VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSI #0055 0141420
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141420Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2709
INFO RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS TBILISI 000055 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT: RHONDA SHORE, NCTC FOR RUEILB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA:  2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: SECSTATE 109980 
 
¶1. (U)  BEGIN TEXT. 
 
GEORGIA 
 
 
In 2009, Georgia continued to support U.S. efforts in the 
fight against terrorism, increasing its role by providing a 
battalion of Georgian soldiers, approximately 750 troops, to 
be trained by the U.S. in preparation for a spring 2010 
deployment as part of the International Security Assistance 
Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.  The Georgian government has 
agreed to deploy these forces without national caveats, and 
they are expected to deploy with U.S. Marines in Helmand 
province.  This is in addition to 173 Georgian troops already 
serving as part of ISAF with French and one servicemember 
serving with Turkish forces.  Additionally, Georgia has 
granted blanket flight clearance for all U.S. military 
aircraft engaged in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
Georgia remains an important counterterrorism partner for the 
United States, and it independently confronts 
counterterrorism issues that arise on its own territory. 
Russian claims of Georgian support for Chechen terrorists, 
and harboring of such individuals in the Pankisi Gorge, have 
proven baseless, and the Georgian government has made 
significant efforts to prove to the international community 
the falsity of these Russian allegations. 
 
Border security operations and anti-corruption efforts at 
border checkpoints remained high priorities for the Georgian 
government, with its continued focus on countering the 
smuggling of contraband such as money, drugs and weaponry 
that could support terrorism.  Countering nuclear 
proliferation has been an essential goal of both the U.S. and 
Georgian governments, and joint efforts remained at a high 
level in 2009.  Significant improvements to infrastructure at 
border crossing points and employent of Department of 
Energy's Second Line of Defense Program to detect radiation 
continued, and the new border crossing facility at 
Kazbegi/Larsi between Georgia and Russia was finished in 
September 2009 (although due to the state of relations 
between Georgia and Russia, the border remains closed). 
Additionally, seven remote border posts were completed in 
2009, enhancing the security of the Georgian-Azeri border and 
further limiting illegal crossings.  Also completed was the 
fifth and final radar station on the Black Sea coast, which 
will enhance Georgian capabilities to secure its maritime 
border and interdict potential smugglers and counter any 
terrorist threats from this direction.  In 2009, the 
capabilities of the Georgian Border Police were improved, and 
its ability to monitor, patrol, and interdict criminals along 
the green borders was significantly enhanced.  This was 
accomplished by the development of additional enforcement 
tools such as new communications equipment and protocols. 
 
The situation in the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South 
Ossetia remained largely unchanged in 2009, and the Georgian 
government does not control its international borders located 
between these regions and Russia.  This lack of control 
allowed for unrestricted and unidentified flow of people, 
goods and other potentially dangerous items from Russia into 
Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  The administrative boundary 
lines between Georgia and the conflict zones were furthered 
militarized in 2009 when Russia tasked FSB border guards to 
take over control from the de facto governments in both 
territories.  Movement over these boundary lines was strictly 
controlled, although formal customs checks, security 
inspections or other CT procedures did not exist. 
 
Separately, Russian officials accused the Georgian government 
QSeparately, Russian officials accused the Georgian government 
of harboring terrorists in 2009 as terrorist attacks occurred 
in the north Caucasus; however, the Georgian government 
strongly denied such claims, worked with its allies such as 
the United States to disprove such claims, and called on the 
Russian government to provide proof for their suspicions. 
 
Embassy POC for this report:  John Anthony, 
anthonyjs@state.gov. 
LOGSDON