VZCZCXYZ0015
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0195 0771755
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181755Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0605
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR MANAGUA 5579
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0227

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000195 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/RUS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS PBTS GG RS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA SUPPORTS GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY 
 
REF: A. STATE 24186 
     ¶B. 08 SAN JOSE 662 
 
¶1. (SBU) On March 17 we delivered Ref A demarche to Adriana 
Murillo of the MFA's UNSC team, and on March 16 to Antonio 
Alarcon, COS to FonMin Bruno Stagno, regarding Russia's 
recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and plans to base 
Russian military forces in those areas.  Alarcon offered no 
immediate reaction to Russian plans to base military forces 
there, but undertook to inform FonMin Stagno right away. 
(The MFA and FonMin Stagno had earlier expressed Costa Rica's 
support for Georgia's territorial integrity, Ref B.) 
 
¶2. (SBU) Murillo indicated that, in general, Costa Rica has 
made it clear its past and current support for Georgia's 
territorial integrity.  Like Alarcon, she did not elaborate 
further on Russia's plans to base troops in Abkhazia and 
South Ossetia, but promised to provide more information upon 
further study of the issue. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: We find it highly unlikely that Costa Rica 
would recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent 
states, even if they did not expressly say as much.  We also 
cannot imagine Costa Rica, a country that prides itself on 
having abolished its military in 1948, supporting any 
expansion of Russian bases in Georgia.  On Kosovo, Costa Rica 
was also one of the first countries to recognize an 
independent Kosovo, but, following its desire for 
multi-lateralism, has since indicated that it would accept an 
ICJ ruling on Kosovo.  END COMMENT. 
CIANCHETTE