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Bagapsh Speaks of Conflicts
In an interview published by the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostey on February 27 President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh said that if Kosovo receives international recognition, “Abkhazia will also be recognized as independent three days later.” “As for Georgia, it has not ruled out that some day it will become so attractive that even Switzerland will express a willingness …
27/02/2006 - 17:08
Georgia Sets Visa Deadline for Russian Peacekeepers
In a letter sent to the command of the Russian peacekeeping forces stationed in the Abkhaz conflict zone, the Georgian Military Police have warned that the peacekeepers must obtain Georgian visas before March 10, Chief of the Military Police Aleksandre Sukhitashvili told Civil Georgia on Monday. Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili called on the Russian side on …
Saakashvili Comments on NATO, U.S. Bases
President Saakashvili said in an interview with Kommersant on February 27 that although Georgia plans to join NATO, Tbilisi will not deploy military bases from this alliance on its territory. He also labelled reports that the U.S. is probing into the possible use of Georgia’s military bases in the event of a military conflict with Iran as merely “speculations.” …
Saakashvili Speaks of S.Ossetia
In an interview with the Russian daily Kommersant published on February 27 Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili reiterated that his government is committed to solving the South Ossetian conflict solely through peaceful means. He said that this will be a long process, but the most effective way. “Any human life is a precious one and especially here …
NSC Chief Hospitalized after Heart Attack
Secretary of the National Security Council (NSC) of Georgia Kote Kemularia was hospitalized late on February 26 after suffering a heart attack. Doctors said Kemularia’s “condition is stable” but he will have to stay in the hospital for at least a week, until he has fully recovered. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Bird Flu Triggers State of Emergency in Affected Area
Georgian authorities have further stepped up measures to prevent spread of bird flu, as President Saakashvili requested the Parliament on February 26 to impose a state of emergency in the area affected by the H5N1 virus in the Khelvachauri district of the Adjara Autonomous Republic.The Parliament is expected to approve this proposal at a session …
Georgian PM to Visit U.S.
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli will leave for the United States on March 2 to participate in the forum ‘Invest in Georgia’ in New York. Nogaideli also plans to meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on March 3 to discuss the situation in breakaway Abkhazia, the PM’s press office reported. The Georgian PM will be accompanied …
Interior Minister to Brief MPs on High-Profile Murder
Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili and General Prosecutor Zurab Adeishvili are expected to brief opposition lawmakers from the New Rights and Democratic Front parliamentary factions on February 27 regarding the investigation into the Sandro Girgvliani murder case. The opposition parliamentarians convened the Interior Minister and General Prosecutor on February 22 after allegations emerged that top level Interior Ministry …
Tags: Girgvliani Case
State of Emergency in Bird Flu Affected Area
On February 26 President Saakashvili requested that the Parliament impose a state of emergency in the area affected by the bird flu in the Khelvachauri district of the Adjara Autonomous Republic. The Parliament is expected to approve this proposal at a session on February 28. The Georgian government ordered culling of all domestic poultry kept at …
9 Georgians Die in Moscow Roof Collapse
Nine Georgians died and one was injured in a collapse of a market roof in Moscow on February 23. The corpses were transported to Georgia on Sunday. A total of 66 people died as a result of this incident. The Moscow municipality has already announced that it will pay 100,000 Rubles (about USD 3,500) to …
26/02/2006 - 18:04
Saakashvili Reiterates Stance to Solve S.Ossetian Conflict Peacefully
President Saakashvili told the Russian Echo Moskvy radio stationed on February 25 that Tbilisi will try to solve the South Ossetian conflict solely through “dialogue and consultations.” Saakashvili said he will not order military operations in the region. “I do not want people to die,” the Georgian President said. This post is also available in: …
Georgia, Bulgaria Agree on Military Cooperation
Visiting Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili and his Bulgarian counterpart Veselin Bliznakov signed a bilateral agreement on military cooperation for 2006 in Sofia on February 24, the Georgian Defense Ministry reported, without specifying any details of this agreement. According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, during a two-day official visit the delegations of the two countries discussed …
25/02/2006 - 14:57
Bush: Recent Peaceful Revolutions Only the Beginning
In a speech to the American Legion in Washington on February 24 U.S. President George W. Bush said that recent peaceful revolutions, including the ones in Georgia and Ukraine, are “just only the beginnings.” “In our time, we’ve witnessed revolutions of Rose and Orange and Purple and Tulip and Cedar, and these are just only the beginnings. …
