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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
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DE RUEHSI #2590/01 2891102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161102Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7919
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002590 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CARC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OTRA OVIP GG
SUBJECT: GOG AMENDMENTS TO TRAVEL PROCEDURES FOR DIPLOMATIC 
VISITS TO SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA 
 
 
¶1. (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 to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia and Abkhazia, 
which had been previously issued by the GOG in August.  The 
changes result from interventions by the diplomatic community 
in Tbilisi, which had objected to the travel procedures as 
announced by the GOG in August. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The main objections by the diplomatic community to 
the former rules were that the two weeks advance notice of 
travel required was too long, and that the rules required 
diplomats to provide a report on their activities after their 
return from the breakaway regions.  The new rules require 
only five days advance notice for diplomats accredited in 
Georgia, although twelve working days is still required for 
diplomatic visitors based abroad.  We believe that it will be 
possible to work with the GOG should important, high-level 
Washington visitors be required to travel to Abkhazia or 
South Ossetia on shorter notice.  The new rules do away with 
the requirement for reporting back to the GOG on results of 
travel. 
 
¶3.  (U)  In order to comply with the amended rules, all 
visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi who wish to visit 
Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia or Abkhazia will need to 
 
SIPDIS 
provide a written request to the U.S. Embassy 15 working days 
in advance of their visit in order for the appropriate 
request to be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 
Georgia within 12 days requirement.  Please include with the 
request the exact time and itinerary of the visit, full 
composition of the delegation and planned meetings. 
 
¶4. (U)  The text of the Circular Note follows: 
 
Begin Text: 
 
Regulations Concerning Visit of the Diplomatic Agents 
Accredited to Georgia and Foreign State officials to 
Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia and Abkhazia, 
 
SIPDIS 
Georgia 
 
 - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (hereinafter - the 
Ministry) should be notified in a written form about any 
visit of diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia or foreign 
state officials to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia 
and Abkhazia Georgia. 
 
 - The formal notification about the intended visit should be 
communicated to the Ministry at least 5 working days in 
advance for the diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia and 
12 working days for the foreign state officials. 
 
 - The formal notification to the Ministry shall contain the 
information on the exact time and itinerary of the visit, 
full composition of the delegation and the planned meetings. 
 
 - In case of visits of diplomatic agents accredited to 
Georgia exceptions to the Point 2 above are possible, where 
urgent circumstances (e.g. urgent consular needs or the 
progress of humanitarian aid) require visits at shorter 
notice. 
 - The Ministry on a case by case basis, reserves the right 
to refuse permission to diplomatic agents and foreign state 
officials to travel to Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, 
Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia. 
 
 - The Ministry gives permission in a written form to a 
foreign state official on a planned visit.  In case of a 
joint visit of diplomatic agents accredited to Georgia and 
foreign state officials the regime of permissions for foreign 
state officials will be applied. 
 
 - These regulations do not apply to foreign delegations 
under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General 
and Diplomatic Missions or International Organizations 
mandated to operate on the territory of Tskhinvali 
Region/South Ossetia, Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia. End Text. 
 
¶3. (U)  All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi who wish 
to visit Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia or Abkhazia will 
need to provide a written request to the U.S. Embassy 15 
working days in advance of their visit in order for the 
request to be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 
Georgia within the 12 day requirement.  Please include with 
the request the exact time and itinerary of the visit, full 
composition of the delegation and planned meetings. 
 
TBILISI 00002590  002 OF 002 
 
 
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