US embassy cable - 05WARSAW1469

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2010 
TAGS: PREL, PBTS, GG, RS, ZJ, PL, EUN, OSCE, Poland-Russia 
SUBJECT: GEORGIA BORDER MONITORING ORGANIZATION AND THE EU: 
POLISH POSITION MIRRORS U.S. VIEWS 
 
REF: (A) STATE 043096 (B) WARSAW 000708 (C) STATE 21669 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Mary Curtin, reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Pol-Mil Chief delivered Ref A demarche on the EU and 
Georgia Border Monitoring on March 14 to Mieczyslaw Kuzinski, 
Counselor in the Security Policy Department, who handles all 
security issues related to Georgia.  Kuzinski responded on 
March 15, indicating that the GOP position on Border 
Monitoring closely mirrored that of the U.S. (as reported Ref 
B).  He added that the Polish mission in Brussels would 
continue to advocate a robust approach in EU discussions. 
 
2. (C) Specifically, Poland believes that it is essential to 
have an international presence on the Georgian border with 
the Chechen, Ingushetian and Dagestan Republics of the 
Russian Federation.  The presence had to be mobile and large 
enough to cover this entire stretch of the border, and would 
require the necessary capabilities to provide accurate and 
objective reporting to the outside world.  With the 
definitive end to OSCE border monitoring activities in 
Georgia, the GOP agreed that the European Union is best 
positioned to take over this role. 
 
3. (C) According to Kuzinski, an EU fact-finding mission had 
recently returned from Georgia and reported that the 
situation on the border was "stable at present."  The EU was 
currently considering three options for addressing Georgia 
border monitoring: 
 
A. Per Ref A, a proposal for a small-scale EU training 
mission to improve the capabilities and skills of the 
Georgian Border Guards; 
 
B. A separate proposal for a small "advisory group" on border 
issues based in Tbilisi to support the activities of EU 
Special Representative Talvitie; 
 
C. A full scale EU Border Monitoring mission, along the lines 
of the now concluded OSCE BMO. 
 
4. (C) Kuzinski said Poland was willing to support both 
Options A and B, but only as intermediate steps preparing the 
way for the full-scale Option C.  Poland would not support 
the lesser options if they were intended to preclude or 
replace Option C.  However, Kuzinski added that there was 
currently no consensus within the EU. 
 
5. (C) In a separate meeting with PolCouns (septel), MFA 
Director for EU Affairs Pawel Swieboda essentially echoed 
Kuzinski's points.  Swieboda did, however, add detail to 
Option C mentioned above.  He indicated that the proposed 
"full-scale EU mission" would involve approximately 90 
international monitors and 33 local monitors. 
 
6. (C) COMMENT.  Poland remains one of the strongest 
supporters of a robust international border monitoring 
presence in Georgia, and we can expect them to continue as 
vocal advocates in EU circles. 
Munter 
 
 
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 2005WARSAW01469 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL