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Ground-Breaking Training Courses for Georgian, Ossetian Journalists
A group of Georgian and Ossetian journalists traveled to London and Belfast as a part of the professional conflict reporting training course on December 12-18. This was a third part of the intensive, ground-breaking conflict reporting training courses run by the UK-based media consultancy Thompson Foundation with the support of the OSCE Mission in Georgia and …
20/12/2005 - 12:50
Russian Servicemen Detained in Tbilisi
Georgian military police detained Russian officers in Tbilisi on December 19, Russian media reported. The Georgian Defense Ministry has confirmed the report, but refrained from specifying the reasons of the detention. Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported on December 19 that the Russian servicemen were detained for alleged violation of visa rules. This post is also …
Russia Restricts Import of Agricultural Products from Georgia
The Russian Ministry of Agriculture imposed temporary restrictions on import of agricultural products from Georgia to Russia starting from December 19, the Russian Ministry?s press office reported. The Russian side cited its decision by ?phytosanitary concerns? and violation of ?international and Russian sanitary requirements? by Georgia. According to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the temporary restrictions …
PM to Address Parliament on S.Ossetia Conflict
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli will submit a detailed roadmap for implementation of Tbilisi?s peace plan over South Ossetia at a special session of the Parliament on December 20. Tbilisi?s peace plan, which was supported by the OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana on December 6, envisages three-stage resolution of the conflict by the end of …
Ukrainian Security Council Chief Postpones Visit to Georgia
The visit of Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Anatoly Kinakh to Georgia scheduled for December 19-21 was postponed for an unspecified time. According to the Georgian National Security Council, Anatoly Kinakh postponed his visit due to urgent tasks in Ukraine. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
19/12/2005 - 18:21
OSCE Leads Crime Investigation Course in Police Academy
Twenty Georgian crime police instructors completed Monday the advanced crime investigation course at the Tbilisi Police Academy, which was a joint effort of the OSCE Missions to Georgia and Kosovo, OSCE Mission reported on December 19. Within the framework of the OSCE Short-Term Assistance Programme, Georgian police instructors received training in human rights issues and …
Opposition Leader Calls on Saakashvili to Release Journalist
Leader of the Conservative party Koba Davitashvili called on President Saakashvili to release co-founder and anchor of the 202 TV Shalva Ramishvili and his partner Davit Kokhreidze from custody, claiming that a term of their three-month pretrial detention has already expired. ?I would like to ask the President to discuss the issue of releasing these …
Presidential Couple Celebrates Birth of Second Son
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his Dutch wife Sandra Roelofs are celebrating the birth of their second son on December 19. The Georgian President told reporters soon after the childbirth that the newborn will be named Nikoloz. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Russia Rotates Peacekeepers in Abkhazia
Russia rotated its troops stationed in the Abkhaz conflict zone under the aegis of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 19, Itar-Tass news agency reported. A Samara peacekeeping battalion, including over 500 servicemen from the 15th motorized infantry brigade, arrived in Abkhazia on Sunday. The peacekeeping battalion, which passed a brief course of lectures …
Putin Hails Decision over Railway Resumption
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the decision of the Russian-Georgian intergovernmental commission over resumption of the railway connection via breakaway Abkhazia, news agency Interfax reported on December 17. ?This is a very good project, which will certainly benefit the economies of both Georgia and Russia, as well as contribute to the region?s economic development,? Interfax …
Ukrainian Security Council Chief Visits Georgia
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Anatoly Kinakh will arrive in Georgia on a three-day working visit on December 19. According to the Georgian National Security Council, Anatoly Kinakh will hold talks with Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, Foreign and Interior Ministers Gela Bezhuashvili and Vano Merabishvili and …
Russia, Georgia to Set up Consortium on Railway Resumption
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin, who chair the Russian-Georgian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation, signed a final protocol on December 16, which envisages setting up a joint consortium on restoration of the Russian-Georgian railway via breakaway Abkhazia. The decision over setting up a consortium was made at the session …
17/12/2005 - 18:18
MPs Support Increase in 2005 State Budget
The Parliamentary Committee for Finance and Budget supported on December 17 the government-proposed amendments envisaging the increase in the 2005 state budget. According to the draft amendments developed by the Finance Ministry, both revenues and expenditures of the 2005 state budget will increase by GEL 56 million and amount to GEL 2,8 billion. The energy, …
