VZCZCXRO6983
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0720 2220313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090313Z AUG 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4778
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000720 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO SECRETARY RICE AND NSC HADLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GG PGOV PREL RS
SUBJECT: GEORGIA CHALLENGES RUSSIA, SECURITY COUNCIL 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  The UN Security Council failed on August 8 
to reach a consensus on a press statement in reaction to the 
developing conflict in South-Ossetia, Georgia.  In a dramatic 
public session, the Georgian PermRep asked the Russian 
PermRep whether Russia was prepared to call off the bombers 
he said were about to pummel Georgian cities.  He also 
pointedly asked the Security Council what it was prepared to 
do to stop the conflict.  Russian PermRep Churkin claimed 
Georgia was the aggressor and Russia was only defending its 
citizens in South Ossetia.  The Belgian Security Council 
Presidency announced plans to call for further closed 
consultations on August 9, in another attempt to reach 
consensus on a press statement.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Security Council suspended its consultation on 
the South-Ossetia, Georgia conflict late in the day on August 
8 after it failed to reach consensus on a press statement. 
Various versions of the draft press statement -- expressing 
concern over the escalating violence and casualties, calling 
for immediate cessation of hostilities and resumption of 
negotiations -- broke down over the course of the afternoon, 
primarily over U.S.-Russia differences over whether the 
statement should reaffirm Georgia's territorial integrity, 
refer to more than two parties, or call for a ceasefire 
before or after a return to the status quo ante. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Notwithstanding Ambassador Khalilzad's harsh 
criticism of Russia to the press following the second public 
session, several Council members remained enthusiastic enough 
about the prospects of reaching consensus that a Saturday 
morning session, August 9, will be scheduled after Belgium 
circulates a further composite text this evening. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The consultations were interspersed around a public 
session, which was requested by Georgia.  It featured a 
dramatic exchange between the Russian and Georgian Permanent 
Representatives that culminated in the Georgian confronting 
the Russian, saying Russian bombers are in the air and are 
about to bomb Georgia, and asking, "will you stop?" 
Ambassador Khalilzad noted in his statement that the Georgian 
PermRep had committed in his statement to a ceasefire, 
whereas the Russian PermRep had been silent on that point. 
The Georgian PermRep also pointedly asked the Council what it 
was willing to do in the face of Russian aggression. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Russian Ambassador Churkin deflected calls by 
several Council members to respect the territorial integrity 
and sovereignty of Georgia, and instead focused his comments 
on accusing Georgia of engaging in "ethnic cleansing" in 
South Ossetia.  He claimed that Georgia was targeting Russian 
peacekeepers and he said firmly that Russia would not allow 
actions against Russian nationals to go unpunished. 
Khalilzad