UNCLASSIFIED E4

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PAGE 01 MOSCOW 23214 01 OF 04 232334Z RELEASED IN PART

ACTION I'NR-07 B6
INFO LOG-OO ADS-OO EUR-OO SS-OO CIAE-OO DODE-OO H-01
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------------------024402 240525Z /26 38
R 232316Z AUG 89
FM AMEMB~SY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5490
INFO AMC~NSUL LENINGRAD
MOSCOW P~LITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASS)!, ANKARA
AMEMBASS)!, ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASS)!, NEW DELHI

CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MOSCOW 23214

DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/B

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR

TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PINS, UR
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN POLITICAL AFFAIRS

1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.

SUMMARY
/------
2. DURING A RECENT TRIP TO TBILISI, EMBOFFS FOUND
GEORGIAN INTELLECTUALS:

--DEEPLY CONCERNED BY THE UNREST IN ABKHAZIA, WHICH

THEY PRESENTED AS THE WORK OF THE "ABKHAZIAN MAFIA"
THREATENED BY DEMOCRATIC REFORM;

--FEARFUL OF WHAT THEY CALLED A PAN-TURKIC AND MUSLIM

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PAGE 02 MOSCOW 23214 01 OF 04 232334Z

MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS IN TRANSCAUCASIA,

SUPPORTED BY BOTH SOVIET CENTRAL ASIANS AND TURKEY;

--DISTURBED THAT WESTERN MEDIA WERE ALLEGEDLY

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

REVIEW AUTHORITY: ROBERT 0 HOMME
DATE/CASE ID: 24 SEP 2009 200802196 UNCLASSIFIED
· PORTRAYI~G THE GEORGIANS AS OPPRESSORS ~ASSIFIED
ABKHAZI~S, WHEN "IN FACT" ABKHAZIANS ENJOYED A
PRIVILEGED STATUS IN ABKHAZIA;

--CONVINCED THAT THE EVENTS IN TBILISI APRIL 9 HAD

MARKED A TURNING POINT IN GEORGIAN POLITICS, AFTER
WHICH SE~TIMENT FOR REPUBLIC SOVEREIGNTY HAD SOARED
AND THE EEPUBLIC COlvMUNIST PARTY HAD BECOME MORE
SUPPORTIVE OF NATIONAL RIGHTS.

ACCORDING TO A GEORGIAN MEMBER OF THE CONGRESS OF

PEOPLE'S DEPUTIES COMMISSION ON THE TBILISI AFFAIR,
THE COMMISSION HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE DECISION TO
DISPERSE THE DEMONSTRATORS WITH FORCE WAS NOT TAKEN
IN GEORGIA. END SUMMARY.

3. DURING A VISIT TO TBILISI AUGUST 9-12, EMBOFFS

MET WITH THE FOLLOWING PERSONS:

-l IA.PEOPLE'S DEPUTY AND LEADING B6

GEORGIAN CINEMATOGRAPHER;

-~ A PEOPLE'S DEPUTY AND THE

--1 \oF "MOLODEZH'

GR·....U-=Z"=I....I.....,-,;",.......AN~D.,.......H....I...,S......"E....X""E..,C""'U""'T""'I""'VE=-...,S...E".,C""'RE=T""'AR~Y,....-=(W~HOSE NAME WE
DID NOT CATCH);
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PAGE 03 MOSCOW 23214 01 OF 04 232334Z

--I IOF THE GEORGIAM

GO~S~A~G=R~O=P=R~O~M~.------------------------~

PLEASE PROTECT ALL THE ABOVE.

ABKHAZIA ON THEIR MINDS

/-----------------------
4. ABKHAZIA WAS THE CHIEF TOPIC OF POLITICAL
DISCUSSION. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH EMBOFFS, GEORGIANS
USUALLY BEGAN BY EXPRESSING DISSATISFACTION AT THE
WAY WESTERN MEDIA, ESPECIALLY WESTERN RADIO
BROADCASTS INTO THE SOVIET UNION, WERE PORTRAYING THE
INTERETHNIC STRIFE BETWEEN ABKHAZIANS AND GEORGIANS.

UNCLASSIFIED
WESTERN MEDIA, THE GEORGIANS ALLEGE~RA.MIM~
THE GEORGIANS AS THE OPPRESSORS OF A SMALL NATIONAL
MINORITY. THEY CLAIMED NOT TO COMPREHEND HOW THE
WEST COULD BELIEVE THAT A SMALL NATION LIKE GEORGIA
THAT WAS FIGHTING FOR ITS OWN NATIONAL SURVIVAL COULD
OPPRESS EVEN SMALLER NATIONALITIES.

5. INDEED, GEORGIANS MAINTAINED THAT ABKHAZIANS

ENJOYED A PRIVILEGED STATUS IN ABKHAZIA, THANKS IN
LARGE PART TO THE BENEVOLENT POLICIES OF A SERIES OF
GEORGIAN LEADERS, INCLUDING FORMER FIRST SECRETARY
AND CURRENT USSR FOREIGN MINISTER SHEVARDNADZE.
ABKHAZIANS HAD THEIR OWN CREATIVE UNIONS, NEWSPAPERS,
AND SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES. ABKHAZIANS, ALTHOUGH
LESS THAN TWENTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF
THEIR REGION, DOMINATED THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE PARTY
AND STATE. OVERALL, GEORGIANS CLAIMED THAT ABKHAZIANS
LIVED BETTER THAN THE TITULAR NATIONALITIES OF ALL

CONFIDENTIAL

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PAGE 01 MOSCOW 23214 02 OF 04 232334Z

ACTION INR-07

INFO LOG-OO ADS-OO EUR-OO SS-OO ClAE-OO DODE-OO H-01

MSC-01 NEA-06 NSCE-OO NSAE-OO HA-09 L-03 AMAD-01
TRSE-OO PM-10 PA-01 OMB-01 INRE-OO USIE-OO SP-02
M-01 SNP-01 PRS-01 P-02 T-01 /048 W
------------------024406 240525Z /26
R 232316Z AUG 89
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5491
INFO AMCONSUL LENINGRAD
MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLASSIFIED
AMEMBASS'Y. ANKARA UNCLASSIFIED
AMEMBASS"Y ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI

CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 04 MOSCOW 23214

DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/B

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR

TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PINS, UR
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN POLITICAL AFFAIRS

OTHER AUTONOMOUS SOVIET REPUBLICS.

ABKHAZ IAN MAFIA

/ ------- -- -----

6. WHY THEN HAD THE VIOLENCE ERUPTED? B6

IT AS THE
WORK OF A LOCAL ABKHAZIAN MAFIA STRUGGLING TO
MAINTAIN ITS PRIVILEGES IN THE FACE OF A GROWING
DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT GEORGIA. THE MAFIA
WAS PARTICULARY WORRIED BY THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS TO
REPUBLIC AND LOWER LEVEL SOVIETS. BECAUSE OF THEIR
SMALL NUMBERS, ABKHAZIANS WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY LOSE
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PAGE 02 MOSCOW 23214 02 OF 04 232334Z

THEIR PRIVILEGED POSITION IN THE LEADERSHIP UNDER

COMPETITIVE, DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS. ONE OF THE KEY
DEMANDS OF THE ABKHAZIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT, THE
I kPOINTED OUT, WAS THE INSTITUTION OF A
KARABAK -LIKE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATION IN ABKHAZIA.
THE ABKHAZIAN MAFIA THOUGHT THAT IT COULD MAINTAIN
ITS POSITION UNDER THE COVER OF SUCH A BODY, IN LARGE
PART BECAUSE ABKHAZIA WOULD NOT BE ADMINISTRATIVELY
SUBORDINATE TO TBILISI.

HAND OF MOSCOW
/ ------- -- ----

7. WHILE SEEING AN ABKHAZIAN MAFIA BEHIND RECENT

DEVELOPMENTS, I IALSO SAW THE HAND OF B6
MOSCOW. THE ABKHAZIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT WAS
GE9RGIA 'S" INTERFRONT ," HE ASSERTED, CREATED WITH
MOSCOW S CONNIVANCE MUCH AS THE BATLIC "INTERFRONTS"
I

HAD BEEN. MOSCOW WAS USING IT TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE

UNCLASSIFIED
ON THE GEORGIANS TO MODERATE THEIR CALL~Ig~~f'IED
REPUBLIC AUTONOMY.

