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Reports: Putin Meets Abkhaz Leader
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh in Russia?s Black Sea resort of Sochi on April 5, Georgian Interpress and Russian Regnum news agencies reported. Interpress reported, quoting chief of the Abkhaz President?s administration Valery Arshba, that the meeting took place with the initiative of the Russian President. The report …
05/04/2005 - 18:04
Saakashvili Speaks of Stage-by-Stage Pullout of Russian Bases
President Saakashvili said on April 5, that Georgia has a package of proposals over removal of Russia?s two military bases, stationed in Akhalkalaki and Batumi which will be discussed this week in Moscow. ?We offered stage-by-stage withdrawal of bases… This is a package of proposals which is under discussion. Next stage of negotiations will be …
Georgian, CoE Officials Discuss Repatriation of Meskhetians
Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava, who also chairs the newly set up commission over repatriation of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia, held talks with Igor Gaon, the Special Representative of the Council of Europe (CoE) Secretary General to Georgia, on April 5. Igor Gaon stressed that Georgia should follow its commitment undertaken …
Georgia Denies Entry to Russian Spy Plane
Commander of the General Staff of the Russian Air Forces Boris Cheltsov said Georgia denied overflight to the Russian long-range reconnaissance aircraft A-50 (NATO codename Mainstay), RIA Novosti and Itar-Tass news agencies reported. The overflight was to be the part of the ongoing maneuvers of the air forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). …
Bush, Yushchenko Commit Support to Georgia
U.S. President George W. Bush and his Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yushchenko reiterated in a joint statement on strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States on April 4, to support Georgia. ?We also commit to work together to back reform, democracy, tolerance and respect for all communities, and peaceful resolution of conflicts in Georgia and Moldova, …
Secessionist Leaders Prepare for Summit
On April 3-4 the Foreign Ministers of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Transdnestria, as well as a representative of the unrecognized South Ossetian Republic in Russia met in Moscow to finalize a cooperation agreement between the three separatist regions, which is scheduled to be signed by the leaders of these regions in late April. …
British LIB Becomes Largest Shareholder of Investbank
London International Bank Limited (LIB Ltd.) purchased those 25% of Tbilisi-based Investbank, which were owned by the Georgian Pragmatica Ltd. In addition LIB Ltd. has injected funds into the share capital of Investbank and consequently has become the company?s largest shareholder with a shareholding of 32%. No amount of deal, which was singed in late March, …
Defense Minister Refuses to Unveil Spending Detail
Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said that the purchasing of arms and hardware is underway for the Georgian army, however he refused to specify either amount of money spent, or the type of armament being purchased. ?I often hear complaints from the opponents that the Defense Ministry?s spending is not transparent. I understand this argument, …
Georgia Welcomes Re-Election of President Voronin
In a statement issued by the Georgian President?s press-office on April 4, President Saakashvili welcomes the election of Vladimir Voronin as the President of Moldova. ?We welcome this important decision of the Parliament of Moldova, which will undoubtedly play a key role not only in the history of Moldova, but also towards stability, peaceful resolution …
Chief of Financial Police Accused of Illegal Deals
MPs from the opposition Conservative Party presented at a news conference on April 4 a taped phone conversation between, as claimed by the opposition MPs, chief of Financial Police Davit Kezerashvili and unknown person talking about illegal transactions, involving purchasing of cars for the Financial Police officials. ?This tape directly proves that criminal charges should …
04/04/2005 - 21:13
Tskhinvali Indignant at Saakashvili’s Refusal to Meet Putin, Kokoity, Bagapsh
Representative of the breakaway South Ossetian republic in the Russian Federation Dimitry Medoev described Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s refusal to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia – Sergey Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoity – in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi as the “unwillingness of the Georgian side …
Berezovsky Visited Georgia
Self-exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezonvsky visited Georgia on April 2 and met with Tbilisi-based influential media and financial tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. ?I informed the Georgian leadership in advance that my friend, Boris Berezonvsky, intended to arrive for a brief visit. And it was not his first visit,? Badri Patarkatsishvili told reporters on April 4. Berezovsky, …
Defense Minister Under Fire over Saguramo Incident
Davit Darchiashvili, who chairs the “Open Society ? Georgia” Foundation, and Tina Khidasheli, of the influential human rights advocacy NGO Georgian Young Lawyers? Association, convened a press conference on April 4 and severely criticized the Defense Ministry’s leadership for violating the rights of the country’s servicemen. An incident in a military unit in Saguramo, near Tbilisi, involving private Arkady …
