WikiLeaks – USA Challenged Government of Georgia to continue its Democratic Evolution

In the first full meeting of the Democracy Working Group under the umbrella of the U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership, DRL A/S Posner and EUR DAS Kaidanow both challenged the GoG to continue its democratic evolution noting the crucial link between establishing a pluralistic, modern democratic state and long-term stability and security, the Wikileaks Cable, created on 12 July 2009 reads.

According to the cable, the meeting participants stressed out that establishment of pluralist, modern democratic state will guarantee long-term stability and safety. Establishment of jury institution in Georgian judiciary system, which did not exist in the soviet time, was welcomed.

“A/S Posner expressed his concern that the MoIA included general police functions, para-military functions, and intelligence -- and he described this as a model that often leads to excesses. Highlighting the lack of accountability for the police violence in November 2007, he expressed his concern about the public perception that there is little external accountability for MoIA or oversight of the ministry in general. MoIA Head of the Analytical Unit Shota Utiashvili explained that having a paramilitary force inside the MoIA was not an ideal situation. Bokeria acknowledged mistakes especially concerning the GoG crackdown on protesters on November 7, 2007, and explained the measures including more training that have resulted from the incident. A/S Posner raised concerns about judicial independence, noting the perception that those close to the government are treated differently from the opposition. The sides discussed increasing transparency in both the selection and discipline of judges,” the ambassador’s cable reads.

According to the cable, the Georgian Delegation with Giga Bokeria as a head, discussed the draft-amendments to the Election Code.

“Posner noted that President Saakashvili's announcement of the direct elections of mayors (plural) at UNGA created an international as well as domestic expectation, and suggested that if the GoG did not intend to allow for direct elections of mayors (plural) they should openly discuss the reasons for the change. Posner and Kaidanow also expressed the need for the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) to show a broad diversity of viewpoints,” reads the cable.

MP and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Akaki Minashvili explained the ruling United National Movement (UNM) position on the electoral code outlining broad areas of agreement and compromise they had already achieved with the opposition.

Bokeria and Minashvili explained that political parties would be able to meet freely in public buildings and be offered the chance to scrutinize and verify voter lists. Minashvili explained that voter lists would be made public to allow for open and transparent scrutiny.

Interpresnews