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S E C R E T USNATO 000279 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2018 
TAGS: PREL NATO GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA REQUESTS FORMAL NATO CONSULTATIONS NEXT 
WEEK 
 
REF: A. USNATO 278 
     ¶B. YATES/REID E-MAIL FWD'D TO DEPT 
 
Classified By: A/DCM ...

S E C R E T USNATO 000279 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2018 TAGS: PREL NATO GG
FRENCH EDGY ABOUT NATO INVOLVEMENT ---------------------------------- 3.(C/NF) French Charge Duchene (ref. A) contacted A/DCM at 1600L on August 9 to consult about the Georgian request. See said that Paris remains cautious about involving NATO too closely in the diplomatic efforts linked to resolving the ongoing conflict in South Ossetia and Georgia. She said that she had told Paris that it had to agree to the Georgia request per standing NATO-Partner commitments. She said that prior Allied deliberations on Georgia were necessary before speaking with Georgia and noted that the NATO Political Committee is set to meet the morning of August 11. She said that Paris is not confident it understands fully Moscow's bottom line intentions and hopes Moscow does not perceive it can acquire any new territory or alter lines of separation beyond their pre-conflict status. She noted that Paris saw Russian attacks outside S. Ossetia and its immediate adjacent area as widening the conflict and had noted Abkhaz steps to perhaps widen the potential conflict area as well. This escalatory trend dismayed Paris, she reported. When asked U.S. intentions, A/DCM said that the U.S. supported a meeting with Georgia as soon as it could be arranged, per the Partnership for Peace framework, and that a prior Allied discussion was acceptable and seemed likely no later than Monday. A/DCM summarized that our bilateral efforts were focused strongly on achieving disengagement of the conflicting parties and a de-escalation of the conflict and we, too, were following with concern a Russian widening of violence beyond the S. Ossetian zone. ROGOZIN BACK, BUT AVOIDING CALLING NRC FOR NOW --------------------------------------------- - 4. (U) Russian NATO Permrep Dmitry Rogozin returned to Brussels early on August 9 and held a press conference at the airport in which he announced he would not be calling a NATO-Russia Council (NRC) meeting immediately, preferring to consult bilaterally. 5.(S/NF) Nonetheless, he did meet today with SACEUR staff and acting USMILREP (ref. B), noting, inter alia, that Moscow greatly valued the NATO-Russia relationship and saying the Russian Federation was trying to act in ways that would insulate that link from consequences of the fighting. He repeated publicly stated Russian conditions for disengagement. WEINROD