VZCZCXRO4472
PP RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0086/01 0300049
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300049Z JAN 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3623
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1140
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 4208

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC GG
SUBJECT: RUSSIA CRITICIZES GEORGIA IN UNSC CONSULTATIONS ON 
ABKHAZIA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 08687 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: In closed UNSC consultations on January 
29, UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) Special 
Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Jean Arnault 
reported to Council members that there had been few 
developments since the release of the SYG's latest quarterly 
report.  Arnault stressed that there had been no significant 
incidents in Abkhazia during the reporting period.  He said 
U/SYG Guehenno will convene a meeting of the Friends in 
Geneva February 18-19 aimed at restarting dialogue between 
the sides and promoting implementation of the confidence 
building measures (CBMs) discussed in Bonn last year. 
Arnault also stated that UNOMIG is reviewing deployment of 
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to enhance observation 
capacity and hopes to present a proposal to the Council by 
April. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary Continued: Russian Permrep Churkin said 
despite recent calm the situation in Abkhazia is unstable and 
criticized Georgia's "military buildup" there.  Churkin 
acknowledged that the Saakashvili administration had made 
some post-election positive soundings regarding resolution of 
the conflict, but these need to be followed by tangible 
steps.  The past actions of Georgia's leadership, he said, 
have only led to stalemate.  Most Council members expressed 
support for a UN-led assessment of the Abkhazia peace process 
and for considering deploying UAVs, though some Council 
members said use of UAVs requires financial scrutiny.  End 
Summary. 
 
Arnault: Past Three Months Without Incident In Abkhazia 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On January 29, SRSG Arnault briefed Council members 
in closed consultations on the SYG's latest report on UNOMIG. 
 He said there were few developments following the SYG's 
report other than a minor incident involving Georgian patrol 
boats off the coast of Abkhazia.  He reported no change in 
his positive assessment as there had not been significant 
incidents in Abkhazia during the past three months.  Arnault 
noted that Georgia is putting a new cabinet in place and 
Temur Yakobashvili is being confirmed to replace David 
Bakradze as Minister of Re-integration, but said the name 
change from Ministry of State Conflicts to Ministry of 
Re-integration had been criticized by the Abkhaz.  Arnault 
said U/SYG Guehenno will convene a meeting of the Friends in 
Geneva February 18-19 aimed at restarting dialogue between 
the sides and promoting implementation of the CBMs discussed 
in Bonn last year.  He said UNOMIG is currently reviewing 
deployment of UAVs and hoped the Council will be able to 
discuss this in April.  Regarding the planned UN assessment 
of the peace process, Arnault said he had seen slow 
implementation of CBMs and needed to take stock of the peace 
process to date including CBMs, IDP return, political 
dialogue and the overall progress of the past decade. 
Arnault planned for the assessment to be completed by late 
Spring after Georgian parliamentary elections. 
 
Russia: Situation Unstable Because Of Georgia 
 
¶4. (SBU) Making his national statement first, Russian 
Ambassador Churkin said the apparent calm in the zone of 
conflict belied an unstable situation and criticized the 
Georgian presence in the Upper Kodori Valley, estimating it 
to be as many as 1,400 persons. He criticized what he 
characterized as a Georgian "military buildup" that allowed 
Georgian personnel to sometimes "bypass" CIS peacekeepers. 
Churkin further criticized the presence of the Georgian Youth 
Patriotic Camp at Inghuri as a provocation of the Abkhaz and 
rebuked "daily misinformation" by Georgian media and 
officials focused against the Abkhaz side and CIS 
peacekeepers.  Churkin said Russia shares the SYG's concern 
about the erosion of trust between the sides.  It was time to 
push forward completing the documents on non-resumption of 
hostilities and return of IDPs.  He also asserted there was 
no merit to Georgian concerns that signing such an agreement 
would put them on a symbolic equal footing with the Abkhaz. 
Churkin acknowledged that the Saakashvili administration had 
made some post-election positive soundings regarding 
resolution of the conflict, but these needed to be followed 
by tangible steps.  He charged that past actions of Georgia's 
leadership had only led to stalemate.  Churkin concluded that 
Russia will continue to take steps aimed at settlement of the 
conflict by peaceful means. 
 
Statements By Other Council Members 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000086  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) French Permrep Ripert praised the decline in 
incidents, especially noteworthy as it had occurred during a 
political crisis in Georgia and elections that might have 
been expected to increase tensions.  France stressed the 
necessity of focusing on three parameters: 1) respect for 
Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity; 2) political 
work and the irreplaceability of the Friends; and 3) making 
the return of IDPs to Abkhazia a priority.  France expressed 
support for the deployment of UAVs by UNOMIG.  Belgian 
Permrep Verbeke expressed disappointment with the standstill 
on the political process and said that a bottom-up approach 
remained the best way forward.  Belgium supported improving 
the monitoring capabilities of UNOMIG in the Kodori Valley 
and beyond, but using UAVs needed the trust of both sides. 
He also called for a cost-analysis. 
 
¶6. (SBU) UK Permrep Sawers stated that the current calm is 
laudable, but expressed disappointment with the lack of trust 
in the peace process.  The UK expressed support for Belgium's 
suggestion that the financial impact of the UAV proposal be 
reviewed.  Italian Deputy Permrep Mantovani expressed support 
for normalization in Georgian-Russian relations and also 
agreed that UAVs should receive financial scrutiny. 
Croatia favored deployment of UAVs as soon as possible and 
completion of the assessment of the peace process as a way of 
giving that process new momentum. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Per reftel, USUN Political Minister-Counselor 
stressed the importance of the efforts of Arnault to reach a 
peaceful settlement in Abkhazia, welcomed cooperation between 
the Georgian and Abkhaz sides to allow the Joint Fact Finding 
Team's investigation into the September 20 incident, and 
expressing regret for the loss of life involved on September 
¶20.  He voiced USG strong support for enhancement of UNOMIG's 
observation capacity and for promptly deploying UAVs in the 
region if the SRSG's final assessment determines they are the 
most effective means to enhance this capacity. 
 
Russia's Additional Comments On UAVs And Questions On 
Assessment Of Peace Process 
 
¶8. (SBU) Russian Permrep Churkin requested the floor again 
near the end of the meeting, saying that he agreed with the 
comments that the cost of UAV deployment should be reviewed, 
but said even more important is not damaging trust between 
the sides.  Regarding the UN assessment of the peace process, 
Churkin asked Arnault about the UN's approach, the role of 
the Friends and the outcome.  Arnault responded that UAVs 
should cost UNOMIG approximately three million dollars per 
year, whereas utility radar would involve "huge costs and 
large increases in personnel. UAVs therefore seemed to be "a 
fairly cost-effective way of significantly increasing 
UNOMIG's observational capacity."  Regarding the assessment 
of the peace process, Arnault said he believed the time had 
come for stocktaking as there was more and more vocal 
opposition to an approach based on CBMs.  This would involve 
not just political dialogue but also return of IDPs, CBMs, 
the cease-fire and other issues.  Arnault said he intended to 
involve UNHCR and other UN organizations as well as non-UN 
organizations. 
 
Comment 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Comment: If Department believes that UAVs would 
fill a critical need in enhancing UNOMIG's operational 
effectiveness then we may want to consult with the UK and 
others who questioned their cost. End Comment. 
WOLFF