VZCZCXRO1072
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHC #7574/01 2552115
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 112112Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3033
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 8713
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4396
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5684
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 8607

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 097574 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EUN PHUM PREL PGOV GG RS
SUBJECT: APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER 
15-16 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) - GEORGIA 
 
REF:  STATE 96598 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  See paragraph 5. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary:  EU Foreign Ministers will hold their 
next General Affairs and External Relations Council 
(GAERC) meeting in Brussels on September 15-16.  We 
expect the formal agenda to include:  Zimbabwe, Somalia, 
Serbia, Turkey, and Georgia.  Background and points on 
non-Georgia topics have been provided reftel.  This 
cable contains material concerning Georgia.  Points are 
to be delivered as soon as possible at the appropriate 
level to EU members, as well as to the European 
Commission and Council Secretariat.  Other posts should 
not/not deliver these points.  Posts are requested to 
include the SIPDIS caption on their response cables and 
to reference this cable.  End Summary. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In our approaches to EU Member States we need 
to press them for rapid deployment of the EU monitoring 
mission to Georgia and for continued support for Georgia 
and its reconstruction. 
 
¶4. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  Please deliver the following 
points to the appropriate MFA official(s) as soon as 
possible (in advance of the September 15-16 GAERC). 
 
BEGIN NON-PAPER TEXT 
 
-- We welcome the September 8 supplemental agreement 
brokered by President Sarkozy, President Barroso and 
High Representative Solana that stipulated a timetable 
for withdrawal of Russian forces from areas outside of 
Abkhazia and South Ossetia over the next few weeks. 
 
-- Rapid deployment of the proposed EU mission must 
occur to remove any pretext Russia might use to delay 
this schedule. 
 
-- We support an EU mandate that ensures access 
throughout Georgia. 
 
-- We are united in standing firm behind Georgia's 
territorial integrity, sovereignty and rapid recovery. 
 
-- We will continue to assist Georgia with its 
reconstruction, and we look forward to participating in 
the EU-hosted international donors' conference next 
month. 
 
-- A strong, international commitment there to help 
Georgia's economy would send a powerful message of 
solidarity.  The United States encourages European 
efforts to support Georgia's reconstruction with an EU 
contribution commensurate with the $1 billion pledge in 
assistance we have committed to bring to the EU 
conference. 
 
-- We will also need to work in close coordination to 
prepare for the October 15 meeting in Geneva, keeping it 
focused on resolving the long-standing Abkhazia and 
South Ossetia conflicts within Georgia's 
internationally-recognized borders, and reiterating 
support for Georgian territorial integrity. 
 
-- In terms of participation at the conference, both 
Russia and Georgia must participate in the same 
capacity.  Abkhaz and South Ossetians should not be 
allowed to participate in any way that implies 
recognition. 
 
-- Russia's disproportionate actions in Georgia have 
sent a sharp message of Russian aggression to our 
partners and friends in the region. 
 
-- We should reassure these states of our commitment to 
their security, independence, sovereignty, territorial 
integrity, prosperity and democratization. 
 
-- We must resist Russian attempts to restrict or 
undermine them and be prepared to counter efforts to 
stifle energy competition and diversification. 
 
 
STATE 00097574  002 OF 002 
 
 
-- We will be following closely Russia's implementation 
of its commitments under the six-point cease-fire 
agreement and supplementary agreement of September 8. 
 
-- While we welcome Russia's commitment to withdraw its 
forces to their pre-conflict positions, we are concerned 
by President Medvedev's September 9 statement that 
Russia would base 7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South 
Ossetia.  We should remind Russia that the six-point 
cease-fire agreement obligates the withdrawal of forces 
to positions held before August 7. 
 
-- We should also strongly urge Russia not to block the 
flow of humanitarian assistance to any areas of Georgia. 
The Russian checkpoint at Karaleti continues to turn 
back shipments of humanitarian assistance and assessment 
teams that are trying to reach the villages south of 
Tskhinvali. 
 
-- Based on Russian willingness to complete its 
withdrawal and allow EU/OSCE monitors access to South 
Ossetia and Abkhazia, we will reassess the situation and 
our relationship accordingly. 
 
-- In the meantime, coordination on possible approaches 
as the situation develops will send a clear signal of 
unity and determination. 
 
END NON-PAPER TEXT 
RICE