Russian-Georgian Business Forum Opens in Tbilisi
The Russian-Georgian Business Forum was opened in Tbilisi on December 17 with the participation of Russian and Georgian businessmen. Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin, who arrived in Georgia to participate in the session of the Russian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on December 16, and Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli are also participating in the forum. The prospects …
Rehabilitation Projects Discussed in S.Ossetia
Rehabilitation and development projects within the South Ossetian conflict zone was the focus of a meeting organized by the OSCE Mission in South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on December 16, OSCE Mission to Georgia reported. ?Economic rehabilitation can strengthen confidence between the sides and create more favorable conditions for a constructive political dialogue towards the settlement …
Tbilisi Pushes Russo-Georgian Relationship at WTO Summit
In his address to the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong on December 15 Georgian Economy Minister Irakli Chogovadze focused on the relationship with Russia, saying that the existence of two illegal checkpoints in breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia is most actual in this relationship. ?Illegal trade turnover between Russia and …
16/12/2005 - 15:25
Armenia’s Relations with NATO Depend on Georgia’s Accession – Foreign Minister
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said his country’s relations with NATO would depend on Georgia’s accession to the Alliance, Mediamax reports. “It is not ruled out that Georgia may indeed become NATO member within 5-6 years. Azerbaijan says nothing about its membership in NATO yet.As for Armenia and our participation in IPAP, there are processes …
Bagapsh Against Replacement of Russian Peacekeepers
Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said on December 15 that Georgia has a legal right to demand the pullout of Russian peacekeeping troops from the Abkhaz conflict zone, adding that in case of Russian peacekeepers? withdrawal, they will be replaced by Abkhaz servicemen, news agency RIA Novosti reported. ?Abkhazia has a negative attitude towards replacement of …
Secessionist Leaders Plan to Meet in Moscow
President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh, who is currently visiting Russia, told news agency RIA Novosti on December 15 that he plans to meet with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity in Moscow within next two weeks to coordinate joint actions. ?If Georgia launches hostilities against [breakaway] South Ossetia, we will quit the peace process and …
Monitoring Committee Approves Draft Resolution on Georgia
The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) approved a draft resolution on honoring obligations and commitments by Georgia submitted by CoE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Georgia Matyas Eorsi and Evgeni Kirilov at a session on December 15, which says that Georgia?s progress over the last year can be regarded …
Bagapsh Ready for Talks with Saakashvili
President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh, who is currently visiting Russia, said that he is ready to meet with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as soon as the agreement on non-resumption of hostilities and security guarantees between Tbilisi and Sokhumi is ready. ?I do not rule out that I will meet with Mikheil Saakashvili by the …
Russian-Georgian Economic Commission Meets in Tbilisi
The sixth session of the Russian-Georgian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation was opened in Tbilisi on December 16. The session is co-chaired by Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin and Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli. The issues of bilateral trade-economic relations, cooperation in the field of energy, gas industry, transport and communication will be discussed at …
MPs Discuss Georgia’s Possible Quitting CIS
The Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Relations discussed a draft resolution today submitted by the opposition faction Democratic Front concerning the launch of discussions over the expediency of Georgia’s presence in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). “Even if we want to stay in the CIS, it is impossible. It is ruled out to be a NATO …
15/12/2005 - 17:52
Georgian MIA Reports Shelling in Gali District
The Georgian Interior Ministry reported shelling in the Georgian villages of Nabakevi and Otobaia in the Gali district of breakaway Abkhazia on December 15. According to the same report, fire was opened by Russian peacekeepers who were drunk. No casualties have been reported yet. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Opposition MP Accuses Ombudsman of Double Standards
Koka Guntsadze, MP from the opposition parliamentary faction Rightist Opposition, accused Georgian Ombudsman Sozar Subari of practicing double standards on December 15. The Ombudsman presented a report on alleged human rights violations in the country to the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights on December 15. Sozar Subari claimed that compared with previous years the facts of …
