 2) from Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution David Bakradze on November 5. The non-paper lays out Georgian plans for the continued work of the commission on defining the autonomous status of South Osseti [...] |
2007-11-09 12:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2797 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE NOVEMBER 9 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of October 27-November 9. Georgia Claims Violation of Airspace ------------------------------------ 2. Zaza Gogava, Head of Georgia's Joint Forces Command, was quoted November [...] |
2007-11-09 12:54:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2798 |
AMBASSADOR TEFFT'S MEETING WITH EU CAUCASUS [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, on November 9. Also present were Per Eklund, Head of the EU Commission Delegation in Georgia, Eric Fournier, the Ambassador of France, and members of the EU Commission's and Semneby's staff. [...] |
2007-11-09 14:37:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2799 |
PROTEST IN TBILISI SITREP NO. 5 [...] (U) Most opposition leaders embraced President Saakashvili's call to hold a Presidential election on January 5, 2008 (reftel). The United National Council of Opposition (UNC) remains united so far. According to reports, New Rightist (NR) Party Chairman David Gamkrelidze affirmed his intentio [...] |
2007-11-09 14:47:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2800 |
INTERIM TIP ASSESSMENT FOR GEORGIA [...] (U) Summary: This interim assessment (reftel) covers Georgia's continuing strides against trafficking-in-persons (A-TIP) since April, 2007. Georgia aggressively investigates and prosecutes human traffickers. The country's proactive identification of TIP victims is improving, thanks to more A [...] |
2007-11-09 15:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL SMIG KCRM KWMN GG |
| 07TBILISI2802 |
TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO 6 [...] (U) The United National Council of Opposition (UNC) met with the government, represented by the Speaker of Parliament, Nino Burjanadze, on November 10 and again on November 12. Five opposition parties - Georgia's Way, the Conservatives, the Republicans, the New Rightists, and the Industriali [...] |
2007-11-13 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2804 |
TBILISI EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE DUE TO CIVIL [...] (SBU) The Emergency Action Committee (EAC) was convened on November 7, 8, and 9, 2007 in response to the development of violence in the recent protests against the administration of Georgian President Saakashvili in Tbilisi. At around 1330 on November 7 Georgian police dispersed the peaceful, [...] |
2007-11-13 15:13:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ASEC AEMR GG |
| 07TBILISI2812 |
DAS BRYZA'S NOVEMBER 13 MEETING WITH GEORGIAN [...] (C) Georgian Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili told EUR DAS Matthew Bryza on November 13 he was concerned about a Russian build-up of peacekeeping forces at Ochamchira in Abkhazia, calling it a clear violation of the CFE treaty. Kezerashvili said the MOD was going to share with Embassies a [...] |
2007-11-14 14:05:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2813 |
EUR DAS BRYZA'S NOVEMBER 13 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) Summary: In a November 13 meeting EUR DAS Matt Bryza conveyed to Georgian President Micheil Saakashvili the Secretary's firm message that the state of emergency in SIPDIS Georgia must be lifted and that all TV broadcasts, especially Imedi's, must be resumed if the GOG is to restore fait [...] |
2007-11-14 14:33:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR GG RU |
| 07TBILISI2814 |
DAS BRYZA'S NOVEMBER 12 MEETING WITH GEORGIAN PM [...] (C) Summary: In a November 12 meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli, EUR DAS Matt Bryza urged that the government lift its state of emergency and return independent television station Imedi back to the air. Noghaideli admitted that the government's aggressive pursuit of econom [...] |
2007-11-14 14:47:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG GG |
| 07TBILISI2822 |
TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO. 7 [...] (U) Speaker Nino Burjanadze said in a televised statement that the state of emergency imposed on November 7 will be lifted on November 16. She stated "this is important for the international community and our society." Burjanadze also reaffirmed the government's readiness to continue talks wi [...] |
2007-11-15 13:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2842 |
