INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Gor Denies Involvement in Georgian/Polish

Published: Mon 24 Nov 2008 11:34 AM
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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #3386 3291134
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241134Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0856
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS MOSCOW 003386
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS GG PL
SUBJECT: GOR DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN GEORGIAN/POLISH
MOTORCADE SHOOTING
1. (SBU) Summary: The GOR has rejected allegations of
Russian involvement in the November 23 shooting at the
Georgian-Polish presidential motorcade. In reaction to the
incident that garnered little attention in the Russian media,
the MFA, MOD and security services unanimously called the
incident a Georgian provocation. End Summary.
2. (SBU) The GOR rejected allegations of Russian involvement
in the November 23 shooting at Georgian and Polish Presidents
Mikhail Saakashvili's and Lech Kaczynski's motorcade as it
headed for a refugee camp near the South Ossetian border, and
turned the table by painting the GOG as the responsible
party. FM Lavrov called the incident a "purely provocative
act," claiming the Georgian side organized everything itself,
in order to afterward hold responsible South Ossetia or
Russia. Lavrov asserted that no gunshots were made from
Russian or South Ossetian positions. DFM Karasin accused
Georgia of "indulging in wishful thinking" in that regard. A
Russian MOD spokesman similarly declared that Russian
military in South Ossetia -- at the Russian base or at
checkpoints -- did not open fire, and also accused Georgia of
provocation. An unnamed source in the Russian special
services chimed in to call the incident a Georgian
provocation and told Interfax Saakashvili was "repeating
himself," as the Georgian president during a recent visit to
the town of Gori had been forced to flee from a "nonexistent"
air attack.
3. (SBU) In Russian media, the incident has been a
non-event. Both the press and television have paid scant
attention to the reports, with newsru.com, an internet news
site with good coverage of the Caucasus, referring to Polish
sources to provide details of the incident.
BEYRLE
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