C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000463
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958:
DECL: 08/07/2018
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, GG, RU, LG
SUBJECT: TFGG01: LATVIA ON GEORGIA/SOUTH OSSETIA - BLAME RUSSIA
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs a.i. Tamir Waser for Reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d)

1. (C)
On the afternoon of August 8, Charge was summoned to the MFA
to meet with State Secretary Normans Penke to discuss
developments in Georgia/South Ossetia, where Penke expressed
the GOL's great concern about the escalating situation. While
he initially described that he had held discussions earlier in
the day with both the Russian and Georgian ambassadors to
Latvia, urging both sides to take measures to de-escalate, he
later made clear that he and the GOL lay the blame squarely at
the feet of the Russians. He noted with amusement, though,
that the Georgian ambassador, in describing the GOG's own
operations, used the term that Georgian forces were
"occupying" South Ossetia, which Penke said was not a
"favorable" choice of words.

2. (C)
Penke said that the MFA is urging all parties to stand down
forces and negotiate. He noted that the Georgian FM had
complained to Latvian FM Riekstins in a phone call the morning
of August 8 that she could not get a call through to Russian
FM Lavrov, and has only been able to speak to DFM Karasin.
Penke noted that in a subsequent call with the Finnish FM, the
Finns had a call with Lavrov set up for later in the day.

3. (C)
Penke stated a desire for a NATO statement on the crisis, but
with the NATO Secretary General on vacation, he did not see
much possibility for such a statement. He expressed his desire
to have NATO at least meet in Brussels on the evening of
August 8, to decide how best to put pressure on the Russians
to calm events. Penke also mentioned engaging the OSCE, but he
did not specify a role for the body.

4. (C)
When asked about what he envisioned the French reaction would
be in their EU Presidency role, Penke stated that it was hard
to tell but that he was mildly optimistic, as he believed the
current French government would be more forward-leaning than
during the Chirac administration.

5. (C)
Penke said that the MFA has no plans to remove staff from
their embassy in Tbilisi, and that they had, in fact, ordered
their ambassador to Georgia to return to post from his
vacation.

6. (U)
Penke expressed a desire to remain in close contact with the
USG in coming days.

7. (C)
Comment: The Latvians view the situation as essentially
Russia's fault, although they also feel that Tbilisi has been
looking for a provocation to act. In the back of the Latvian's
mind is always their own relationship with Russia and they are
anxious to ensure that the Russians don't come out of this
with a greater sense of entitlement to act in the former
Soviet space.

WASER