GEORGIA: U.S. DRAFT RESOLUTION ON "CONDEMNING THE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-16 09:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC PHUM KWMN SOCI UN GG |
| 07TBILISI2843 |
TBILISI PROTESTS: SITREP NO. 8 [...] (U) Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze announced the Parliament voted by a margin of 153 to 6 on November 15 to lift the state of emergency November 16 at 7:00 p.m., allowing the country to return to "normal life." In a November 15 meeting with EUR DAS Matthew Bryza, Burjanadze said she ex [...] |
2007-11-16 11:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2854 |
STATE OF EMERGENCY IN GEORGIA ENDS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-16 13:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2855 |
LADO GURGENIDZE NAMED NEW PRIME MINISTER OF GEORGIA [...] (U) Lado Gurgenidze was named the new Prime Minister of Georgia November 16, replacing Zurab Noghaideli. Gurgenidze has been Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Georgia, a Tbilisi commercial bank, since May 2006. Prior to that he was the bank's Chief Executive Officer. He curren [...] |
2007-11-16 15:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PINR GG |
| 07TBILISI2862 |
MEETINGS WITH GEORGIAN OFFICIALS ON PREVENTING [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-19 06:57:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KNNP GG |
| 07TBILISI2881 |
TBILISI UPDATE 11/19/2007 [...] (U) Following President Saakashvili's November 16 announcement of Lado Gurgenidze as the new Prime Minister (Ref A), two changes to the cabinet were announced on November 19. Minister of Education Kakha Lomaia was replaced by his deputy at the ministry, Bela Tsipuria. Lomaia was subsequently [...] |
2007-11-19 12:12:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2882 |
TBILISI UPDATE 11/19/2007 [...] (C) Following President Saakashvili's November 16 announcement of Lado Gurgenidze as the new Prime Minister (Ref A), two changes to the cabinet were announced on November 19. Minister of Education Kakha Lomaia was replaced by his deputy at the ministry, Bela Tsipuria. Lomaia was subsequently [...] |
2007-11-19 12:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2892 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-19 13:55:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL PTER KGIC IAEA GG |
| 07TBILISI2893 |
HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS ARISING FROM THE NOVEMBER 7 [...] (C) Summary: Events before, during, and after the violence of the November 7 Opposition protest in Tbilisi have raised a number of human rights issues. NGOs, participants in the demonstrations, and others have alleged abuses, including disproportionate use of force, abridgment of freedom of [...] |
2007-11-19 14:19:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2894 |
GEORGIA: UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS - [...] (U) Per reftel request, on November 19 poloff delivered the demarche to Merab Manjgaladze, Head of UN Division, International Organizations Department, Georgian MFA, on the UNGA Third Committee country specific resolutions on human rights situations in Iran, Belarus, the Democratic People's Re [...] |
2007-11-20 04:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KTIA GG |
| 07TBILISI2934 |
TBILISI UPDATE: 11/20/07 [...] (U) On November 19 Speaker Nino Burjanadze postponed her meeting with opposition leaders, saying the opposition was complicating the process by presenting new demands during meetings, calling for street actions, and sending different representatives to the negotiating table than had been agree [...] |
2007-11-20 14:40:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2935 |
ELECTION PROCEDURES FOR GEORGIA'S JANUARY 5, 2007 [...] (U) SUMMARY: On November 8, President Saakashvili announced snap Presidential elections and a plebiscite to ask voters for their views on the timing of Parliamentary elections. This cable reviews the requirements for presidential candidates, election and plebiscite procedures, and proposed [...] |
2007-11-20 14:49:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2937 |
DAS BRYZA'S 13 NOVEMBER MEETING WITH GEORGIAN [...] (C) Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarch Ilya II told EUR DAS Matthew Bryza on November 13 that the government should quickly lift the state of emergency and permit the reopening of Imedi TV. The Patriarch traced the roots of the 2-7 November street protests to social and economic discontent. T [...] |
2007-11-21 04:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2944 |
