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DE RUEHC #6467 0240100
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O 240051Z JAN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 0000

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 006467 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019 
TAGS: UNSCR PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: INSTRUCTIONS FOR UNOMIG NEGOTIATIONS 
 
REF: (A) TIBLISI 94 (B) MOSCOW 74 
 
Classified By: Acting A/S James B. Warlick for reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) This is an action request: USUN should work with 
the P-3, Germany, and Russia to quickly adopt a resolution 
renewing UNOMIG's mandate for four months. USUN is authorized 
to support France's revised version of Germany's original 
draft resolution in paragraph 6 below, the United States- 
drafted resolution in paragraph 7, or a combination of the 
two. (Note: the United States does not support the original 
German draft resolution. End note) If negotiations drag on or 
become complicated and contentious, USUN should seek further 
guidance from Washington. The U.S. is not willing to preserve 
UNOMIG at the expense of compromising Georgian territorial 
integrity and USUN should revert to the Department for further 
guidance if this situation arises. Key to our efforts will be 
to work closely with our European partners and other allies. 
 
Objectives 
--------- 
 
 
¶2. (C) Post should pursue the following objectives during 
consultations: 
 
-- Work to move negotiations along quickly with as little 
conflict as possible, while avoiding any steps that weaken the 
 
Council's support for Georgia's territorial integrity. 
 
-- Secure a Security Council Resolution that provides for a 
temporary extension of the current UNOMIG mandate to continue 
operating for four months beyond its February 15, 2009 
expiration date. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
 
¶3. (C) A UN presence in Georgia is important, especially as 
the security and humanitarian situations deteriorate in some 
areas and with the possible expiration of the OSCE mission's 
mandate. Securing at least a temporary extension will allow 
for more time to develop the modalities for reaching these 
longer-term objectives, the future presence of the UN in 
Georgia, and a comprehensive and durable international 
mechanism that addresses security and humanitarian issues in 
the region. The UN mandate in Georgia will ultimately need to 
be revised (partially due to the fact that UNOMIG is charged 
with monitoring the now-defunct Moscow agreement of 1994). 
The United States would like to see the UN role in Georgia 
expanded beyond monitoring the security situation to also 
include significant humanitarian and human rights roles as 
well. However, the timing to negotiate this expanded role is 
not optimal. The French drafted resolution or a technical 
rollover would allow UNOMIG to continue its still valuable 
work as the only international presence in Abkhazia and would 
provide additional time to reach agreement on security and 
stability modalities, as well as humanitarian and human rights 
concerns, through the Geneva talks, which resume February 17- 
18, and other discussions, and to properly analyze and respond 
to the UN Secretary General's report on UNOMIG, which is not 
due to be released until February 5. Georgian officials have 
indicated that they would support another technical rollover 
of UNOMIG (reftel A) and Russia has indicated a willingness to 
consider a technical rollover as well (reftel B). 
 
¶4. (C) The U.S. is not willing to preserve UNOMIG at the 
expense of Georgian territorial integrity or legitimizing the 
independence declared by Abkhaz and South Ossetian de facto 
leaders. While we are willing to engage the Russians, we must 
also ensure that they remain isolated on the Council and 
within the international community with regard to their 
violation of Georgia's territorial integrity and Russia's 
failure to prevent shootings and refusal to grant humanitarian 
access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 
 
¶5. (C) A unified message will continue to bolster 
international support for monitoring missions in Georgia, 
including Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The U.S. appreciates 
the efforts of France, Germany, and the UK to facilitate a 
broader UN presence in Georgia, and believes we need more time 
to forge a common approach, especially following Russia's 
 
maximalist approach to renewal of the OSCE mandate in Georgia, 
which Russia killed despite a reasonable and constructive 
proposal by the OSCE's Finnish CiO. We welcome their 
constructive suggestions, however, for the future negotiations 
on the presence of the UN and look forward to continuing to 
work closely with them and other Council members to establish 
a UN presence in Georgia that addresses key security and 
humanitarian concerns. The French draft resolution below 
provides a good starting point for reaching our ultimate goal 
of a four-month technical rollover. 
 
