C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001090 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 
08/14/2018 TAGS: MOPS, PREL, NATO, OSCE, GG, RS, CA SUBJECT: CANADA 
STRONGLY SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION ON GORI REF: A. (A) STATE 87098 B. (B) 
STATE 87254 Classified By: AMB DAVID WILKINS FOR REASONS 1.4 (b.) and 
(d.) 

1. (C) This is an action request. See para 3. Ambassador Wilkins 
spoke by phone with Deputy Foreign Minister Len Edwards and urged Canada
to demand that Russia withdraw from Gori, take responsibility to end 
atrocities in South Ossetia and Gori, and allow immediate inspection of 
these areas. Edwards said he sees no problem with the U.S. request and 
would get back to the Embassy with a more formal response. He noted that
Canada has already issued fairly strong public statements condemning 
Russia's military action but that the situation remains fluid. Edwards 
also said that Canada is busily preparing for next week's NAC 
ministerial meeting. Foreign Minister Emerson is in a remote area of 
British Columbia and not reachable. 

2. (C) DCM also spoke to Colleen 
Swords, Assistant Deputy Minister for International Security Affairs 
(and Canada's G-8 political director), to make the same points. A 
non-paper covering the talking points in reftels was left with Ms. 
Swords. She agreed NATO should respond strongly. She said that Minister 
Emerson is curtailing his family vacation to get to Brussels for the NAC
ministerial. Noting that the last G-7 teleconference had been on August
12, Swords suggested a series of bilateral or plurilateral discussions 
in Brussels might be useful - without a formal G-7 label since Japan 
will not be present. 

3. (C) Swords also requested a bilateral for 
Minister Emerson with Secretary Rice. Post strongly recommends the 
Secretary agree to a bilateral with Emerson if at all possible. Emerson 
met the Secretary at the G-8 Foreign Ministers meeting but has not had a
one-on-one since taking office. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment 
Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS