C O N FID EN TIA L UNC LASSIF IE D C O N riD EN TtA t: M R N : D ate/D TG : From : A ction: E.O .: TA G S: R eference: Subject: 01 MOSC OW 13169 Oct 30, 2001 / 300000Z Oct 01 AME MBASSY MOSC OW WASHDC , SE C STATE RO UTINE Unknown PRE L, MARR, KC F E , UN, OSC E , G G , RS (A) MOSC OW 13072 (B) TBILISI 3087 UF OS OVE R G E ORG IA: STRANG E E NC OUNTE RS OF AN MF A KIND C O N FID EN TIA L PTQ6889 PAG E 01 MOSC OW 13169 01 OF 02 301754Z AC TION IO-00 INF O LOG -00 NP-00 AID-00 AC Q-00 C IAE -00 DOE E -00 DOTE -00 SRPP-00 DS-00 E B-00 E UR-00 OIG O-00 F AAE -00 F BIE -00 VC -00 H-01 TE DE -00 INR-00 LAB-01 L-00 VC E -00 MOF M-05 MOF -03 M-00 AC -01 DC P-01 NRRC -00 NSAE -00 NSC E -00 OIC -02 OMB-01 PA-00 PC -01 PM-00 PRS-00 AC E -00 P-00 SC T-00 SP-00 SS-00 TRSE -00 T-00 USIE -00 SA-00 BBG -00 SNIS-00 NISC -00 SSD-00 PMB-00 DSC C -00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G -00 NF AT-00 SAS-00 SWC I-00 /018W ---3782F 8 301754Z/38 P301741ZOC T01 F M AME MBASSY MOSC OW TO SE C STATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1142 INF O AME MBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY USMISSION USUN NE W YORK PRIORITY MOSC OW POLITIC AL C OLLE C TIVE AME MBASSY BAKU AME MBASSY YE RE VAN USMISSION USOSC E SE C DE F WASHDC JOINT STAF F WASHDC C O N FID EN TIA L SE C TION 01 OF 02 MOSC OW 013169 E .O. 12958: DE C L: 10/29/21 TAG S: PRE L, MARR, KC F E , UN, OSC E , G G , RS SUBJE C T: UF OS OVE R G E ORG IA: STRANG E E NC OUNTE RS OF AN MF A C O N FID EN TIA L PAG E 02 MOSC OW 13169 01 OF 02 301754Z Declassified in F ull / Release in F ull John Powers, Acting-Director US Department of State 2/25/2026 UNC LASSIF IE D C O N FID EN TIA L Pa ge 1 of 5 C O N FID EN TIA L UNC LASSIF IE D KIND C LASSIF IE D BY POLMINC OUNS G E ORG E KROL. RE ASON 1.5 (B/D). RE F : (A) MOSC OW 13072 (B) TBILISI 3087 1. MSUMMARY: DE PUTY F ORE IG N MINISTE R MAME DOV TOLD AMBASSADOR VE RSHBOW OC TOBE R 30 THAT AC C ORDING TO THE RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DE F E NSE , NO RUSSIAN PLANE S F LE W OVE R OR BOMBE D POSITIONS IN THE KODORI G ORG E OC TOBE R 28-29, DE SPITE G E ORG IAN AC C USATIONS TO THE C ONTRARY. MF A G E ORG IA DE SK C HIE F TE RE OKE N E C HOE D MAME DOV'S STATE ME NT. TE RE OKE N F URTHE R C ONF IRME D THAT ONE RAILWAY C AR F ULL OF RUSSIAN MILITARY E QUIPME NT LE F T G UDAUTA BASE AND E NTE RE D RUSSIA OC TOBE R 29 (RE F A) AND THAT TWO OTHE R RAILWAY C ARS ARE LOADE D AND