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DE RUEHSI #0020/01 0060543
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060543Z JAN 10 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2660
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000020 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON EAIR ECIN RR GG
SUBJECT:  GEORGIA: CHARTER FLIGHTS TO RUSSIA SET TO RESUME JANUARY 
8 
 
TBILISI 00000020  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  Private airline Georgian Airways (formerly 
Airzena) is scheduled to initiate charter flights to Moscow and St. 
Petersburg on January 8, 9, and 10.  Russia ended direct flights as 
a part of its embargo against Georgia in October 2006.  The new 
temporary routes will be the first commercial flights between 
Georgia and Russia since a brief relaxation of the sanctions in 
2008, prior to the August conflict.  Georgian Airways leadership 
told us that they hope this initial approval will lead to additional 
flights to Russia later in January.  End Summary. 
 
LONG STANDING EMBARGO KEEPS FLIGHTS GROUNDED 
 
 
¶2.  (U)  Russia ended direct air flights with Gorgia in October 
2006, following a spying controversy between the two countries.  The 
suspension of flights was part of a larger package of economic 
sanctions against Georgia which included banniJ%QQ>:&Qns, prior to the August 2008 conflict.  In August 2007, after 
lengthy negotiations, the Russian Transport Ministry announced that 
Russian airspace would not be opened for Georgian airlines, 
including charter fligts.  A major sticking point in those 
negotiations was a USD 3 million debt allegedly owed by defunct 
Georgian air carriers.  Moscow demanded payment for the alleged 
debt; however, the Georgian side denied it owed any arrears. 
 
¶4.  (U) Flights were restored for several months in 2008, but cut 
again when diplomatic relations were suspended after the August 2008 
war.  This current agreement to restart charter flights was reached 
with mediation by the Georgian Patriarch to temporarily resume 
charter flights for the 2009 New Year/Orthodox Christmas period. 
 
PROGRESS SLOW IN COMING . . . 
 
¶5.  (U)  According to the press, Georgian Airways then requested 
permission from the Russian aviation authorities to operate charter 
flights from Tbilisi to Moscow and St. Petersburg from December 26 
through January 15.  This move followed Russian President Dmitry 
Medvedev's statement that he did not see any obstacles preventing 
the resumption of direct flights, and President Saakashvili's 
response that he would welcome flights if sanctions were removed. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  The Vice President of Georgian Airways told emboffs that 
the airline filed its application through aviation channels on 
December 11, 2009, planning ten chartered flights during the New 
Year holidays, with the first ones taking place on December 29-30. 
The press reported that the Russian side responded by asking the 
Georgian civil aviation authorities to confirm if Georgian Airways 
had a permit to initiate flights to Russia and to clarify the 
ownership status of the airline.  The press also reported that 
Russian aviation authorities again claimed that Georgian owed 
outstanding debt of roughly USD 750,000 as of October 31, 2009 
(Note: The Russian claims of debt seem to stem from the debts of 
several long defunct Georgian air companies which were liquidated in 
bankruptcy.  It is unclear why the Russian side would demand payment 
for the arrears either from the GoG or Georgian Airways since the 
debt involves a commercial debt in which neither the GoG nor 
Georgian Airways was involved. End Note.)  According to Georgian 
Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalanadze, "(t)he Russian Transport 
Ministry made its inquiry concerning Georgian Airways on December 
27...Georgia gave an immediate answer."  Georgia confirmed the 
Q27...Georgia gave an immediate answer."  Georgia confirmed the 
ownership status of the airline and reasserted that neither it nor 
Georgian Airways had any legal responsibility to pay any claimed 
debts to the Russian aero-navigation service early on December 28. 
 
...BUT FINALLY MADE 
 
¶7.  (SBU) According to Georgian Airways, Russian permission was 
received at 10:00 p.m. Tbilisi time on December 28. With such short 
notice, the airline could not prepare for the flights or sell 
tickets, rendering it unable to fly to Moscow and St. Petersburg on 
December 29-30.  Georgian Airways filed a second request for 
permission for charter flights from January 5 through 25, and was 
granted approval for flights on January 8, 9, and 10. 
 
POLITICAL BARBS TRADED 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The Georgian Government responded strongly to Russian MFA 
statements accusing the Georgians of unnecessarily delaying the 
process and using red tape to delay flights long-awaited by the 
Georgian and Russian people.  In responding, the Georgian MFA 
stressed that Russian authorities never officially contacted 
Georgian authorities about the resumption of flights.  The MFA 
statement went on to say that "(t)he information on the possible 
realization of charter flights between Georgia and Russia became 
known to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia from the 
 
TBILISI 00000020  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
statements made by the Russian Foreign Ministry.  Georgia never put 
barriers to air communication between two countries.  The Russian 
side through its unilateral decision severed air links between the 
two states."  During a December 30 meeting with the DCM, Foreign 
Minister Vashadze provided greater detail on this point, accusing 
the Russians of not appropriately handling the issue - which in his 
view should have initially involved the Swiss Government as the 
protecting power. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)   Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development 
Davit Tkeshelashvili called upon Russia to "give up playing hide and 
seek and say openly if they want to restore air ties with Georgia." 
The minister noted that, "(t)he decision on cutting air ties with 
Georgia was made by Russia, not by Georgia; therefore, the decision 
on resuming flights must be made by Russia."  Post will follow this 
issue as discussions continue regarding the possibility of 
additional flights in the future. 
 
LOGSDON