Embassy of the United States

Transcripts

Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza Press Conference

December 16, 2008

Andy Rabens:  Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening, it is my pleasure to introduce Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza.  He will give a brief statement and will take a few questions after that.  Thank you very much.

DAS Bryza: Thank you for coming so late on this cold snowy night.  I’m very happy to be back here under calmer circumstances but still very serious circumstances.  Together with Ambassador Tefft we have had a very productive day of discussions with leaders across Georgia’s political spectrum ranging from the president to the speaker of parliament to opposition leaders in the parliament, opposition leaders outside the parliament, a variety of journalists, and we’ve discussed all the key issues: political reform, free media, and of course Georgia’s position in the world as we anticipate the next round of talks in Geneva.

In all of these discussions, we have agreed strongly with our colleagues in the Georgian government that the United States policy proceeds from our unbending support for Georgia’s territorial integrity.  In the entire OSCE there is only one country that violates its own long-standing policy of supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and when we were in Helsinki last week, not a single country expressed anything other than its full support for Georgia’s unity and territorial integrity.  Except for one country of course and we know which one that is.

As we look forward to the talks in Geneva tomorrow we want to make sure that every step we take in the negotiating process brings us closer to restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity and to creating stability and reducing the level of military tension as well as to helping internally displaced persons return to their homes in a dignified way and in a safe way.

We call on Russia to fulfill all of its obligations to President Saakashvili in the August 12th and the September 8th ceasefire agreements.  Russia is not fulfilling its obligations.  We saw this just in the last few days in Perevi, where Russian paratroopers, who had been mysteriously pre-placed in that location, reoccupied Perevi again in sharp violation of Russia’s own ceasefire commitments. 

This incident underscores why it is so important that EU and OSCE monitors and UN monitors in Abkhazia have access to the territory of all of Georgia to make sure nobody can bring in soldiers that are not allowed under existing international agreements.

We call on Russia to make sure that neither South Ossetian militias nor Russian soldiers nor anyone else fires on or otherwise threatens the observers as has been happening lately.  We also call on Russia to make sure the rule of law and human rights are respected in those areas behind where its forces are occupying.  And we call on Russia to reduce tension, military tension, along the Enguri river in Western Georgia. 

Finally, we spent a lot of time talking about democratic reform today, about media freedom. We welcome the plans that the Georgian government is talking about and developing with parliament and we hope to see those plans implemented.  And to the degree that all of you, the journalists here in Georgia will also concur that media freedoms have been fully restored, and that you feel strong momentum on democratic reform being renewed. 

To be fair, we should acknowledge the dramatic progress that has been made in Georgia since November 2003.  And to be fair, we should also acknowledge that there is a tremendous amount of work left to accomplish.  I welcome all of your questions. Thank you.

Question Number One (Imedi TV):

My question is related to the potential agreement which you discussed today at parliament.  Members of Parliament, after meeting with you, noted that they discussed with you potential details of a U.S.-Georgia military-political cooperation agreement.  Could you tell us the details and when it is going to be signed? 

DAS Bryza:  Well what we talked about in detail was U.S.-Georgian cooperation on security and strategic partnership.  We are still working through how to reflect the beautiful words: strategic partnership, in our actual actions and actual life.  Our goal is to have a series of simultaneous efforts working from different directions to help Georgia fulfill the criteria for membership in NATO.  We are working in a multilateral framework within NATO through the NATO-Georgian commission.  And we are working bilaterally as we structure a new strategic partnership with Georgia that aims to help it fulfill NATO’s requirements on military-security as well as democratic reform.  And as those reforms take place, Georgia becomes an even stronger outpost of stability and democracy, which is good for all of Georgia’s neighbors, including Russia.  But beyond that, I’d rather not get into any other detail because we are still developing our ideas.

Question Number Two (Bloomberg):

What is the point of the Geneva talks?  What do you think the U.S. and international community can offer Russia to change its mind?  And finally a Bloomberg related question, if I may, will Georgia have a large obstacle in the new Obama administration of getting the remaining assistance money? 

DAS Bryza:  I can’t predict why Russia does what it does.  What I know is that the President of Russia obligated his country to withdraw all of its forces that were introduced to Georgia after August 6th and reduce the numbers back to that original level and in their original locations.  So Russian forces based in Akhalgori or Perevi or anywhere else beyond where Russian peacekeepers were on August 6th are in violation of an international agreement and a commitment by the sovereign president of the Russian Federation.  So we can only hope and insist that the Russian Federation fulfills these commitments of its president. 

The good news is that Russia is honoring its commitment under point six of the ceasefire agreement of August 12th to be involved in the process to determine the political future of Georgia in the context of this conflict. That’s the Geneva process.