Interior Minister Comments on High-Profile Murder Case
Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili hinted on February 24 that he is not yet ready to sack those officials from the Interior Ministry who are allegedly linked to the murder case of Sandro Girgvliani. “I am personally controlling the investigation process of this case… You know that many of our colleagues were sacked or arrested for wrongdoings in …
Tags: Girgvliani Case
Government Orders Slaughter of Domestic Poultry in Adjara
The Georgian government has ordered that all domestic poultry kept at homes in a 3-kilometer radius of the site of an outbreak of bird flu in the Adjara Autonomous Republic be slaughtered. Although at the moment there is no evidence of the H5N1 virus in domestic poultry, the government ordered this slaughter after a second case …
National Security Council Discusses Bird Flu Threat
President Saakashvili convened a session of the National Security Council on February 24 to discuss the threat of bird flu in Georgia According to initial tests one wild bird found dead in the Adjara Autonomous Republic at the Turkish border has been confirmed to have the H5N1 strain of bird flu on February 24. President …
24/02/2006 - 20:54
Government Against Opposition-Proposed Draft Law on Lustration
The Georgian government’s parliamentary secretary Giorgi Khuroshvili criticized on February 23 a draft law on lustration proposed by the opposition Democratic Front parliamentary faction.The draft law is aimed at excluding former Communist Party functionaries and officers of and/or collaborators with the ex-Soviet secret services from serving in the state structures of Georgia. The MPs discussed the draft …
Ombudsman Says MIA Spokesman Should Resign
Georgian Public Defender Sozar Subari requested on February 24 that Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili sack spokesman of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) Guram Donadze over Donadze’s wrongdoings related with the investigation into the murder case of Sandro Girgvliani. According to the Public Defender, Guram Donadze, who was interrogated over this case, misinformed the investigators by saying that this murder …
Tags: Girgvliani Case
Survey Reveals Russians’ Stance on S.Ossetian Conflict
A public opinion survey published by the Russian Public Opinion Foundation (POF) on February 23 says that 57% of Russian citizens surveyed think Russia should take a neutral position while dealing with the South Ossetian conflict. 21% of respondents think Moscow should support South Ossetia, while 3% think Russia should support Georgia. The POF carried out …
Georgia Bans Live Poultry Trade
Trade in live poultry products has been banned on the entire territory of Georgia, Agriculture Minister Mikheil Svimonishvili said on February 24. This decision comes after a potential case of bird flu was detected in the Adjara Autonomous Republic, at the border with Turkey. The Agriculture Minister told reporters that the Interior Ministry will be responsible …
Potential Bird Flu Detected in Georgia
According to preliminary information, one wild bird has been confirmed to have the H5N1 strain of bird flu, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said at a government session on February 24. A chief Georgian veterinary official said that the preliminary tests of a dead swan brought from the village of Adlia, in the Adjara Autonomous …
Georgian, Ukrainian Foreign Ministers Discuss Cooperation
In a telephone conversation on February 23 Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili and his Ukrainian counterpart Boris Tarasyuk discussed the issues of bilateral cooperation. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the two Ministers also discussed the perspectives of development of GUAM organization, uniting Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, as well as energy security issues and the …
Georgian MPs Visit to Moscow Postponed by Russia
A visit by a group of Georgian parliamentarians to Moscow, scheduled for February 26, was postponed until mid-March by request of the Russian side. “The official explanation by the Russian side was that they want to organize high-level meetings in Moscow, including [meetings] with Chairman of the State Duma [Boris Gryzlov],” MP Davit Bakradze, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee …
23/02/2006 - 22:05
Georgian, Russian MPs Meets in Vienna
Georgian parliamentary delegations led by Chairperson Nino Burjanadze met with Russian First Deputy Duma Speaker Lyubov Sliska on February 23 on the sidelines of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Session in Vienna. “Our Russian counterparts offered us to submit to them those two or three issues which Georgia finds the most concerning [in respect of bilateral relations] …
Reports: At Least 2 Georgians Die in Moscow Market Roof Collapse
At least two Georgians died after a snow-covered roof collapsed at a market in Moscow early on February 23, the Georgian media sources reported. Reports say that about nine Georgians were supposed to be in the market at the time of incident. Reportedly, a total of 49 people died and nearly were 39 injured as a result of the collapse. …
Georgia Sends Response to CoE on Alleged CIA Flights