DAS BRYZA'S NOVEMBER 11 AND 14 MEETINGS WITH IMEDI [...] (C) (Summary) During his visit to Tbilisi DAS Bryza held three meetings with the management and journalists of Imedi television. On November 11, Lewis Robertson, CEO Newscorp Caucasus and Imedi General Manager; Bidzina Baratashvili, Imedi General Director; and Irakli Rukhadze, Manager of Self [...] |
2007-11-21 11:30:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KPAO ASEC GG RU |
| 07TBILISI2948 |
TBILISI UPDATE: 11/21/07 [...] (C) United National Council of Opposition (UNC) members met with Ambassador November 21 to express their concerns about continuing government "oppression" of November 7 protesters, government misuse of administrative resources to campaign, and the indefinite closure of Imedi. Goga Khaindrava [...] |
2007-11-21 14:00:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2953 |
PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI SOFTENS HIS TONE, BUT DIALOGUE WITH [...] (SBU) Summary. Dialogue between the government, represented by Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze, and the government's political opposition began after the unrest of November 7. President Saakashvili has been reaching out to various constituencies in public appearances that are seemingly a [...] |
2007-11-21 14:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI2964 |
TBILISI UPDATE: 11/26/07 [...] (U) As expected, on November 25 President Saakashvili resigned to launch his re-election campaign. The resignation is required for early presidential elections. The Parliament approved Saakashvili's proposal of January 5 elections by 148 to 1. Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze has become [...] |
2007-11-26 12:30:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2973 |
REQUESTED SPEAKER ON MEDIA ETHICS IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN [...] Summary: Embassy Tbilisi requests a rapid response speaker program for a program on journalistic ethics in covering elections. This program should last 7-9 days and take place in December 2007, before the January 5, 2008 snap Presidential elections. Post requests George Krimsky of the ICFJ, or [...] |
2007-11-28 09:58:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | OIIP KPAO GG |
| 07TBILISI2976 |
TBILISI UPDATE: 11/28/2007 [...] (U) Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili said, as of the November 26 deadline, twenty-two people had registered for the January 5 presidential election. In addition to Mikheil Saakashvili, oligarch Badri Patarkatsishvili, United National Council of Opposition (UNC) c [...] |
2007-11-28 13:36:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI2977 |
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES NEW SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AHEAD OF [...] Summary: Responding to social concerns voiced at the November 2-7 anti-government demonstrations in Tbilisi, the government of Georgia has announced a number of initiatives to provide relief to vulnerable groups. The timing of the announcements prompted government opponents to accuse the rul [...] |
2007-11-28 14:07:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV SOCI ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI2978 |
GEORGIAN INVESTIGATION OF PATARKATSISHVILI [...] (C) Summary: The closure of Imedi television and the investigation of its finances and operations by the Goverment of Georgia has made headlines around the world. The Government has also begun investigation of other businesses in which oligarch Badri Patarkatsishvili is a principal investor. [...] |
2007-11-28 14:24:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BEXP EFIN GG |
| 07TBILISI2990 |
FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER IRAKLI OKRUASHVILI [...] (SBU) Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was arrested November 27 in Berlin. An Interpol warrant was issued for him at the request of Georgian law enforcement after he retracted his confession and failed to attend a court hearing in November in Tbilisi. Okruashvili left Georgia Novem [...] |
2007-11-29 13:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI2999 |
TBILISI UPDATE: 11/30/07 [...] (U) Opposition parties accused Mikheil Saakashvili of misusing administrative resources for political campaign purposes after he met with Abkhaz Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on November 28 at a Tbilisi Municipality building. Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava and Minister for Refugees and Acco [...] |
2007-11-30 12:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI3000 |