The Geneva talks can accomplish important things in terms of reducing tension, highlighting danger with the provocations now in Western Georgia and in South Ossetia conducted by the South Ossetians and in some cases perhaps Russian troops, and can help address the humanitarian needs of the internally displaced person who need to return to their homes.  And over time we hope that Russia and its government will recognize that the costs of violating its own commitments outweigh the benefits of continuing that behavior and we need to have a negotiation to work through these issues.

On the Bloomberg question, what we have agreed to or obligated is that there will be $1 billion of assistance from the United States to Georgia.  This administration has come up with or secured around $750 million of that $1 billion.  We hope the next administration will come up with the additional $250 million.  And we have received very positive signals from key figures in the new administration that of course that is their objective.  So if everything remains on track and if Georgia continues to allocate the money in a transparent way and in a proper way, than everything should come together.

Question Number 2 Follow-up (Bloomberg News): But what can America do to convince Russia to change its mind?

DAS Bryza:  I talked about the costs.  The costs over time to Russia have to be evident.  Violating ones President’s own commitments carries all sorts of costs.  And those costs are beginning to add up for Russia.  We see them throughout the world.  Nobody, not even Russia’s closest allies, other than Nicaragua, have joined Russia in recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.  As well as one terrorist organization. 

Question Number 3 (New York Times):  I want to ask you a question about the agreement.  The head of Georgia’s defense committee will make public today one part of the draft agreement that has action for UN security issues.  My question is what are these issues and when will an agreement be reached?

DAS Bryza:  I don’t have anything to comment on any agreement.  No agreement exists. We are talking to Georgia about ways to strengthen our cooperation in the form of a strategic partnership.  I’ll just have to leave it at that. I’m sorry. 

Question Number 3 follow-up (New York Times):  But when did you start to work on this agreement, before the war, after the war, when? 

DAS Bryza:  I think you can tell that I am not going to comment on any agreement that doesn’t exist. There is no way you are going to trick me to talk about an agreement that doesn’t exist.  Come back to me in a little while.

Question Number 4 (Georgian Messenger):  There is a lot of speculation about another military invasion by Russia?  Do you think the threat is real? And if it is real, what do you think can be done?

DAS Bryza: I think that we are in a situation of significant tension.  If you look at the threats that South Ossetian militias make to EU monitors, if you look at the shootings at the OSCE observers by South Ossetians, and if you look at the terrible incidents in Western Georgia coming from the Abkhaz side, including the murder of two Georgian policemen by snipers.  This is totally unacceptable.  And of course nobody wants to speculate that in any way such behavior is somehow encouraged or committed by any Russian citizen, certainly not the Russian military.  But someone is doing it.  And these attacks are happening from territory controlled by Russian military forces.  So Russia has a responsibility to end those attacks on peaceful peacekeepers or observers.  If these dangerous provocations continue, it is difficult to predict what will happen, after all this is the Caucuses, and bad things happen sometimes. 

I think we need to pay particular attention to the power station and dam on the Enguri river however.  The Enguri hydro-electric station is the best example that exists today of Abkhaz and the rest of Georgia cooperating on a project that is vital to both.  So it is crucial that all provocations in that area end and that we use the Geneva process then to reduce the level of tension and get to a point where the sides can have a civilized and constructive dialogue.

Question Number 5 (AP): The State Department just announced moments ago that they are reversing course and will be meeting with South Ossetian activist, Lira Tskhovrebova, whom Georgia accused of being an FSB spy. You yourself declined to meet with her, citing concerns over her involvement with the Russian security services. What has changed in the last 24 hours?

DAS Bryza:  I don’t know if anything has changed.  This is the first I’ve heard of this.  I do know that people that I work with, on my team, are planning to attend the discussion at George Mason University, and meet with the entire group of NGO representatives.  Perhaps that is what your report is a reference to? 

Question Number 5 Follow-Up (AP): We just a got a call from our reporter in the State Department. You are actually holding a State Department meeting with Tskhovrebova.

DAS Bryza:  I’m sorry.  I don’t have any information on that.  This is the first I’ve heard of it. My statements stand though.  I don’t know of other NGO’s, particularly from South Ossetia, that are in a financial position to be able to employ professional, maybe world-class public relations firms. That’s very unusual in my experience.

But we want to meet with legitimate and real NGO leaders and I have no problem at all if she wants to make her case and explain what her background really is.  We are not trying to ban anybody from the State Department or from working with our government. 

Question Number 6 (Rustavi 2): My question is a non-political one regarding your future career.  For the past five years you have been working on Georgia and have been very well received.  Will Matt Bryza continue working in the new administration?

DAS Bryza: That is a very nice question. Thank-you, but I honestly don’t know. I have no idea. It depends on the new Secretary of State. She needs to build her own team with people that she trusts. Maybe I’ll be among them, I don’t know, maybe not. But it is up to the new Secretary of State.  But I hope to be involved the rest of my life with Georgia.