PAN -TURK :ISM

/ ------- ---
8. GEORGIANS ALSO SAW A LARGER, AMORPHOUS PAN-TURKIC
AND MUSLIM MOVEMENT BEHIND ABKHAZIAN DEVELOPMENTS.
I IALL SAW THE B6
HAND OF TURKEY, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE EXTREMELY SHORT ON
SPECIFICS. I INOTED THAT A PAN-TURKIC
ORGANIZATION HAD BEEN FORMED IN ABKHAZIA. HE AND
I IBOTH SPOKE DERISIVELY OF R.N. NISHANOV,
THE FORMER trZBEK FIRST SECRETARY AND CURRENT CHAIRMAN
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PAGE 03 MOSCOW 23214 02 OF 04 232334Z

OF THE USSR SUPREME SOVIET COUNCIL OF NATIONALITIES,

INSINUATING THAT HE AND OTHER CENTRAL ASIAN LEADERS
WERE BEHIND THE OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE IN THE FERGANA
VALLEY.

9. WHILE I IGRANTED THAT MUSLIM UZBEKS HAD B6

KILLED MUSLIM MESKHETIAN TURKS THERE, HE ARGUED THAT
THE EVENT SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS AN INTRA-MUSLIM
QUARREL BUT AS PART OF A BROADER MUSLIM AND TURKIC
PLOT AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS OF TRANSCAUCASIA. THE
UZBEK LEADERS HOPED THAT THE VIOLENCE WOULD PROVOKE
THE MESKHETIAN TURKS TO DEMAND THAT THEY BE RETURNED
TO THEIR HOMELAND, A SECTION OF GEORGIA ALONG THE
BLACK SEA WHERE MANY ARMENIANS NOW LIVED. IF THAT
HAPPENED, THAT WOULD NOT ONLY INCREASE THE MUSLIM
POPULATION OF GEORGIA BUT IT WOULD ALSO CUT THE
GEORGIANS OFF FROM THE ARMENIANS, I.E., IT WAS A PART
OF A PLAN TO DIVIDE AMD RULE THE CHRISTIANS IN
TRANSCAUCASIA.

TOUGH APPROACH TO ABKHAZIA

/-------------------------
10. ASKED HOW THE PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED, GEORGIANS
CALLED FOR REMOVING THE ABKHAZIAN LEADERSHIP AND
BRINGING THOSE GUILTY OF INCITING VIOLENCE TO
JUSTICE. ALL CONTACTS RULED OUT ANY CHANGE IN THE
TERRITORIAL-ADMINISTRATIVE STATUS OF ABKHAZIA. THE
ABKHAZIAN CALL FOR RAISING THEIR AUTONOMOUS REPUBLIC
TO UNION REPUBLIC STATUS COULD NOT BE TAKEN

UNCLASSIFIED
SERIOUSLY, THE GEORGIANS CLAIMED: THERJIN®L.A!SMFIED
TOO FEW ABKHAZIANS FOR THAT. I ~RULED OUT B6
ANY TERRITORIAL CHANGES, ARGUING THAT THAT WOULD LEAD

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PAGE 01 MOSCOW 23214 03 OF 04 232335Z

ACTION INR-07

INFO LOG-OO ADS-OO EUR-OO SS-OO ClAE-OO DODE-OO H-01

MSC-01 NEA-06 NSCE-OO NSAE-OO HA-09 L-03 AMAD-01
TRSE-OO PM-10 PA-01 OMB-01 INRE-OO USIE-OO SP-02
M-01 SNP-01 PRS-01 P-02 T-01 /048 W
------------------024421 240526Z /26 38
R 232316Z AUG 89
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5492
INFO AMCONSUL LENINGRAD
MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI

CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 04 MOSCOW 23214

DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/B

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR

TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PINS, UR
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN POLITICAL AFFAIRS

TO INNUMERABLE CONFLICTS THROUGHOUT THE SOVIET UNION.

GEORGIAN POLITICS

UNCLASSIFIED
/---------------- UNCLASSIFIED
11. GEORGIANS AGREED THAT APRIL 9 HAD MARKED A
TURNING POINT IN GEORGIAN POLITICS. IT HAD GIVEN A
TREMENDOUS IMPULSE TO THE DRIVE FOR REPUBLIC
SOVERE IGNTY. I I SAID B6
THEY ENVISIONED A SOVEREIGN GEORGIA IN FULL CONTROL
OF AFFAIRS WITHIN THE REPUBLIC BUT WILLING TO
CONSIDER A SOVIET-GEORGIAN DEFENSE ARRANGEMENT AND A
JOINT APPROACH TO FOREIGN POLICY. I ILOOKED
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PAGE 02 MOSCOW 23214 03 OF 04 232335Z

TO THE BALTICS FOR INSPIRATION ON REPUBLIC

SOVEREIGNTY. HE NOTED THAT THE GEORGIAN POPULAR
FRONT, OF WHICH HE WAS A MEMBER, WAS PREPARING A
DECLARAT ION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND DRAFT LAWS ON
CITIZENSHIP AND ELECTORAL REFORM BASED ON BALTIC
MODELS. I I
HOWEVER, RULED OUT GEORGIAN
SECESSION FROM THE SOVIET UNION FOR THREE REASONS:
GEORGIA WAS SURROUNDED BY MUSLIMS; GEORGIA NEEDED
RUSSIA AS A MARKET, ESPECIALLY FOR ITS FOOD PRODUCTS;
AND GEORGIA DREW GREAT ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM SOVIETS
VISITING ITS SPAS AND RESORTS.

12. HAD CHANGED THE GEORGIAN COMMUNIST

CONTACTS NOTED. B6
~____~~INTAINED THAT THE PARTY WAS MOVING IN THE
DIRECTION OF SOCIAL-DEMOCRACY. MANY PARTY IDEOLOGUES
WERE NOW STUDYING THE EXAMPLE OF THE ITALIAN
COMMUNIST PARTY. I ~OTED THAT THE PARTY NOW
HAD MORE CONTACT WITH INFORMAL GROUPS, INCLUDING THE
GEORGIAN POPULAR FRONT, AND HAD GROWN MORE SUPPORTIVE
OF NATIONAL RIGHTS. THE PARTY HAD BEGUN DISCUSSING
THE NEED FOR GREATER FEDERALISM WITHIN THE ALL-UNION
PARTY STRUCTURE, ALTHOUGH IT HAD NOT TALKED OF
SECEDING FROM THE SOVIET PARTY (AS SOME BALTIC
COMMUNISTS HAVE).

UPCOMING REPUBLIC SOVIET ELECTIONS

/---------------------------------
13. MOST GEORGIANS WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
REPUBLIC SOVIET ELECTIONS, WHICH ------..J
L - . 1. . . . . . . . . . . .- _ _ B6
ISAID COULD TAKE PLACE THIS DECEMBER.
~----------~IT=H=O~UGHT THE REVISED GEORGIAN ELECTORAL
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UNCLASSIFIED
 UNCLASSIFIED
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PAGE 03 MOSCOW 23214 03 OF 04 232335Z

LAW WOULD INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR DIRECT ELECTION OF

THE SUPREME SOVIET AND A RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT FOR
VOTERS (ALONG THE LINES OF THE ESTONIAN LAW), BUT
NONE FOR DISTRICT ELECTORAL MEETINGS (WHICH PARTY
BUREAUCRATS USED DURING THE ALL-UNION ELECTION
CAMPAIGN EARLIER THIS YEAR TO ELIMINATE UNDESIRABLE
CANDIDATES). I IHOWEVER, CLAIMED THAT NO B6
DECISION HAD YET BEEN REACHED ON THE SHAPE OF THE NEW
REPUBLIC SUPREME SOVIET. THREE OPTIONS WERE UNDER
CONSIDERATION: (A) A BICAMERAL SUPREME SOVIET
ELECTED BY A CONGRESS OF PEOPLE'S DEPUTIES, (B) A
SMALL UNICAMERAL PARLIAMENT, AND (C) A U.S.-LIKE
SYSTEM WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM TERRITORIAL
DISTRICTS IN ONE HOUSE AND FROM NATIONAL REGIONS IN
THE OTHER.