AWAITING ABKHAZ PE RMISSION TO LE AVE F OR RUSSIA. THE RE ARE NO PLANS TO WITHDRAW PE RSONNE L UNTIL TBILISI AG RE E S THAT APPROXIMATE LY 340 RUSSIAN "G UARDS" C AN RE MAIN AT G UDAUTA. TE RE OKE N SAID THAT ABKHAZ AUTHORITIE S WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY OUTSIDE OBSE RVE RS TO WITNE SS THE WITHDRAWAL. TE RE OKE N TE RME D G E ORG IAN PARLIAME NTARY SPE AKE R ZVANIA'S OC TOBE R 25-28 VISIT TO MOSC OW POSITIVE IN TONE BUT E MPTY OF RE SULTS. AC C ORDING TO THE G E ORG IAN E MBASSY, ZVANIA AND RUSSIAN DUMA SPE AKE R SE LE ZNE V AG RE E D THAT BOTH SIDE S SHOULD AVOID RE C RIMINATIONS. TE RE OKE N DE NIE D ME DIA RE PORTS THAT DE F E NSE MINISTE R SE RG E Y IVANOV WAS PLANNING TO VISIT TBILISI SOON BUT DID NOT RULE OUT A VISIT C OMPLE TE LY. E ND SUMMARY 2. (0) ON OC TOBE R 30, DURING A PRE VIOUSLY SC HE DULE D ME E TING , AMBASSADOR VE RSHBOW RAISE D RE F TE L B RE PORTS C O N FID EN TIA L PAG E 03 MOSC OW 13169 01 OF 02 301754Z ALLE G ING RUSSIAN PLANE S HAD VIOLATE D G E ORG IAN AIRSPAC E AND BOMBE D ARE AS OF THE KODORI G ORG E . THE AMBASSADOR STRE SSE D THAT SUC H INC IDE NTS, IF TRUE , AND IF C ONTINUE D, C OULD BE DISASTROUS F OR U.S.-RUSSIAN RE LATIONS AND SPOIL THE UPC OMING SUMMIT ME E TING OF OUR PRE SIDE NTS IN THE U.S. MAME DOV AG RE E D THAT SUC H INC IDE NTS WOULD HAVE A NE G ATIVE E F F E C T ON THE SUMMIT, BUT QUOTE D THE RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DE F E NSE AS C ATE G ORIC ALLY DE NYING THAT RUSSIAN PLANS WE RE INVOLVE D IN ANY INC IDE NTS IN G E ORG IAN AIRSPAC E . 3. ^ MF A G E ORG IA DE SK C HIE F TE RE OKE N, E C HOING MAME DOV'S C LAIMS, DE NIE D TO US OC TOBE R 30 RE PORTS OF RUSSIAN PLANE S BOMBING KODORI G ORG E IN ABKHAZIA. HE ALSO DE NIE D THAT THE RE WE RE ANY RUSSIAN VIOLATIONS OF G E ORG IAN AIRSPAC E , SAYING THAT THE RE HAD BE E N NO RUSSIAN PLANE S F LYING NE AR THE ARE A ON E ITHE R OC TOBE R 28 OR 29. AC C ORDING TO TE RE OKE N, THE RE WE RE C RE DIBLE RE PORTS OF ABKHAZ HE LIC OPTE RS BOMBING THE ARE AS "WHE RE THE TE RRORISTS WE RE " BUT THAT RE PORTS OF PLANE S IN THE ARE A MIG HT AS WE LL HAVE BE E N ABOUT "UF OS." MOSC OW, HE E XPLAINE D, DOE S NOT HAVE THE TE C HNIC AL C APABILITY TO DE TE RMINE WHE THE R THE RE WE RE F ORE IG N PLANE S IN THE RE G ION. UNDE RSC ORING THAT HE "WAS NOT AC C USING UNC LASSIF IE D C O N FID EN TIA L Pa ge 2 of 5 C O N FID EN TIA L UNC LASSIF IE D ANYONE ," TE RE OKE N ADDE D THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT "ANY SIDE " HAD SE NT PLANE S OVE R KODORI. 