Cablegate: Approaching the Eu in Advance of the September

VZCZCXRO1072
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHC #7574/01 2552115
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 112112Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3033
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 8713
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4396
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5684
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 8607

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 097574

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EUN PHUM PREL PGOV GG RS
SUBJECT: APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER
15-16 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC) - GEORGIA

REF: STATE 96598

1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 5.

2. (SBU) Summary: EU Foreign Ministers will hold their
next General Affairs and External Relations Council
(GAERC) meeting in Brussels on September 15-16. We
expect the formal agenda to include: Zimbabwe, Somalia,
Serbia, Turkey, and Georgia. Background and points on
non-Georgia topics have been provided reftel. This
cable contains material concerning Georgia. Points are
to be delivered as soon as possible at the appropriate
level to EU members, as well as to the European
Commission and Council Secretariat. Other posts should
not/not deliver these points. Posts are requested to
include the SIPDIS caption on their response cables and
to reference this cable. End Summary.

3. (SBU) In our approaches to EU Member States we need
to press them for rapid deployment of the EU monitoring
mission to Georgia and for continued support for Georgia
and its reconstruction.

4. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Please deliver the following
points to the appropriate MFA official(s) as soon as
possible (in advance of the September 15-16 GAERC).

BEGIN NON-PAPER TEXT

-- We welcome the September 8 supplemental agreement
brokered by President Sarkozy, President Barroso and
High Representative Solana that stipulated a timetable
for withdrawal of Russian forces from areas outside of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia over the next few weeks.

-- Rapid deployment of the proposed EU mission must
occur to remove any pretext Russia might use to delay
this schedule.

-- We support an EU mandate that ensures access
throughout Georgia.

-- We are united in standing firm behind Georgia's
territorial integrity, sovereignty and rapid recovery.

-- We will continue to assist Georgia with its
reconstruction, and we look forward to participating in
the EU-hosted international donors' conference next
month.

-- A strong, international commitment there to help
Georgia's economy would send a powerful message of
solidarity. The United States encourages European
efforts to support Georgia's reconstruction with an EU
contribution commensurate with the $1 billion pledge in
assistance we have committed to bring to the EU
conference.

-- We will also need to work in close coordination to
prepare for the October 15 meeting in Geneva, keeping it
focused on resolving the long-standing Abkhazia and
South Ossetia conflicts within Georgia's
internationally-recognized borders, and reiterating
support for Georgian territorial integrity.

-- In terms of participation at the conference, both
Russia and Georgia must participate in the same
capacity. Abkhaz and South Ossetians should not be
allowed to participate in any way that implies
recognition.

-- Russia's disproportionate actions in Georgia have
sent a sharp message of Russian aggression to our
partners and friends in the region.

-- We should reassure these states of our commitment to
their security, independence, sovereignty, territorial
integrity, prosperity and democratization.

-- We must resist Russian attempts to restrict or
undermine them and be prepared to counter efforts to
stifle energy competition and diversification.

STATE 00097574 002 OF 002

-- We will be following closely Russia's implementation
of its commitments under the six-point cease-fire
agreement and supplementary agreement of September 8.

-- While we welcome Russia's commitment to withdraw its
forces to their pre-conflict positions, we are concerned
by President Medvedev's September 9 statement that
Russia would base 7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. We should remind Russia that the six-point
cease-fire agreement obligates the withdrawal of forces
to positions held before August 7.

-- We should also strongly urge Russia not to block the
flow of humanitarian assistance to any areas of Georgia.
The Russian checkpoint at Karaleti continues to turn
back shipments of humanitarian assistance and assessment
teams that are trying to reach the villages south of
Tskhinvali.

-- Based on Russian willingness to complete its
withdrawal and allow EU/OSCE monitors access to South
Ossetia and Abkhazia, we will reassess the situation and
our relationship accordingly.

-- In the meantime, coordination on possible approaches
as the situation develops will send a clear signal of
unity and determination.

END NON-PAPER TEXT
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