OKRUASHVILI REQUESTS POLITICAL ASYLUM IN GERMANY [...] (C) The German Ambassador to Georgia told the Ambassador November 30 that former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, arrested November 27 in Berlin on an Interpol warrant (Reftel), has requested political asylum from the German government. The German Ambassador said a court decision on extra [...] |
2007-11-30 12:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI3002 |
WHY PATARKATSISHVILI SCARES THE GOG [...] (C) Summary. The Georgian government accuses oligarch and presidential candidate Badri Patarkatsishvili of moving from ordinary politics to fomenting revolution over the course of 2007. It has taken steps against him personally and against his business interests in an attempt to blunt his in [...] |
2007-11-30 13:12:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KCRM KBIO GG |
| 07TBILISI3004 |
INVESTIGATION OF IRAKLI RUKHADZE EXPLORES POSSIBLE [...] (C) The Deputy Prosecutor General of Georgia, Nika Gvaramia, called DCM to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to give an update on the criminal investigation of American citizen Irakli Rukhadze. Although Rukhadze has not been charged as yet, he is being investigated on suspicion of influence pe [...] |
2007-11-30 13:20:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV CASC GG |
| 07TBILISI3005 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE NOVEMBER 30 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of November 10-30. Last Russian Troops Leave Batumi -------------------------------- 2. On November 15, the last train cars loaded with military equipment left the Russian mili [...] |
2007-11-30 13:35:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI3010 |
TBILISI UPDATE: 12/3/07 [...] (U) On November 30, the Ambassador attended an OSCE Ambassadorial Working Group to discuss the upcoming Georgian Presidential Elections. OSCE members underscored the tense political climate and the low level of confidence the public has in the Central Election Commission (CEC). One of the l [...] |
2007-12-03 12:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI3011 |
GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT TAKES FIRST STEP TO ALLOW [...] (U) In a December 3 press conference, Acting President Nino Burjanadze instructed the Prosecutor General to ask the Tbilisi City Court to unfreeze the assets of Imedi TV. Burjanadze said she hoped the legal process would be finalized in two days, and that Imedi employees would be able to enter [...] |
2007-12-03 12:58:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI303 |
OSCE PROVIDES SNAPSHOT OF SOUTH OSSETIA [...] (C) OSCE officials shared with us several interesting bits of news and analysis about South Ossetia during a recent visit to Tskhinvali. Head of Mission (HOM) Roy Reeve said Russian officials had told him in Moscow that the South Ossetian decision to declare Georgian Deputy State Minister for [...] |
2007-02-14 13:37:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAID OSCE GG |
| 07TBILISI3031 |
GEORGIA: RESPONSE TO NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE 2008 [...] (U) Per reftel, Embassy Control Officer for the National War College Proposed Field Studies course in Georgia will be Defense Attache Colonel Matthew Brand. (Telephone: 995-32-27-7229, Fax: 995-32-27-7100, e-mail: brandml@state.gov) TEFFT [...] |
2007-12-05 13:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI3032 |
TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE, 12/5/2007 [...] (U) Presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili's representatives presented the Central Election Commission (CEC) with 140,000 supporters, signatures December 4, well over the 50,000 required to register a candidate. (The deadline for submission of signatures is December 6 at 1800.) In a Dece [...] |
2007-12-05 13:18:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI3036 |
IMF SEES SLOWER GROWTH, HIGHER INFLATION AND [...] (C) Robert Christiansen, the IMF's resident representative in Georgia, told the Ambassador on December 5 that the uncertainty arising from the current government crisis has caused foreign investors to put their plans for investing in Georgia on hold, but not necessarily to cancel them entirely. [...] |
2007-12-06 13:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI3037 |
OPPOSITION PARTIES QUICK TO PRE-JUDGE ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary: The government is concerned that the opposition will not accept any outcome of the January 5 elections that returns former President Mikheil Saakashvili to office, and that the opposition will take to the streets again on January 6. The ruling National Movement's polls suggQt Saa [...] |
