C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 003122 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 
08/14/2028 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MARR, MOPS, RS, CH, GG SUBJECT: TFGG01: 
GEORGIA DISAPPOINTED WITH CHINA'S RESPONSE TO RUSSIA-GEORGIA CONFLICT 
REF: STATE 86130 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey 
Carlson. Reasons 1. 4 (b/d). 

1. (C) Summary: Georgia is disappointed 
with China's "limited" response to the conflict between Georgia and 
Russia and with the apparent lack of interest from the Chinese press in 
Georgia's plight, Georgian EmbOff Archil Kalandia told PolOff August 14.
Kalandia said that the Chinese MFA said it will notify the Georgian 
Embassy of the Chinese Government position in the "near future." 
Regarding the six-part EU cease-fire agreement, Kalandia acknowledged 
that Georgia has serious concerns about the points that leave the status
of South Ossetia and Abkhazia open to discussion and allow Russian 
peacekeepers to "implement additional security measures." Kalandia 
expressed appreciation for U.S. support and expressed hope that U.S. 
mediation will help end the conflict. End Summary.

Disappointed by the Chinese Response
------------------------------------ 

2. (C) Kalandia 
said Georgian Ambassador Zaza Begashvili met Chinese Foreign Minister 
Yang Jiechi August 12 and MFA European-Central Asian Affairs Department 
Director General Cheng Guoping August 13 to seek China's support in 
ending the conflict between Georgia and Russia. Kalandia said that the 
Chinese Government has not taken a clear position on the conflict and 
that Yang told Ambassador Begashvili that China would make its position 
known to Georgia in the "near future." Kalandia said that Georgia has 
been "a little disappointed" by China's limited response and reluctance 
to engage actively on this issue. 

3. (C) Kalandia said that the lack of 
interest shown by the Chinese press has also disappointed Georgia. None 
of the major Chinese press outlets, including the state-run People's 
Daily and Xinhua News Agency, attended a press conference held by the 
Georgian Embassy August 12, and the Georgian Embassy has received no 
response from the Chinese press to offers to interview Ambassador 
Begashvili. Kalandia said Chinese press representatives claimed they 
were too busy covering the Olympics, but he suspects the Chinese 
Government has discouraged the press from covering the Russia-Georgia 
conflict. Nevertheless, he said that China supports Georgia's 
independence and territorial integrity and that he expects China to 
support Georgia's position in the conflict.

Concerned about the Six-Point Agreement
--------------------------------------- 

4. (C) 
Kalandia expressed concern about the fifth and sixth points of the 
six-point agreement prepared by the EU Presidency and agreed to by 
Georgia and Russia. He said the fifth point, which allows Russian 
peacekeepers to "implement additional security measures," is being used 
by Russia to justify further advances into Georgian territory. The sixth
point, which leaves the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia open for 
discussion, could be used as a "pretext for Russian attempts to annex 
the two regions." In spite of tese concerns, Kalandia was optimistic 
that Rusia would remove its troops from Georgian territory "by this 
weekend."

Appreciative of U.S. Support
----------------------------- 

5. (C) Kalandia thanked the United States for sending military aircraft to 
Tbilisi with humanitarian aid. He said that he is aware of Secretary 
Rice's planned visit to Tbilisi and expressed hope that U.S. mediation 
would help end the conflict.

RANDT