VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #2325 2402305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 272303Z AUG 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 0000
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 092325 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL GG
SUBJECT: TFGG01 - GEORGIA - DEMARCHE REQUEST ON SOUTH 
OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA PARTICIPATION IN UNSC 
 
REF: USUN 757 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is an action request: The Department requests 
that action addressees, with the exception of Moscow, Hanoi, 
Tripoli and Pretoria, approach host governments at the highest 
appropriate level to urge them to oppose the participation of 
representatives from the de facto governments of Abkhazia and 
South Ossetia in upcoming UN Security Council meetings on 
Georgia. 
 
Objectives 
---------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) To convince Security Council members that with 
negotiations on a draft resolution on the Georgia crisis at a 
 
critical stage, dealing with the issue of South Ossetia's and 
Abkhazia's participation, especially in light of de facto 
officials' moves to secure independence from Georgia and 
Russia's recognition of the Georgian regions as independent 
states, would complicate and delay efforts to successfully adopt 
a resolution. In particular, to do so at this stage would be 
seen as validation of Russia's unilateral act to recognize as 
independent states these Georgian territories, an act which we 
strongly condemn and is inconsistent with numerous security 
council resolutions affirming Georgian territorial integrity. 
It would also reward Abkhaz leaders for destroying the UN 
Friends effort by launching a military attack against Georgia ir 
conjunction with Russia. 
 
¶3. (SBU) To secure a "no" vote against S. Ossetian/Abkhaz 
participation in the event of a procedural vote on the matter i 
the Security Council. 
 
¶4. (SBU) To outline to UNSC members the additional reasons for 
opposition to S. Ossetian/Abkhaz participation, including the 
political signal that the Security Council would be sending 
given the recent decision by Russia to recognize Abkhazia and 
South Ossetia and public statements of prominent South Ossetian 
leaders supporting the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from South 
Ossetia. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Last week, the de facto leaders of the separatist 
regions of South Ossetia (Georgia) and Abkhazia (Georgia), 
informed the Belgian Presidency of the UN Security Council of 
their desire to participate in any subsequent UNSC meetings on 
Georgia as "parties to the conflict." Although the Security 
Council has debated the situation in Georgia as it relates to 
the conflict in Abkhazia numerous times since it first mandated 
the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) in 1993, 
representatives from the regions have never participated (or 
been present) during any UN discussions. The question of Abhka 
and/or South Ossetian participation in future UNSC discussions 
would complicate efforts to reach agreement on a draft 
resolution, divert Council Members' attention, and provide at 
least de facto arguments for their status that would complement 
the regrettable Russian recognition. 
 
¶6. (U) The Security Council will soon take up the issue of 
whether to invite Abkhaz and South Ossetian representatives to 
 
participate in an upcoming meeting on Georgia. If a procedural 
vote is held on the issue, supporters of the request would need 
at least 9 affirmative votes for invitations to be issued 
(opponents would need to marshall 7 negative votes). Should th 
Council vote to extend invitations, the US would not have the 
power to veto the outcome. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The United States opposes a UN Security Council 
invitation for Abkhaz or South Ossetian leaders to participate 
in UN discussions. Such participation would compromise the 
Security Council's position on Georgia's territorial integrity, 
especially given Russia's unilateral recognition of the 
independence of these Georgian territories. The issue still at 
hand is implementation of the ceasefire agreement negotiated by 
President Sarkozy between the presidents of Russia and Georgia, 
and securing the withdrawal of Russian and Georgian forces to 
their pre-August 6 position. Additionally, inclusion of the 
Abkhaz and South Ossetian leaders in UN discussions will hinder 
resolution as their recent statements and actions, as well as 
that of Russia in recognizing the two Georgian territories, 
indicate an unwillingness to consider anything but independence 
from Georgia, which contradicts the Council's long-time 
commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Moreover, de facto leaderships from both regions have 
organized and participated in attacks on Georgian forces and 
villages. South Ossetia's de facto leader has admitted that hi 
subordinates are conducting ethnic cleansing against Georgians. 
The Abkhaz attack, with Russian assistance, on Georgian 
personnel in the Upper Kodori Valley, undermined the letter, 
spirit, and viability of the UN Friends process.     The U.S. is 
not prepared to grant any legitimacy to separatist regimes that 
have largely completed the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from 
the territories they control, and have repeatedly stated 
publicly that Georgian civilians will not be allowed to return 
to their homes. Such an attitude is unacceptable. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Abkhaz and South Ossetia leaders have not been present 
during previous UN discussions involving Georgia. Most 
recently, they did not participate in the April 2008 UN 
discussion on the renewal of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia 
(UNOMIG) nor in the June or July emergency special sessions. W 
should also remind Council members that Russian attempts to 
include Abkhaz leaders in the past have not been successful. 
Now is not the time to be seen as rewarding Russia's military 
actions in Georgia, failure to fully comply with the ceasefire 
agreement, and recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. 
 
Department Point of Contact 
-------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
¶10. (U) Posts should provide responses to this demarche at the 
earliest opportunity by cable. Department's point of contact is 
IO/UNP K.G. Moore, 202 647-2392, moorekg@state.gov. 
RICE