VZCZCXRO7042
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBW RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTL #0145 1151425
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241425Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0598
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 0180
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2597

UNCLAS TALLINN 000145 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/NB KATHERINE GARRY 
 
E.O. 12958 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN RS GG EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA: FOREIGN MINISTER AND PARLIAMENT SPEAK OUT 
AGAINST RUSSIAN ACTIONS IN GEORGIA 
 
REF: TALLINN 139 
 
¶1. (U) On April 23, after an extraordinary session of 
Parliament, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and the 
Parliament released statements in support of the 
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.  The 
parliament's statement called on Russia to suspend the 
regulation signed by President Putin last week tightening 
Russian contacts with the de facto authorities of Abkhazia 
and South Ossetia.  Parliament also welcomed statements by 
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (April 
17) and the EU (April 18) confirming support for the 
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and 
calling on Russia to honor its commitments toward a 
peaceful settlement of differences.  Finally, the 
parliament statement noted that Russia's failure to promote 
peace in accordance with its commitments as a member of the 
UN Secretary General's Group of Friends of Georgia calls 
into question a potential partnership and cooperation 
accord between the European Union and Russia. 
 
¶2. (U) In his own strongly worded statement, FM Paet 
condemned the shooting down of an unmanned Georgian plane 
on Georgian territory, Russian attempts to intensify 
Abkhazia and South Ossetia accession desires, and Russia's 
refusal to obey the Commonwealth of Independent States' 
economic blockade against Abkhazia.  FM Paet stressed that 
the international community must not leave Georgia alone, 
and needs to confront these infractions of international 
norms.  At the same time, FM Paet called on both Georgia 
and Russia to restrain from exacerbating the situation and 
seek ways to peacefully resolve the current conflict. 
 
PHILLIPS