2007-12-06 13:55:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI304 |
SPEAKER BURJANADZE ON RUSSIA, UKRAINE, REFORMS [...] (C) Summary: During a February 9 meeting with Ambassador, Speaker Nino Burjanadze was positive on the recent rapprochement with the opposition (septel). She outlined steps the Parliament is planning to strengthen property rights and offer amnesty for privatization violations committed by ordi [...] |
2007-02-14 13:43:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI3049 |
STATE MINISTER BAKRADZE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN [...] (C) State Minister for Conflict Resolution David Bakradze briefed the diplomatic corps December 6 on his taking leave of absence to become spokesperson for the presidential campaign of Saakashvili and the United National Movement party for the January 5 election. Georgian law allows a ministe [...] |
2007-12-07 12:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI3050 |
GEORGIA: TBILISI ELECTION UPDATE: 12/07/2007 [...] (U) Thirteen presidential candidates each submitted more than the 50,000 required voter signatures to the Central Election Commission (CEC) by the December 6 deadline. Mikheil Saakashvili's National Movement Party submitted 205,000 signatures, Oligarch Badri Patarkatsishvili's representatives [...] |
2007-12-07 12:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI3051 |
DCM'S DECEMBER 5 MEETING WITH CENTRAL ELECTION [...] (U) In a December 5 meeting with DCM, Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili refuted rumors that CEC short-term contract hires are going door to door to verify voter information and ask residents for whom they will vote. He stated emphatically that the CEC's door-to-d [...] |
2007-12-07 13:16:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI3064 |
TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE 12/10/07 [...] (C) On 7 December, members of the OSCE Ambassadorial Working Group were provided a copy of the letter sent by Ambassador Terhi Hakala, Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia, to Acting President Nino Burjanadze. In the letter, Hakala outlined the main issues which need to be addressed to ensure [...] |
2007-12-10 13:22:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI3065 |
PROFILES OF OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES [...] On December 6, the Central Election Commission registered thirteen candidates for the early presidential elections January 5 but only eight, including former President Mikheil Saakashvili, had sufficient signatures to meet the threshold to be registered as a presidential candidate. Following a [...] |
2007-12-11 04:32:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PINR KBIO GG |
| 07TBILISI3080 |
TBILISI ELECTION UPDATE, 12/12/07 [...] (U) Imedi is due to begin broadcasting December 12 with the Kronika program, beginning at 8 p.m. Tbilisi time. The Imedi staff report that one entire control room at Imedi is out of commission and phone and internet access was severely damaged, with only 15 of their former 150 telephone lines [...] |
2007-12-12 11:25:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI3092 |
IMEDI BACK ON THE AIR, MICHNIK AND MONITORS IN PLACE [...] (SBU) Summary. After 34 days off the air due to a governmental shutdown, Imedi, Georgia's most popular television network, resumed full broadcasting on the evening of December 12, 2007. While some technical difficulties remain, Imedi is broadcasting nationally and by satellite to London and [...] |
2007-12-13 12:51:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KPAO GG PHUM |
| 07TBILISI3096 |
GEORGIA BI-WEEKLY UPDATE DECEMBER 14 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of December 1-14. Georgian Politicians React to Medvedev -------------------------------------- 2. Georgian political figures reacted immediately -- and unanimously -- to Russi [...] |
2007-12-14 11:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ECON KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3098 |
GEORGIANS ADVANCE PROPOSAL TO SOLVE WTO BORDER [...] (C) Summary: On December 13, Econoff met with Tamar Kovziridze, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Georgia's lead negotiator on WTO issues. Kovziridze shared the text of a proposal by the Georgian government for solution of the impasse over border crossings that is the basis of a dis [...] |
2007-12-14 12:06:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD PREL WTO USTR GG RU |
| 07TBILISI3099 |
GEORGIA: ELECTION CAMPAIGNS OF [...] (SBU) Summary: On December 11, the Central Election Commission (CEC) released the final list of the seven registered candidates for the January 5 pre-term presidential elections. Several candidates, however, have been actively campaigning for as long as a week, meeting daily with Tbilisi res [...] |