On February 23, Georgia gave information to the Council of Europe (CoE) regarding allegations against the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret detention areas and covert prison transport flights – two days after the deadline for submitting this information expired. On February 22 Terry Davis, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, said that five CoE member states, including Georgia, failed to …
Defence Minister Visits Bulgaria
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili left for Bulgaria on a two-day official visit on February 23. According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, Okruashvili will hold talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Vesselin Bliznakov to discuss bilateral cooperation. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Police, Protesters Clash in Kvemo Kartli Region
A protest rally being held by local residents of the Damia-Gerarkhi village, in the Marneuli district of the predominantly Azeri populated Kvemo Kartli region, grew into a clash with police after protesters blocked the highway on February 22. Reportedly, 15 protesters were arrested by the police. The protesters were demanding fair distribution of land in the region. …
Georgia Issues Visas for Russian Servicemen
The Georgian Foreign Ministry began issuing visas to Russian soldiers serving in Georgia, Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili told reporters on February 22. “There are over 1500 servicemen and members of their families [who need visas]… We launched this process [of issuing visas] yesterday [on February 21]… The issuing of visas for Russian servicemen is being carried out without …
Abkhazia Holds Air Force Maneuvers
Exercises by the Abkhaz air forces, featuring the participation of air defense systems, were launched on February 23, the Abkhaz news agency Apsnypress reported. According to the unrecognized republic’s Defense Ministry, the scenarios of exercises include “repelling an enemy’s air attacks.” No other details were reported. The breakaway region held staff and command exercises on February 20-21. This post is also …
GUAM Deputy Foreign, Energy Ministers Meet in Baku
A Georgian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Valerie Chechelashvili, left for Baku on February 23 to participate in a meeting of the National Coordinators of the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) member states. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, issues related with coordination of efforts by GUAM member states to settle the conflicts in the region will …
Georgian PM, U.S. Envoy Discuss S.Ossetia
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft discussed the situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone during a meeting on February 23, the Georgian PM’s press office reported. The U.S. diplomat hailed Tbilisi’s decision to launch measures aimed at demilitarization of the conflict zone, according to this report. The U.S. Ambassador …
Report: Britain Leads Support for Greater Role of EU in Georgia’s Conflicts
A group of 10-12 EU states, mainly new EU members as well as Great Britain, is supporting a increase of the EU’s role in the process of settlement of the conflicts in Georgia, RFE/RL reported on February 21 quoting unnamed EU source. France is leading a group of countries, made up largely of southern EU member …
Burjanadze Visits Vienna for OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze will pay an official visit to Vienna to attend the Fifth Annual Winter Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on February 23-26. According to the Parliamentary Chairperson’s press-office, Nino Burjanadze will report to the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security on Georgian-Russian relations and the ongoing conflicts in Georgia. This …
OSCE Chairman Calls for Talks over South Ossetia
The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, urged all parties involved in the South Ossetian conflict to return to the negotiating table, exercise restraint and refrain from any unilateral actions that might worsen the situation, the OSCE press office reported. “It is now important to resume the dialogue. All parties should take on …
22/02/2006 - 21:10
Top MIA Officials Grilled over Murder Case
Opposition parliamentarians announced on February 22 that they will convene Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili to brief the MPs about the investigation into the murder of Sandro Girgvliani. This murder case became the focus of public attention after the weekly program “Droeba” – on the Tbilisi-based Imedi television station – aired some details of the case on February …
Tags: Girgvliani Case
Swedish Diplomat Becomes EU’s New Envoy in South Caucasus
Swedish diplomat Peter Semneby has been appointed the new European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus, replacing Heikki Talvitie, the EU chief of foreign policy Javier Solana’s press office reported on February 22. According to this report, a mandate by Ambassador Semneby, who previously served as Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, will include: …
Lithuania for Internationalization of Peacekeeping Operation in S.Ossetia
In a statement issued on February 22 the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry supported Georgia’s initiative to internationalize the peacekeeping operation in the South Ossetian conflict zone and called on Russia “to stop unfriendly actions” against Georgia. “In our opinion, the issue of effectiveness of peace-making operations on Georgia’s territory and the necessity to internationalize them raised by …