4. & ASKE D ABOUT PLANS TO WITHDRAW F ROM G UDAUTA (RE F A), TE RE OKE N C ONF IRME D THAT ONE TRAINLOAD OF MILITARY E QUIPME NT HAD DE PARTE D THE BASE AND HAD E NTE RE D RUSSIA THE MORNING OF OC TOBE R 29. TWO MORE TRAINS HAVE BE E N LOADE D AND ARE AWAITING PE RMISSION F ROM ABKHAZ AUTHORITIE S TO MOVE TO RUSSIA. ME MBE RS OF THE RUSSIAN G E NE RAL STAF F ARE IN C O N FID EN TIA L PAG E 04 MOSC OW 13169 01 OF 02 301754Z SUKHUMI TO C OORDINATE THE SE MOVE S. 5. iefWE ASKE D WHY OUTSIDE OBSE RVE RS HAD NOT BE E N INVITE D TO INSPE C T THE WITHDRAWALS. TE RE OKE N C LAIME D THAT THE ABKHAZ AUTHORITIE S LIKE LY WOULD NOT TOLE RATE THE PRE SE NC E OF OUTSIDE RS G IVE N THE TE NSE SITUATION WITH TBILISI. THE RUSSIANS, HE ADDE D, HAD NO TIME TO INVITE OUTSIDE OBSE RVE RS BE C AUSE "WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE " THAT THE WITHDRAWAL OF ONE TRAINLOAD OF E QUIPME NT WOULD PROC E E D. WE ARG UE D THAT MOSC OW NOW HAS TIME IF IT HAS ALRE ADY LOADE D TWO OTHE R TRAINS BUT IS WAITING F OR ABKHAZ PE RMISSION TO WITHDRAW. THE LAC K OF TRANSPARE NC Y MIG HT RAISE QUE STIONS ABOUT THE G OR'S INTE NTIONS, WE NOTE D. WE ASKE D ABOUT PLANS TO WITHDRAW TROOPS. TE RE OKE N SAID THAT APPROXIMATE LY 600 RUSSIAN PE RSONNE L RE MAIN AT G UDAUTA. MOSC OW C ONTINUE S TO INSIST ON KE E PING ABOUT 340 THE RE AS "G UARDS.” TBILISI, HE NOTE D, C ONTINUE S TO WANT A MUC H LOWE R F IG URE . 6. £0) WE ASKE D TE RE OKE N ABOUT G E ORG IAN PARLIAME NTARY SPE AKE R ZURAB ZVANIA'S VISIT TO MOSC OW LAST WE E K. HE C ONF IRME D THAT THE TONE OF ZVANIA'S VISIT WAS POSITIVE . HE NOTE D, HOWE VE R, THAT THE VISIT "HAD NO PRAC TIC AL OUTC OME ." THE G E ORG IAN E MBASSY TOLD US OC TOBE R 26 THAT G E ORG IAN ZVANIA’S VISIT WAS G OING WE LL (NOTE : ZVANIA DE PARTE D MOSC OW OC TOBE R 28). AC C ORDING TO G E ORG IAN POLC OUNS C HKHE IDZE , ZVANIA AND RUSSIAN DUMA SPE AKE R G E NNADIY C O N FID EN TIA L C O N FID EN TIA L PTQ6891 PAG E 01 MOSC OW 13169 02 OF 02 301754Z AC TION IO-00 INF O LOG -00 NP-00 AID-00 AC Q-00 C IAE -00 DOE E -00 DOTE -00 SRPP-00 DS-00 E B-00 E UR-00 OIG O-00 F AAE -00 F BIE -00 VC -00 H-01 TE DE -00 INR-00 LAB-01 L-00 VC E -00 MOF M-05 MOF -03 M-00 AC -01 NRRC -00 NSAE -00 NSC E -00 OIC -02 OMB-01 PA-00 PC -01 PM-00 PRS-00 AC E -00 P-00 SC T-00 SP-00 SS-00 TRSE -00 T-00 USIE -00 SA-00 SNIS-00 NISC -00 SSD-00 PMB-00 DSC C -00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G -00 NF AT-00 SAS-00 SWC I-00 Z017W ----378300 301754Z/38 P 301741Z OC T 01 UNC LASSIF IE D C O N FID EN TIA L Pa ge 3 of 5 C O N FID EN TIA L UNC LASSIF IE D F M AME MBASSY MOSC OW TO SE C STATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1143 INF O AME MBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY USMISSION USUN NE W YORK PRIORITY MOSC OW POLITIC AL C OLLE C TIVE AME MBASSY BAKU AME MBASSY YE RE VAN USMISSION USOSC E SE C DE F WASHDC JOINT STAF F WASHDC C O N FID EN TIA L SE C TION 02 OF 02 MOSC OW 013169 E .O. 12958: DE C L: 10/29/21 TAG S: PRE L, MARR, KC F E , UN, OSC E , G G , RS SUBJE C T: UF OS OVE R G E ORG IA: STRANG E E NC OUNTE RS OF AN MF A KIND C O N FID EN TIA L PAG E 02 MOSC OW 13169 02 OF 02 301754Z SE LE ZNE V AG RE E D THAT BOTH C OUNTRIE S NE E DE D TO DISC USS THE IR DIF F E RE NC E S C ALMLY AND WORK ON A G E NE RAL TRE ATY. 7. jpg} TE RE OKE N DISMISSE D PRE SS RE PORTS THAT DE F E NSE MINISTE R SE RG E Y IVANOV HAD AG RE E D TO VISIT TBILISI VE RY SOON BUT NOTE D HE C OULD NOT E NTIRE LY RULE OUT A VISIT IN THE C OMING WE E KS. HE C LAIME D THE RE ARE PLANS F OR A POSSIBLE ME E TING BE TWE E N SHE VARDNADZE AND PUTIN ON THE MARG INS OF THE NOVE MBE R 30-DE C E MBE R 1 C IS SUMMIT IN MOSC OW, BUT NOTE D NOTHING IS YE T C ONF IRME D. 8. jpg} C OMME NT: IT IS HARD TO AC C E PT OF F IC IAL RUSSIAN DE NIALS THAT RUSSIAN PLANE S WE RE NOT INVOLVE D. TO POSIT THAT THE Y C OULD BE UF OS WOULD BE HUMOROUS IF IT WE RE NOT F OR THE SE RIOUSNE SS OF THE VIOLATIONS. MOST LIKE LY THE RUSSIANS WANT TO KE E P THE PRE SSURE ON THE G E ORG IANS AND THE C HE C HE NS IN THE G ORG E IN AN UNSUBTLE E F F ORT TO PRE VE NT THE SE G ROUPS' MOVE ME NT TO ABKHAZIA OR TO RUSSIA. THE IR OF F IC IAL DE NIALS RE F LE C T A TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN PE NC HANT TO AVOID AN AWKWARD ADMISSION WITH A BOLD LIE . AS F OR G UDAUTA, THE G OR LIKE LY IS USING THE C ONTINUE D PRE SE NC E OF ITS 600 TROOPS THE RE AS A BARG AINING C HIP TO TRY TO G E T C ONC E SSIONS F ROM TBILISI ON BOTH THE BODE N PAPE R ON ABKHAZIA AND ON C LAMPING DOWN ON C HE C HE NS INSIDE G E ORG IA. VE RSHBOW C O N FID EN TIA L « E ND OF DOC UME NT » Info: TBILISI, AME MBASSY RO UTINE UNC LASSIF IE D C O N FID EN TIA L Pa ge 4 of 5 C O N FID EN TIA L UNC LASSIF IE D D issem ination R ule: Archive C opy C O N FID C N TtA t: UNC LASSIF IE D C O N FID EN TIA L Pa ge 5 of 5