Draft Security Council Resolutions 
---------------------------------- 
 
 
¶6. (U) Begin French-drafted text: 
 
The Security Council, 
 
P1 Recalling all its relevant resolutions including 
resolutions 1808 of 15 April 2008 S/RES/1808 and 1839 of 9 
October 2008 S/RES/1839, 
 
PP2 Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General on the 
activities of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia 
of X February 2009 S/2009/XX, 
 
PP3 Welcoming and endorsing the mediation of the presidency of 
the European Union which led to the agreements of 12 August 
2008 and of 8 September 2008, 
PP4 Bearing in mind the International Court of Justice Order 
dated 15 October 2008 on the "application of the 
international convention on the elimination of all forms 
of racial discrimination (Georgia v. Russian Federation), 
 
PP5 Supporting the sustained efforts of the Secretary-General 
and of his Special Representative, of the OSCE and the Special 
Envoy of its Chairman-in-Office, and of the European Union and 
its Special Representative in order to establish modalities 
for security and stability in the region and address the 
question of 
refugees and IDPs, 
 
PP6 Underlining the need to continue and strengthen the 
discussions commenced in Geneva on 15 October 2008, 
 
OP1 Recalls the arrangement entered into by the parties 
under the ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008 and the 
agreement of 8 September, including their commitment to 
renounce the use of force and to withdraw their forces to 
their positions prior to the conflict; 
 
OP2 Requests therefore the parties to continue to implement 
paragraph 2 (a) of the Agreement on a Cease-fire and 
Separation of Forces signed in Moscow on 14 May 1994 
 
S/1994/583, pending agreement on a more perennial security 
regime; 
 
OP3 Requests all parties to refrain from any act of racial 
discrimination against persons, groups of persons or 
institutions, and to ensure, without distinction, the 
security of persons, the right of persons to freedom of 
movement and the protection of the property of displaced 
persons and of refugees; 
 
OP4 Calls on all parties to facilitate, and refrain from 
placing any impediment to, humanitarian assistance to 
persons affected by the conflict, including refugees and 
IDPs, and to contribute to a voluntary, safe and unhindered 
return of refugees and IDPs; 
 
OP5 Calls on all parties to intensify efforts to reach a 
lasting negotiated political agreement in the discussions 
currently underway in Geneva; requests the Secretary General, 
through his Special Representative, to continue to fully 
support this process, and to report on progress by 15 April 
2009; 
 
OP6 Calls upon the Secretary-General to actively coordinate 
through his Special Representative the Mission's activities 
with other international presences established in the area of 
deployment, in particular with the European Union's Monitoring 
Mission (EUMM); 
 
OP7 Requests the Secretary General to report to the Council on 
the implementation of the resolution; 
 
OP8 Decides to extend the mandate of the United Nations 
mission for a new period terminating on 15 June 2009; 
 
OP9 Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. 
 
End Text 
 
¶7. (U) Begin U.S. Drafted Text: 
 
The Security Council, 
 
PP1 Recalling all of its relevant resolutions including 
resolution of 15 April 2008 S/RES/1808 and of 
9 October 2008; 
 
PP2 Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 
3 October 2008 S/2008/631 and X February 2009 
S/2009/XXX; 
 
PP3 welcoming and endorsing the ceasefire agreement of 12 
August 2008, subsequent clarification of 8 September 2008, 
and the discussions commenced in Geneva on security and 
 
stability modalities and humanitarian concerns: 
 
OP1 Decides to extend the mandate of the United Nations 
mission for a new period terminating on 15 June 2009; 
 
0P2 Requests the Secretary-General, in connection with the 
extension of this mandate, to continue facilitating 
discussions among the 
parties with an aim to achieving practical arrangements on 
cooperation, including confidence building measures; 
lasting security and stability mechanisms; adequate 
humanitarian access; and the safe and dignified return of 
internally displaced persons; 
 
OP3 Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. 
 
End text 
 
Department Point of Contact 
----------------------------- 
 
 
¶8. (U) USUN should provide updates and seek additional 
guidance as necessary based upon discussions with Russia, 
the P-3, Germany and other allies. Department's point of 
contact is IO/UNP K.G. Moore, 202 647-0042, 
moorekg@state.gov. 
CLINTON