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DE RUEHSI #1134/01 1701416
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O 191416Z JUN 09 ZFR
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1777
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 001134 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA: CIVIL SOCIETY MEETS WITH A/S GORDON 
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CANCEL MESSAGE, THE MESSAGE WILL BE RESENT BY USER 
UNDER NEW MRN. 
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TBILISI 00001134  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Participants were eager to learn about U.S. policy 
towards Russia, especially regarding its impact on the 
U.S.-Georgia relationship.  Assistant Secretary Gordon 
reaffirmed U.S. support for Georgia, stating that his visit 
was intended as a way to show Georgians that a better U.S. 
relationship with Russia will not come at Georgia's expense. 
He stressed that the U.S. does not accept the Russian concept 
of a "sphere of influence," nor does the U.S. accept that 
countries in this region are not free to choose their own 
allies. He assured the group that President Obama will make 
this clear when he meets with President Medvedev, and that 
the Secretary will make this clear at the OSCE ministerial in 
Corfu.  The Assistant Secretary's comments were well received 
by the attendees. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Participants in the lunch included: 
 
Gia Nodia, Director, Caucasus Studies School; 
Alexander Rondeli, President, Georgia Foundation for 
International and Strategic Studies; 
Ekaterina Siradze-Delauny, International Society for Fair 
Elections and Democracy; 
Alexi Alexshishvili, Policy and Management Consulting Group; 
Zurab Abashidze, Board Member, Georgia Council of Foreign 
Relations. 
 
¶7. (U) A/S Gordon did not have opportunity to clear this 
cable before his departure. 
TEFFT