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DE RUEHC #2985 1422017
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O 222003Z MAY 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 052985 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA - GUIDANCE FOR MAY 27 SECURITY COUNCIL 
CONSULTATIONS 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request:  USUN is instructed to draw 
from the points below during UN Security Council 
consultations on Georgia scheduled for May 27, 2009. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin points: 
 
-- The United States takes note of the Secretary General,s 
latest report on the situation in Georgia. 
-- The United States would like to thank Special 
Representative Verbeke for his briefing today and for his 
tireless work, both in the Geneva discussions on Georgia and 
as head of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia, to 
promote political dialogue and to encourage compromise among 
all parties as we strive to resolve differences in pursuit of 
a resolution of the conflict in the separatist regions of 
Georgia. 
-- We strongly believe that maintaining an international 
presence in Georgia,s separatist regions is vital to 
preventing a further outbreak of armed conflict.  The UN 
Observer Mission in Georgia is a key contributor to security, 
transparency, and stability in the region.  The mission has 
also helped address the grave humanitarian concerns in the 
region and to promote human rights, including the rights of 
internally displaced persons and the returnee population in 
the Gali district. 
-- Most importantly, the United States remains committed to 
finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Georgia, and 
will continue to support Georgia,s sovereignty, 
independence, and territorial integrity within its 
internationally recognized borders.  We call on all other 
members of the United Nations to do the same. 
-- The United States urges the parties to the conflict to 
continue political dialogue as called for under the August 
12, 2008 ceasefire agreement.  In this regard, we regret that 
more substantive progress has not been made in Geneva.  We 
continue to hope that when the talks resume on July 1, the 
parties will pursue a spirit of compromise and good faith 
aimed at full implementation of the August 12 2008 ceasefire 
agreement and subsequent implementing measures of September 
¶8. 
-- The United States welcomes the Secretary General,s 
recommendations for a new security regime and mandate for the 
UN Observer Mission in Georgia. 
-- As the Secretary-General,s report notes, the security 
situation remains fragile.  The report also indicates that 
the &ceasefire ) the key foundation for the separation of 
forces and stabilization ) has continued to erode.8  UNOMIG 
reports have included numerous citations of 
non-respect of resolution 1866, due to the unauthorized 
introduction of heavy military equipment and military 
personnel into the security zones by the Russian and Abkhaz 
sides along with the continued presence of land mines and 
improvised explosive devices in the separatist region.  In 
addition, reports from the European Union Monitoring Mission 
(EUMM) indicate heavy buildup of Russian forces on the Abkhaz 
and South Ossetian sides of the ceasefire line.  These 
violations of heavy military build-up in the security zones 
continue, along with the destabilizing deployment of 
improvised explosive devises in the separatist region, are 
serious. 
 
-- Thanks to its Memorandum of Understanding with the 
Government of Georgia, the EUMM has been able to verify that 
claims of Georgian buildup along the administrative 
boundaries are unfounded. 
 
-- We remain concerned about these destabilizing activities 
and agree with the Secretary-General that an appropriate 
revised security regime is essential for the long-term 
stabilization of the region.  We support the recommendations 
for such a security regime as outlined by the 
Secretary-General in his latest report. 
 
 -- In addition to the elements outlined in the report, we 
emphasize that the UN mission must be given unfettered access 
to all of the area of responsibility encompassed by its 
mandate.  Moreover, all parties must adhere to their 
ceasefire commitments, including those under the August 12, 
2008 ceasefire agreement and subsequent implementing measure 
of September 8.  We continue to call on Russia to fulfill its 
commitment to withdraw all of its troops to pre-August 7 
positions, as called for in Point 5 of the ceasefire 
agreement, and for the withdrawal of Abkhaz and Russian heavy 
military equipment along the ceasefire line. 
 
-- We also call for full implementation of the provisions of 
UNSCR 1866 and the August 12, 2008 cease fire calling for 
unhindered and free humanitarian access to South Ossetia and 
Abkhazia.  Recent efforts by Russia and the de-facto 
authorities of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to transform the 
administrative boundary lines into fortified borders move in 
the opposite direction. 
 
-- Providing access for humanitarian aid and ensuring the 
protection and promotion of human rights remains of paramount 
importance.  Recent reports by the OSCE High Commissioner for 
National Minorities and the Council of Europe,s Commissioner 
for Human Rights indicate an increased number of cases of 
alleged harassment and intimidation of local civilians, 
especially in the Gali district of Abkhazia.  UNOMIG reports 
also indicate that Abkhaz officials continue to require the 
local population to apply for so-called &Abkhaz passports8 
or risk denial of basic rights such as access to public 
services, health care, and limited education and business 
opportunities.  We repeat our calls for respect of human 
rights and adherence to international humanitarian law 
throughout Georgia, including the Georgian regions of 
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 
-- Internally displaced persons (IDPs) also continue to 
suffer as a result of the August 2008 conflict.  We commend 
UNHCR,s efforts to address this issue; however, as UNHCR 
estimates the fighting in August led to the displacement of 
over 150,000 persons, much work remains to be done to assist 
these people to return to their homes in a safe and dignified 
manner. 
-- For IDPs to return to their former areas of residence, 
adequate security conditions and respect for human rights 
must be established.  This is also critical for those IDPs 
who have already returned to the Gali district, and who 
continue to live in marginal circumstances and in an 
environment of intimidation and harassment.  For this reason, 
we call for a strengthened UN police presence, and, over 
time, the introduction of an international police presence in 
Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflict zones.  We also call for 
enhanced human rights monitoring in these areas. 
--With regard to the situation in South Ossetia, the Council 
should also consider seeking a robust UN presence in South 
Ossetia if consensus is not reached in support of the Greek 
OSCE Chairmanship,s status-neutral proposal to establish an 
OSCE Office in Tbilisi as well as a reasonable and balanced 
monitoring mission on both sides of the South Ossetian 
ceasefire line. 
-- IF RAISED:  The Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise held 
in Georgia in May consisted of only several hundred troops, 
and was open to the participation of any PfP member, 
including Russia. 
-- IF RAISED: A Security Council meeting is not the 
appropriate venue to hear from the separatists.  Last August 
the Council "heard no objection against considering with an 
open mind the request by South Ossetia and Abkhazia (de facto 
leaders) to be heard by the Council at an opportune moment 
and under a formula to be decided."  The United States 
continues to believe that the opportune moment and venue for 
the participation of the de facto leaders in talks regarding 
the conflict in Georgia is via the Geneva discussions, which 
were most recently held on May 18-19 and are scheduled to 
resume on July 1. 
CLINTON