2007-12-14 12:22:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PINR KBIO PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3101 |
TBILISI ELECTION UPDATE 12/14/07 [...] (C) On December 13, the OSCE/ODIHR Monitoring Team briefed the diplomatic community on its series of meetings with civil society, political parties, and government representatives. ODIHR reviewed election concerns to date with "misuse of administrative resources" being one heard frequently. [...] |
2007-12-14 13:07:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3112 |
TBILISI ELECTION UPDATE 12/17/07 [...] (C) In a meeting December 14, the Ambassador told NSC Chairman Alexander Lomaia that we had done a comprehensive feasibility evaluation and found that we could not sponsor and mount a proper exit poll (factoring in an adequate amount of time for voter education) in the short time before the Ja [...] |
2007-12-17 13:17:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3135 |
DOCUMENTARY FILM HIGHLIGHTS LABOR EXPLOITATION, [...] (U) Summary: Embassy officials opened the USAID sponsored anti-trafficking film "Labor Trafficking Reality" on December 19 to an audience of representatives from Parliament, state ministries, domestic and international NGOS, journalists, and members of the Interagency Council on Combating T [...] |
2007-12-19 12:39:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI3137 |
TBILISI ELECTION UPDATE 12/19/2007 [...] (C) In a meeting December 18, United National Council of opposition (UNC) presidential candidate Levan Gachechiladze told Ambassador he was certain the elections would go to a second round, and he expected Saakashvili to gain at most 15 -20% in the first round. Gachechiladze said during UNC d [...] |
2007-12-19 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3145 |
GEORGIAN ELECTIONS: TWO COMPETING WORLDS IN [...] (SBU) Summary: Poloff visited the Black Sea town of Batumi in the autonomous region of Adjara December 11-13 to gauge the pre-election mood of the political parties, election-monitoring organizations and general populace in the lead-up to the January 5 snap presidential election. Opposition pa [...] |
2007-12-20 12:38:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3146 |
GEORGIA: NOT QUITE THERE ON ENERGY INDEPENDENCE [...] (C) Summary: Georgia should be able to meet at least 3.5 million of its total 7 million cubic meter per day natural gas needs from Azerbaijan, in the early part of 2008. The rest will have to be purchased from Gazprom. The 2008 Gazprom price is expected to be higher than 2006, but not to do [...] |
2007-12-21 10:01:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL GG AJ RU TU |
| 07TBILISI3147 |
GEORGIA MEDIA AND PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COVERAGE: THE CASE [...] (SBU) Summary. As the election campaign heats up, Embassy Tbilisi is reviewing the media coverage of the elections. Although the Autonomous Republic of Ajara remains an opposition stronghold according to polls, Ajara media is indirectly controlled by the National Movement, and seems to be la [...] |
2007-12-21 10:34:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KPAO GG |
| 07TBILISI3148 |
GEORGIA: PRE-ELECTION TRIP TO AKHALKALAKI, [...] (SBU) Summary: Poloff visited the Armenian minority region of Akhalkalaki in Javakheti December 18-19 to gauge the pre-election mood of the political parties, NGOs, press and general populace in the lead-up to the January 5 snap Presidential elections. This impoverished region traditionally [...] |
2007-12-21 10:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3149 |
TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE 12/21/07 [...] (C) At the 21 December meeting of the OSCE Ambassadorial Working Group, the Chairman of the Election (CEC) Levan Tarkhnishvili addressed the group. He discussed the following points: - Cameras at the polling stations: The CEC distributed a press release explaining the purpose of video su [...] |
2007-12-21 10:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3151 |
GEORGIAN ELECTIONS: COMPETITION FOR THE FIRST TIME [...] (C) Summary: As the Georgian Presidential election campaign gears up for its final two weeks, a number of themes have emerged on the campaign trail. The most glaring is the brutal blood sport aspect of the Georgian campaign, with each political party battling to the death for dominance. The [...] |
2007-12-21 12:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI3152 |