S.Ossetian Leader Accuses Tbilisi of Attempting to Use Force
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow on February 22 South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity expressed fear that Tbilisi is planning to reintegrate the breakaway region through force, Interfax news agency reported. He cited Georgia’s increased defense spending and relocation of the military hospital from capital Tbilisi to Gori, a town near the South Ossetian conflict zone, …
Putin Comments on Russian-Georgian Ties
Speaking at a news conference in Baku on February 22 Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the Georgian authorities for their attempt to distract public attention from the social problems and “the search for external enemy,” but he also said that President Saakashvili is among those “forces in Georgia” who want “to develop relations with Russia,” Interfax …
UN Envoy Meets Abkhaz Officials
UN Secretary General?s Special Representative to Georgia Heidi Tagliavini met with Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba and Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab on February 21 in Sokhumi and discussed the results of the Georgian-Abkhaz talks held in Geneva on February 2-3, the Apsnypress news agency reported. According to this report, during the talks Heidi Tagliavini stressed …
PM Says Georgia has ?Unprecedented? Support From US, EU
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli hailed the support by the U.S. and EU towards the settlement of the South Ossetian conflict as ?important? and said that Tbilisi is undertaking measures in accordance with its peace plan. ?It can be said that we have received unprecedented support from the U.S. administration and the European Union, which …
PM Notes Importance of Georgia Investment Conference in New York
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said at the government’s session on February 22 that the government is actively preparing for the conference “Invest in Georgia,” which will take place in New York on March 2. “Presently, we are focusing on the very important conference in New York, during which we will present those energy, transport and …
GUAM Law Enforcers Meet in Tbilisi
Top-level officials from the Interior Ministries of the GUAM members states (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) are holding a meeting in Tbilisi on February 22. Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili told reporters before the meeting that discussions of joint measures against drug-trafficking will top the agenda of the meeting. This post is also available in: ქართული …
MFA Comments on Postponement of PM’s Visit to Moscow
The Georgian Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the postponement of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli’s visit to Moscow planned for February 26 and said that Russia’s decision to postpone this visit will delay a breakthrough in the current standoff between the two countries. Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Georgia Vladimir Chkhikvishvili said on February …
Moscow, Tskhinvali Claim Tbilisi Chose ‘Military Scenario’
The Russian, North Ossetian and South Ossetian co-chairmen of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC), who gathered in Moscow on February 20-21 within the framework of the JCC expressed concern over the aggravated situation around South Ossetia, that was “triggered by the Georgian authorities” policy to thwart the negotiations on settlement of the South Ossetian …
Saakashvili: We Should Ignore Russia’s Provocations
President Mikheil Saakashvili said in his televised statement on February 21 that despite recent provocations from Russia, Georgia should keep calm and “totally ignore any kind of rhetoric, threat and provocation.”This statement, made by President Saakashvili at a session of the National Security Council, comes after a reported violation of the Georgian airspace by two Russian Su-25 …
21/02/2006 - 23:17
Russian Foreign Minister, OSCE Chairman Discuss S.Ossetia
In a telephone conversation on February 21 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht discussed the situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. The two Foreign Ministers expressed concern regarding the tensions in the region and called for “activation of joint efforts …
MFA: Russian Su-25 Jets Violates Georgian Airspace
Two Su-25 Frogfoot jets from the Russian Air Force violated the Georgian airspace on February 21,west of the Kazbegi district – a northern mountainous region of the country – the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. A press statement by the Foreign Ministry also says that a Mi-8 military helicopter also flew over the Georgian military base in Senaki, in western Georgia. “The Georgian …
EU Backs the Georgian Position in a Carefully-worded Declaration on S.Ossetia
The EU Presidency, in its declaration on behalf of the European Union, has supported talks between the international actors – including the EU and OSCE member-states – on additional mechanisms for settlement of the South Ossetian conflict. This declaration serves as a formal response by the EU to the Georgian Parliament’s February 15 resolution. The carefully-worded declaration points out a need …
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)