Tskhinvali Hands over Corpses of Four Men
The South Ossetian side handed over the corpses of four men who were abducted in the conflict zone in early June to their relatives, the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee reported on December 15. News broke recently that all four Georgians had been killed and that a ransom of 100,000 USD was demanded for the hand over …
NATO Envoy Speaks of Russian Bases in Georgia
In an interview with the Russian Echo Moskvy radio station published on December 14, NATO Secretary General?s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said that NATO can partially finance the process of the pullout of Russian military bases from Georgia. According to a joint declaration signed by the Russian and Georgian …
Georgian State Minister to Visit Tskhinvali
Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava will leave for South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on December 15 to hold talks with the representatives of the de facto authorities, including Special Affairs Minister Boris Chochiev. According to the Georgian State Minister?s press office, the proposals by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity regarding a peaceful resolution …
PACE Monitoring Committee to Discuss Georgia
The Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), which meets today in Paris, will discuss the state of Georgia’s honoring of the commitments to the CoE, undertaken by Georgia while joining the organization in 1999. The Council of Europe (CoE) co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Georgia Matyas Eorsi and Evgeni Kirilov will …
Chief of Staff Visits Brussels
A delegation from the Georgian Defense Ministry led by Chief of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Levan Nikoleishvili left for Brussels on December 14. According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, the delegation will hold talks with NATO Deputy Secretary General John Colston, the ambassadors of NATO member states and military representatives at NATO …
Georgian Foreign Minister to Visit U.S.
Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili will pay an official visit to the United States on December 15, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. The visit envisages meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the meetings will focus on the prospects for bilateral relations …
MFA Demands Explanations from Russian Envoy
The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vladimir Chkhikvishvili on December 14 to express protest regarding controversial footage broadcasted by the Russian TV company NTV and demanded an official explanation from him. The story broadcasted by Russian NTV was about the rotation of Russian peacekeepers in breakaway Abkhazia. A Russian peacekeeper said in the story that during …
Tbilisi Hosts BLACKSEAFOR Meeting
A regular meeting of special representatives of the Foreign Ministers from BLACKSEAFOR member states (Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, Russian Federation, Georgia and Ukraine) will be held in Tbilisi on December 15, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. The agenda of this meeting will focus on the utilization of BLACKSEAFOR’s potential to contain terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of …
Kokoity Seeks Talks with Saakashvili
South Ossetia leader Eduard Kokoity said on December 14 while meeting with Georgian journalists in Tskhinvali said he is ready ?to hold talks with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.? Earlier, on December 12, Eduard Kokoity proposed the development of a joint ?three-stage? plan for resolution of the South Ossetian conflict. This plan basically coincides with Tbilisi?s peace initiatives. The South …
14/12/2005 - 18:38
OSCE Envoy Discusses Kokoity’s Peace Plan in Tskhinvali
Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia Roy Reeve held talks with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity in Tskhinvali on December 14. According to the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee, Roy Reeve said during the talks that Kokoity’s proposal over joint development of a Georgian-Ossetian peace plan “aroused great interest and was immediately sent to …
Alasania: Georgian President Ready to Meet Bagapsh
The Georgian President?s representative for Abkhaz conflict issues Irakli Alasania, who also chairs the Tbilisi-based Abkhaz government-in-exile, said at a news briefing on December 14 that President Saakashvili is ready to hold talks with Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh and sign a mutually acceptable document. ?Mikheil Saakashvili welcomes the continuation of a Georgian-Abkhazian dialogue and reiterates a …
NATO Envoy Speaks of Georgia
NATO Secretary General?s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said on December 14 in Moscow that the prospects of Georgia?s accession into NATO will be defined on the basis of implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) between Georgia and NATO, RIA Novosti reported. Simmons said that Georgia has expressed …
Moscow Hails Kokoity’s Peace Proposals
In a statement issued on December 14 the Russian Foreign Ministry hailed the peace proposal unveiled by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity regarding the development of a joint peace plan over resolution of the South Ossetian conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Mikhail Kaminin described this proposal as a “new initiative,” however added that “they integrally took …
