C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000497 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2018
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MARR, NATO, EUN, RS, GG, LG SUBJECT: TFGG01: LATVIAN 
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON GEORGIA REF: A) RIGA 496 B) RIGA 492 
C) RIGA 270 Classified By: A/DCM Tamir G. Waser. Reason: 1.4 (d) 

1. (C) 
Summary: Latvia's National Security Council met August 15 to essentially
ratify the line Latvia has been taking on events in Georgia: Latvia 
will participate in any credible international effort to 
monitor/verify/assist in maintaining stability in Georgia; Latvia will 
provide humanitarian assistance as needed; Latvia will encourage key 
international organizations to re-evaluate relations with Russia. Key 
issues such as energy security and integration got short shrift at the 
meeting. The strong Latvian desire for NATO contingency plans for Latvia
was reaffirmed. End summary. 

2. (C) Latvia's National Security 
Committee - consisting of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign, 
Defense, and Interior Ministers, and the Speaker and key committee 
chairs in parliament - met August 15 following President Zatlers' return
from China to discuss the situation in Georgia. Foreign policy advisor 
to the President Andris Pelss provided us a readout. According to Pelss,
the meeting largely ratified policy lines Latvia had been working on 
all week. Latvia is willing to send troops or other personnel to Georgia
only in the context of the a credible international mission. Pelss said
it could be NATO, EU, OSCE, UN or some other group but the key for 
Latvia was that it not be bilateral. That, he said, would be too 
provocative for Russia. Pelss confirmed that this could include anything
from demining assistance to technical experts to verify the causes of 
the conflict to monitors or peacekeepers to assist in Abkhazia or South 
Ossetia. 

3. (C) Latvia is also willing to provide humanitarian 
assistance. A number of Latvian doctors have volunteered to go to 
Georgia if needed. The latest discussion the Latvians had with Georgia, 
though, was that there were no needs at this moment that Latvia was 
suited to fill. In coming days, it might be needed and the two countries
agreed to stay in touch. 

4. (C) The third policy decision was the need 
to reconsider relations with Russia - a line that Latvia will continue 
to push in organizations like the EU and NATO. Pelss said that 
participants all expressed their frustration with European countries who
want to continue business as usual with Russia, specifically citing 
Germany and Italy. 

5. (C) In response to questions from us, Pelss said 
that energy was raised by PM Godmanis, but all agreed that any Russian 
move to restrict energy supply to Latvia would not take immediate effect
due to other means of getting electricity and Latvia's underground gas 
storage. So, the issue was noted as one to watch. Pelss said his 
personal sense is that a coal plant (vice gas) just became more likely 
(see ref c for background). Pelss also acknowledged that participants 
discussed the fact that residents of Latvia live in two different 
information spaces with very different views of the situation in 
Georgia. But they also decided that this was in the "too hard" category 
to tackle now. (ref a) 

6. (C) Asked if the US was discussed at all, 
Pelss said that Latvia was keenly interested in our thoughts on 
international arrangements for Georgia. He also said that they would 
seek our assistance on various defense planning issues, including 
getting NATO contingency plans for Latvia. (In fact, shortly after the 
meeting, Speaker Daudze approached Ambassador Larson at a lunch on board
the USS Elrod in Ventspils to ask for assistance in getting such 
planning.) Pelss added that coincidence of a post visit by a US ship to 
Latvia at this time "sent an ideal message" both to Latvians "and to our
neighbors." LARSON