PATARKATSISVILI COUP PLOT UNCOVERED [...] (SBU) On December 24, the Prime Minister called in the U.S., UK, French, German and Baltic Ambassadors to provide a briefing on a plot to undermine Georgia's presidential election on January 5 and thereby to overthrow the Georgian government. The Prime Minister showed videos of Patarkatsisvi [...] |
2007-12-24 10:20:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI3166 |
SAAKASHVILI STRONG IN ZUGDIDI DISTRICT [...] (SBU) Summary: Mikheil Saakashvili is strong in Samegrelo and its capital, Zugdidi, the home of many displaced persons from the conflict in Abkhazia. His National Movement is well-organized, well-funded and has many campaign volunteers. As a result, he is likely to gather a majority of the d [...] |
2007-12-27 13:06:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL GG |
| 07TBILISI3167 |
IMEDI STRUGGLES AND SUSPENDS OPERATIONS [...] (SBU) Summary. Imedi TV voluntarily ceased operation shortly after 20:00 hrs on December 26, 2007. This was a decision of News Corp management after 16 key Imedi journalists announced their resignations in the aftermath of the release of a number of video and audio tapes in which Badri Patar [...] |
2007-12-27 13:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KPAO GG |
| 07TBILISI3174 |
ALEX RONDELI: THE UNM SHIP MIGHT STILL FLOAT [...] (C) Alex Rondeli, Director of the Georgian Foundation for Security and International Studies (GFSIS) and widely respected political analyst, shared his views on recent political developments and media professionalism with the DCM on December 26. Rondeli wasn,t surprised by reports of Patarka [...] |
2007-12-28 11:40:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI3177 |
OPPOSITION GEARING UP FOR THE DAY AFTER GEORGIAN [...] (C) Summary: As the election campaign enters its final week and following a series of events that have strengthened former president Saakashvili's bid to win the January 5 presidential elections, it is increasingly clear that most opposition parties are planning not for victory on election d [...] |
2007-12-28 12:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3178 |
GEORGIAN ELECTIONS: CAMPAIGNS SPAR OVER PROCESS IN [...] (C) During a December 19-20 pre-election visit to Kutaisi, Georgia's second largest city, we found opposition campaigns focused almost exclusively on alleged government plans to intimidate voters or to manipulate the results. Some of the charges contained credible-sounding details, especially [...] |
2007-12-28 12:56:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI3179 |
TBILISI ELECTIONS UPDATE 12/28/2007 [...] (U) ODIHR's second report was released on December 28 and notes that the campaign environment has been soured by allegations of use by Saakashvili of budgetary funds, unequal campaign conditions, intimidation, and vote buying. OSCE ODIHR has received information and first hand accounts which [...] |
2007-12-28 13:28:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM GG |
| 07TBILISI379 |
PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI SHARES HIS VIEWS ON CASPIAN [...] (C) Summary: In a February 12 meeting with Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Daniel SIPDIS Sullivan, Georgian President Saakashvili gave the Assistant Secretary a tour d'horizon of Caucasus and Caspian region SIPDIS politics. He spoke positively of Karim Mas [...] |
2007-02-26 07:53:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG ECON GG |
| 07TBILISI384 |
Georgia Update February 23 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of February 10-23. The 81 Richest Georgians? ------------------------- 2. The newspaper Georgian Times stirred up considerable public interest with its February 15 list of Geor [...] |
2007-02-26 13:52:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI387 |
SAAKASHVILI DISMISSES ANTI-NATO DEBATE AND [...] (U) At a February 23 news conference, President Saakashvili dismissed as "foolish" the recent public debate over whether Georgia's NATO aspirations will prevent it from restoring territorial integrity over the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The debate began on February 16, [...] |
2007-02-27 06:40:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL GG RU |
| 07TBILISI401 |
AMBASSADOR URGES GEORGIA TO AGREE TO JCC MEETING [...] (C) Ambassador called on Deputy Foreign Minister Manjgaladze on February 27 to deliver reftel demarche urging the Georgians to agree on a date and time of a meeting of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) for South Ossetia. Noting a recent press report on Georgian plans to invest 3.5 million U [...] |
