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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
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DE RUEHSI #0318/01 0581419
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271419Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8954
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000318 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM GG
SUBJECT: GOG AND OPPOSITION POINTS OF AGREEMENT 
 
REF: A. TBILISI 304 
 
     ¶B. TBILISI 271 
     ¶C. TBILISI 229 
 
 ¶1. (SBU)  Summary: The Georgian government took concrete 
steps on February 26 in addressing the opposition's concerns 
(Reftel A,B,C) by releasing three more "political prisoners," 
replacing the board of the Georgian Public Broadcasting 
Station, and officially stating that Parliamentary elections 
will be in May.  On February 25, it passed two constitutional 
amendments officially creating the positions of regional 
governors and vice-premiers.  However, Parliament postponed 
voting on a package of other draft laws, which previously had 
tentative agreement, such as lowering the election threshold, 
replacing the Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman, and 
changing of the "first-past-the-post, winner-takes-all-system" 
until the final details could be agreed upon.  End Summary. 
 
Areas of Agreement 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Release of Political Prisoners: On February 26, 
three more persons who were arrested in connection with the 
events of November 7 were released.  This brings the number 
of those released to eleven. (Reftel B) The opposition's list 
of prisoners it wanted released ran to 30-40 people in total, 
some of them arrested for other reasons unrelated to November 7. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Public Television Board and Chairman:  Parliament 
approved a nine-members non-partisan board of trustees for 
the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GBS) on February 26. 
Following the January 5 Presidential Election, the opposition 
demanded a new supervisory board with partisan balance for 
the GBS and the resignation of director general Tamar 
Kintsurashvili.  The final board includes publisher Bakur 
Sulakauri; Tbilisi State University journalism professor 
Marina Vekua; singer Irma Sokhadze; historian Giorgi 
Anchabadze; film directors Irakli Tripolski; and Mikheil 
Chiaureli, audit company Chief Zurba Kharatishvili; 
university PR worker Levan Gakhedladze; and newspaper 24 
Saati editor Mamuka Pachuashvili.  Gia Tortladze of the 
opposition coalition said the opposition welcomes the new 
board and is ready to trust them.  The opposition is now 
waiting for the board to select a new director general for 
the public broadcaster. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Election Date:  Parliamentary elections will be 
held this May, according to a constitutional amendment which 
was passed unanimously by the Parliament on February 26. 
Opposition lawmakers also supported this amendment.  The 
President now must set the exact date of the polls. President 
Saakashvili should announce the date no later than 60 days 
before the elections.  The ruling National Movement Party 
has proposed to hold elections sometime between May 14-24. 
(Reftel C) 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Constitutional Changes:  Parliament unanimously 
passed on February 26 a number of constitutional amendments 
involving the status of regional governors and introduction 
of vice-premiers.  Other amendments which have been passed 
are as follows: 
 
- Introduction of governor's positions in the provincial 
regions. Heretofore, the President's special representatives 
have administered the regions, but until now were not 
codified in the Constitution.  The position, which is under 
the President's subordination, will now be officially named 
as governor, who according to the Constitutional amendment, 
will be in charge of oversight of local self-governance 
bodies on behalf of the central authorities. 
 
- Introduction of the first Vice-Premier and Vice Premiers in 
the cabinet.  Currently, there is only one vice-premier, 
Giorgi Baramidze, who is also the state minister for 
Euro-Atlantic integration issues.  According to the 
amendment, members of the cabinet can assume the position of 
the vice-premier meaning that no new members in the cabinet 
will be invited for that particular post. 
 
Areas where Discussion Continues 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Parliament postponed voting on the following 
package of draft laws, due to a number of controversial 
constitutional amendments:  extending Parliament's term of 
office from the current four to five years; increasing 
Presidential Powers which would further permit the 
president to disband the Parliament; abolishment of 
first-past-the-post winner takes all system (Reftel C); 
lowering of the election threshold from 7% to 5%; and the 
 
TBILISI 00000318  002 OF 002 
 
 
replacement of the CEC Chairman.  (Reftel A,C) 
 
Comment 
-------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Overall, the willingness of the President and the 
ruling National Movement to cooperate on the passage of at 
least some of the amendments is an encouraging sign that a 
spirit of compromise is taking room in the wake of the 
political crisis. 
TEFFT