17 Ethnic Georgians Detained in Gali District
Abkhaz militiamen detained 17 ethnic Georgians in the Gali district of breakaway Abkhazia because they refused to serve in the Abkhaz army. Reportedly, all of them were taken to the Abkhaz capital Sokhumi. Deputy governor of the Gali district Tornike Kilanava told reporters on December 14 that the young men were taken by force and their …
Abkhaz Foreign Minister Comments on Return of Refugees
Foreign Minister of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Shamba said on December 13 that the return of Georgian refugees to other regions of Abkhazia besides the Gali district will trigger ?new conflicts, new bloodshed and new war,? Apsnypress news agency reported. ?Therefore we speak exclusively about the Gali district … It is necessary to develop correct policies …
Parliament Comments on Peacekeepers’ Rotation
At a plenary session of the Parliament on December 14 Pikria Chikhradze, one of the leaders of the Rightist Opposition, protested against a story broadcasted by Russian NTV television regarding the rotation of Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia and demanded the suspension of “this non-peacekeeping mission.” One of the Russian peacekeepers said in the story that before …
European Commission Allocates Euro 2 Million for Georgia
The European Commission adopted a new humanitarian aid decision to allocate Euro 2 million for the victims of the Abkhaz conflict, a press release issued by the European Commission on December 13 reads. ?Hundreds of thousands of people are still displaced and live in dire conditions in Abkhazia and the rest of western Georgia,? the …
Chief Negotiators Speak of Kokoity’s Proposals
At a joint news briefing in Tbilisi Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava and Russian chief negotiator for South Ossetian conflict Valery Kenyaikin hailed the recent peace proposals made by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity regarding resolution of the South Ossetian conflict. “We found Eduard Kokoity’s statement on joint development of the peace plan …
13/12/2005 - 19:09
EU-South Caucasus Relations Discussed in Brussels
The European Union (EU) hosted Ministerial Troika Meetings with Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday, the EU Council reported on December 13. The meetings were chaired by Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie and the UK Special Representative for the …
New U.S. Embassy Opens in Tbilisi
The U.S. Embassy to Georgia celebrated on December 13 its move to the New Embassy Compound in Didi Digomi, a suburb of Tbilisi, with a plaque unveiling ceremony. First Lady Sandra Roelofs, Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava and other high-ranking officials, diplomats and friends of the Embassy, attended the unveiling. In …
Tbilisi Describes Tskhinvali’s Peace Proposals as a “Surprise”
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said at a news briefing on December 13 that the peace proposals unveiled by South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity regarding the development of a joint peace plan came as “a surprise” to Tbilisi. Nogaideli expressed readiness to meet with Eduard Kokoity even “today” and discuss the peace plan with him. “We have received a surprise …
S.Ossetian Leader Pushes Joint Plan For Conflict Resolution
South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity proposed on December 12 to develop a joint “three-stage” plan for resolution of the South Ossetian conflict. He said that the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) – involving the Georgian, South Ossetian, Russian and Russia’s North Ossetian sides – would play a leading role in development of the Georgian-Ossetian peace program. Furthermore, the …
Georgian Foreign Minister Meets EU Troika in Brussels
The Georgian delegation led by Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili will hold talks with representatives of the European Union Troika in Brussels on December 13, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. The Georgian delegation will also include State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration Giorgi Baramidze and Deputy Minister Tamar Beruchashvili. Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security …
Kokoity Offers Joint Measures on Conflict Resolution
In an official statement addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and the heads of OSCE member states, South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity stresses the necessity for joint development of the Georgian-Ossetian program on “fair resolution of the conflict”, the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee reported on December 12. ?Since the …
Georgian Economy Minister Visits Hong Kong
Georgian Economy Minister Irakli Chogovadze left for Hong Kong, China on December 12 to participate in the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference scheduled for December 13-18. According to the Georgian Economy Ministry, Irakli Chogovadze plans to push the issue of deploying Georgian customs officers at the Roki tunnel, which links breakaway South Ossetia …
12/12/2005 - 19:08
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)