VZCZCXRO1144
PP RUEHBZ RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0873/01 2892240
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 162240Z OCT 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2797
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1054
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 4126

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000873 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC GG
SUBJECT: UNOMIG CONSULTATIONS: SPARKS BUT NO FIRE 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: On October 10 UNOMIG SRSG Jean Arnault 
held a private meeting with the New York Friends (Friends 
plus Slovakia) to discuss the situation in Abkhazia.  He 
reported that a recent study showed that deployment of 
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the Kodori Valley was 
feasible, but that artillery radar was technically unfeasible 
and too expensive.  In October 11 consultations with the 
Security Council, Arnault said the Abkhaz now see a 
strengthening of Kodori monitoring by UNOMIG as being in 
their interest.  On the September 20 incident in Abkhazia 
that left two Russian nationals dead, Arnault confirmed that 
the altercation occurred on the Abkhaz side of the boundary. 
Russian Ambassador Churkin said that Georgian proposals 
regarding a review of peace process were worrisome because 
one side should not be allowed to torpedo a process and then 
complain about that process.  He alleged that the two 
Russians killed on September 20 had basically been murdered. 
After the session, Arnault told USUN that he needed to 
persuade the Georgian side that any review of the peace 
process could not become a pretext for kicking out the CIS 
peacekeepers.  End summary. 
 
SRSG Arnault Meets Privately With Friends 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a private meeting with the Friends (US, UK, 
France, Germany and Russia) on October 10 held in the office 
of U/SYG Guehenno, UNOMIG SRSG Arnault said the recent 
meeting with the two sides in Bonn had been useful in keeping 
efforts on the conflict from getting off the wrong track, but 
that he would have preferred to see it do more to help put 
developments on the right track.  Arnault said that he was 
open to some kind of review of the peace process after many 
years of an UNOMIG presence.  He also stated that the next 
Geneva meeting might allow the Friends to play a more central 
role and prevent backsliding.  Regarding the suggestions of 
the Joint Fact finding Group (JFFG) following the March 11 
air attack in Georgia, Arnault said the technical team had 
been considering deployment of UAV and artillery radar.  The 
team had concluded that UAV were a feasible option, but that 
radar might not be a good technical match for the terrain in 
question and might be too expensive.  Arnault reported as 
well that Abkhaz seemed accepting now of having UNOMIG 
observation in Kodori even though they had previously thought 
it might be too much an indication of support for Georgia's 
buildup there.  He distributed a two-page progress report on 
September 20 incident, explaining that he had also given it 
to the sides and that UNOMIG would make it public the next 
day.  Arnault was pleased that Georgian State Minister of 
Conflicts Resolution David Bakradze had recently expressed 
his support for the Friends format despite recent messages 
that the Georgians felt the group might no longer be useful. 
 
 
Security Council Consultations 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) In Security Council consultations on October 11, 
Arnault said the last joint UNOMIG and CIS patrol in Kodori 
had found no heavy weapons, but that the patrol had been 
prevented by the Georgians from accessing a particular valley 
area.  Arnault said the Abkhaz now see a strengthening of 
Kodori monitoring by UNOMIG as being in their interest.  He 
stated that the progress report (emailed to Department on 
October 10) on the September 20 incident showed that the 
clash had occurred 300 meters on Abkhaz side of the 
administrative boundary line and that the Russians were 
killed at close range by automatic weapon fire.  Arnault 
reported that the fact finding team could not at this time 
either confirm or refute Georgian claims regarding Abkhaz 
activities on Georgian side of the line before the incident. 
He summarized that the overall conclusions of UNOMIG for the 
reporting period were that separation of forces must be 
maintained and that political concerns were important so it 
would be necessary to review the peace process with the help 
of the Friends and decide whether the group can do better. 
 
Churkin: Russian Officers Were Murdered 
--------------------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) Speaking for Russia, Permrep Churkin said the SYG's 
recommendations for strengthening UNOMIG must be implemented. 
 He called Georgian proposals regarding review of peace 
process "worrisome" because one side should not be allowed to 
torpedo a process and then complain about that process.  He 
said a recent joint patrol of the Kodori Valley had attempted 
to patrol three rivers and was blocked by the Georgian side, 
the latest in what he believed was a continued series of 
Georgian provocations.  Regarding the September 20 incident, 
Churkin alleged that the progress report establishes that the 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000873  002 OF 002 
 
 
two Russian officers had basically been murdered. 
 
Other Council Members 
--------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Slovakia's Permrep stated that it would be important 
to establish the real facts regarding recent incidents, but 
it would also be important to take preventative measures.  He 
said it is positive that both sides believe that necessary 
mechanisms are in place for negotiations so we will hopefully 
now see more progress.  He welcomed the SRSG's idea for a 
comprehensive peace process review. 
 
¶6. (SBU) France's Permrep argued that neither party should be 
questioning the role of UNOMIG and stressed the real need for 
confidence building measures.  Italy's Permrep  referred to 
paragraph 16 of the SRSG's report with concern.  ( Note: This 
paragraph mentioned an incident where the CIS presumed to 
inspect Georgian forces rather than observe them.  CIS 
evidently said inspection was needed because the movement had 
not been notified. End note.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Speaking again to respond to questions, Arnault said 
that the UN would not endorse a review of the peace process 
whose goal was to undermine existing mechanisms, the Friends' 
process would be integral to any review, and the UN also did 
not want to take part in any exercise outside existing 
mechanisms.  He said events of the last twelve months had 
shown that an assessment in the form of stock-taking and 
perhaps exploration of what more could be done was advisable. 
 In response to a question from France, Arnault said that the 
degree of cooperation by each side with UNOMIG is a complex 
question because each side has problems with the mission. 
The Abkhaz are deeply suspicious of UNOMIG in the Upper 
Kodori Valley as legitimizing Georgia's presence and the 
Georgians feel suspicious of limitations on their sovereign 
actions in Kodori and elsewhere, but have to respect 
cease-fire rules. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Russia's Churkin took the floor a final time and 
asserted there was graphic evidence showing the September 20 
incident had been a "gang style killing" and the Abkhaz did 
not open fire at all.  He said there was already enough 
information for those responsible to be punished and the 
Abkhaz detainees released.  (Note: Following the SC meeting, 
Arnault pulled aside USUN Deputy Political Counselor to say 
that contrary to his statement of October 10, there was no 
evidence that the two Russians involved in the September 20 
incident had opened fire.  Arnault said he was trying to 
convince the Georgians that a review of the process could not 
be just a pretext for expelling the CIS peacekeepers. End 
note.) 
 
 
 
 
KHALILZAD