2007-02-28 14:41:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI405 |
UN TO USE UNOMIG RENEWAL TO MOVE SIDES FORWARD [...] (C) On February 27, UN Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) for Georgia Jean Arnault briefed the SIPDIS Friends of the Secretary General (FSG) on UN plans to use the April 15 deadline for renewal of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) to push the sides to fulfill t [...] |
2007-03-01 15:33:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI431 |
GOG CONTINUES ITS ANTI-TIP PUBLIC OUTREACH [...] (U) On February 27, Poloff participated in a GOG sponsored presentation on anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) at the University of Foreign Languages -- the second event held in Tbilisi this month. The presentation included a showing of the Frontline documentary titled "Sex-Slave" to an audie [...] |
2007-03-05 05:32:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL GG RU |
| 07TBILISI436 |
OSCE SAYS THERE IS AGREEMENT TO INFORMAL JCC MARCH [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador Tefft called on OSCE Ambassador Roy Reeve February 28 to discuss South Ossetia. On the Joint Control Commission (JCC), Ambassador said that the U.S. is pressing the Georgians to agree to the JCC. Reeve said that there were some positive signals that a JCC meeting wou [...] |
2007-03-05 14:07:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI489 |
ABKHAZIA: UN BRIEFS WESTERN FRIENDS ON KODORI [...] (C) Summary: On March 12, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Jean Arnault briefed the Western Friends of the Secretary General (FSG) on the alleged rocket and missile firing on Georgian villages in Upper Kodori on March 11 (reftel). Arnault said that the Georgians had [...] |
2007-03-12 14:27:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM GG |
| 07TBILISI623 |
BAGAPSH ALLIES WIN ABKHAZ DE FACTO PARLIAMENTARY [...] (C) After a poor showing in the first round (reftel), candidates aligned with de facto Abkhaz president Sergey Bagapsh rallied in the parliamentary run-offs March 18 (likely with the help of "administrative resources") to win an outright majority. According to a UN official, Bagapsh supporter [...] |
2007-03-23 12:30:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI624 |
Georgia Bi-Weekly Update March 23 [...] This cable contains current items of political, economic, and social interest concerning Georgia during the weeks of March 11-23. Investigation of MOD Finances under Okruashvili --------------------------------------------- -- 2. Georgian newspapers are reporting that the Audit Chamber has [...] |
2007-03-23 13:07:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV KPAO GG |
| 07TBILISI652 |
THE GEORGIAN ECONOMY LOOKS FORWARD TO A YEAR OF [...] (U) This telegram is sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution. 2. (SBU) Summary: Georgia's economy overcame Russian sanctions and grew 9.3 percent in 2006. Growth is expected to continue at a 7-8 percent rate in 2007. Prospects for increased foreign direct investment ar [...] |
2007-03-28 10:28:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI656 |
GEORGIAN PRIME MINISTER NOGHAIDELI REPORTS ON HIS [...] (C) Summary: Returning from a March 23 visit to Ashgabat, Georgian Prime Minister Noghaideli told the Ambassador on March 26 that he found Turkmenistan's President Berdimuhammedov interested in learning more about the West and exploring sending more oil through the South Caucasus, in lieu of c [...] |
2007-03-28 12:50:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL GG TX |
| 07TBILISI674 |
ABKHAZIA: PRELIMINARY REPORT ON KODORI ATTACK [...] (C) In a March 29 meeting of the Friends of the Secretary General (FSG), UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Jean Arnault and UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) Commander General Khattak briefed the FSG on the preliminary findings of the Joint Fact Finding Group's (J [...] |
2007-03-29 14:15:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GG |
| 07TBILISI711 |
EUR DAS MATT BRYZA'S MARCH 29 MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: In a March 29 meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli, EUR DAS Matt Bryza discussed the recent attack on Georgian government buildings in Kodori and rising tensions in the Gali region, and their relationship to the debate over the next UNOMIG mandate renewal in the U [...] |
2007-04-02 10:21:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG GG AR RU TX UN |
| 07TBILISI725 |
EUR DAS MATT BRYZA'S MARCH 29 MEETING WITH [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-02 11:35:00 | Embassy Tbilisi | ||