COMMISSION ON APRIL 9 EVENTS IN TBILISI

/--------------------------------------
14. I IA MEMBER OF THE CONGRESS OF PEOPLE'S B6
DEPUTIES COMMISSION INVESTIGATING THE EVENTS IN
TBILISI APRIL 9, SAID THE COMMISSION'S WORK WAS
PROGRESSING SMOOTHLY. IT HAD HAD GOOD ACCESS TO THE
MILITARY, AS WELL AS TO POLITBURO MEMBERS, EVEN
THOUGH IT HAD NOT APPEARED THAT WOULD BE SO
INITIALLY. WHEN THE COMMISSION HAD FIRST CALLED OVER
TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (CC) APPARATUS TO REQUEST
TESTIMONY FROM SEVERAL POLITBURO MEMBERS, THE CC
STAFFERS HAD BALKED: SUCH THINGS SIMPLY WERE NOT
DONE. THE COMMISSION THEN CALLED GORBACHEV DIRECTLY
AND THREATENED TO GO PUBLIC WITH THE POLITBURO
MEMBERS' REFUSAL TO TESTIFY. THAT CALL CHANGED
EVERYTHING, I I SAID. EVENTUALLY, SEVERAL

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UNCLASSIFIED
 UNCLASSIFIED

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PAGE 01 MOSCOW 23214 04 OF 04 232334Z

ACTION INR.-07

INFO LOG-OO ADS-OO EUR-OO SS-OO ClAE-OO DODE-OO H-Ol

MSC-01 NEA-06 NSCE-OO NSAE-OO HA-09 L-03 AMAD-Ol
TRSE-OO PM-10 PA-Ol OMB-Ol INRE-OO USIE-OO SP-02
M-Ol SNP-01 PRS-01 P-02 T-01 /048 W
------------------024410 240526Z /26 38
R 232316Z AUG 89
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5493
INFO AMCONSUL LENINGRAD
MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI

CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 04 MOSCOW 23214

DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/B

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR

TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PINS, UR
SUBJECT: GEORGIAN POLITICAL AFFAIRS

POLITBURO MEMBERS, INCLUDING YAKOVLEV, CHEBRIKOV,

RYZHKOV, AND YAZOV, HAD TESTIFIED.

15. THE COMMISSION'S WORK HAD ALREADY HAD SOME

POSITIVE RESULTS, I SAID. I B6

--THE CO~ISSION HAD FOUND THAT MANY DOCUMENTS THAT

SHOULD HAVE EXISTED WERE SIMPLY NEVER PREPARED. FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE WAS NO DECREE DECLARING MARTIAL LAW IN
TBILISI ON APRIL 9. AS A RESULT OF THE
INVESTIGATION, SOVIET OFFICIALS WERE NOW TAKING MORE
CARE IN PREPARING DOCUMENTS LEGALLY NECESSARY TO TAKE
CERTAIN STEPS.
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PAGE 02 MOSCOW 23214 04 OF 04 232334Z

UNCLASSIFIED
 UNCLASSIFIED
--COL.GEN. RODIONOV, WHO HAD BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE
OPERATION AGAINST THE DEMONSTRATORS APRIL 9, HAD BEEN
QUIETLY REMOVED AS HEAD OF THE TRANSCAUCASIAN
MILITARY DISTRICT AT THE END OF JULY.

16. I IRE FUSED TO SPECULATE ON WHAT THE B6

COMMISSION'S FINDING WOULD BE; THAT WAS STILL
PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. ALL HE WOULD SAY WAS THE
DECISION TO DISPERSE THE DEMONSTRATORS WITH FORCE HAD
NOT BEEN TAKEN IN THE REPUBLIC. HE DID NOTE,
HOWEVER, THAT THE COMMISSION HOPED TO PLACE ITS
FINDINGS BEFORE THE FALL SESSION OF THE SUPREME
SOVIET THIS SEPTEMBER AND THE SECOND SESSION OF THE
CONGRESS OF PEOPLE'S DEPUTIES.

17. LENINGRAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. MATLOCK

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UNCLASSIFIED