Late PM’s Brother Speaks of Zhvania’s Death
The Georgian daily Rezonansi (Resonance) published on April 4 an interview with Goga Zhvania, a brother of Georgia’s late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who said that he has doubts regarding the official version of his brother’s death and is carrying out a private inquiry into this case. Experts from the FBI, who probed into the death of Zhvania, …
Survey Shows Political Landscape in a Flux
Georgian Opinion Research Business International (GORBI), which is the Georgian member of Gallup International, published the result of a survey conducted in March, indicating population?s growing frustration with the government. Still, Mikheil Saakashvili remains the most popular politician, while his party the National Movement still tops the list of most popular political forces, according to …
Saakashvili: Georgia on Right Foreign Policy Path
President Saakashvili reiterated, in an interview with Rustavi 2 television on April 3, that Georgia?s current foreign policy success is of historic importance, as Georgia has transformed from, as he put it, ?a fact into a foreign policy factor.? ?We are now on the right path. We have a historic chance to make a breakthrough from Georgia?s …
Discussion of Public Service Code Concept
On April 2 the United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG), together with the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Issues, arranged a conference at the Sheraton Metechi Palace on the issue of Public Service reform. The first-ever forum covered the perspectives of Public Service reform, where along with demonstrating perspectives of reformation, the presentation of the UNAG-elaborated …
Saakashvili Comments on the Armenian President’s Visit
In an interview with the Rustavi 2 television network on April 3, President Saakashvili said that there was nothing surprising in Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s unplanned visit to Georgia on April 1-2. “When there are some issues that need to be discussed, or even if there are not any, we can visit each other without …
Saakashvili Rejected to Meet Putin, Kokoity, Bagapsh in Sochi
President Saakashvili rejected Moscow?s proposal to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia ? Sergey Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoity – in Russia?s Black Sea resort of Sochi, Mikheil Saakashvili said in an interview with the Rustavi 2 television network on April 3. ?There really was a proposal …
NGO Forum Awards Civil Society Promoters
Davit Usupashvili (left) and Ghia Nodia At the closing ceremony of the first-ever Georgian NGO Fair on April 3 the organizers of the two-day event awarded Ghia Nodia, Davit Usupashvili and late Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania the Friends of Civil Society Development award for their exceptionally supportive role in development and strengthening civil society in Georgia. Ghia …
03/04/2005 - 21:22
Foreign Ministers of Secessionist Regions Meet in Moscow
The foreign Ministers of the unrecognized Abkhaz, South Ossetia and Transdnestria regions will meet in Moscow on April 3-4, Interfax news agency reported. Foreign Ministers from the secessionist regions will reportedly discuss an upcoming summit of the de facto Presidents from South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transdnestria, which is scheduled to take place in the Abkhaz …
Abkhaz Public Movements, Parties Condemn Attack Against PM
Several influential Abkhaz political movements and parties expressed concern on April 2 regarding the assassination attempt against the breakaway region?s Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab by saying that those behind the terrorist act ?are against reforms and changes which will put an end to criminals and lawlessness [in the region].? The statement was signed by representatives of Amtsakhara, Aitaira, United Abkhazia …
Bounty Offered for Capturing Abkhaz PM’s Attackers
Interior Ministry of breakaway Abkhazia offers USD 5,000 as an reward for valuable information that may lead to the capture of those persons behind an assassination attempt against the unrecognized republic’s Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab, Apsnipress news agency reported on April 2. Ankvab survived the second assassination attempt in as many months, when unknown gunmen opened fire on his …
02/04/2005 - 21:59
Abkhaz PM Attacked Again
Unknown gunmen opened fire on the convoy of Abkhaz de facto Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab on April 1 near Sokhumi. Neither the Abkhaz Prime Minister, nor de facto Vice Premier Leonid Lakerbaia, who was accompanying him, were injured, the news agency Apsnypress reported on April 2. Their driver, however, was wounded as a result of this incident. It was …
Saakashvili, Kocharyan Discuss Strategic Cooperation
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan discussed the issues of strategic cooperation and regional security in the mountain resort of Gudauri in Georgia on April 1, the Georgian President?s press office reported on April 2. ?We do not need any ceremonies or political limitations with our neighbors … We can always visit each …
First-Ever NGO Fair Opens in Tbilisi
Fifty-five Georgian civil society organizations participate on April 1-2 in NGO Fair in Tbilisi, which is the first of this kind ever held in Georgia. The two-day event, which involves exhibitions, panel discussions, and educational presentations about the activities of NGOs in Georgia, is organized in frames of USAID-funded three-year Citizens Advocate! Program (CAP). This …
Conflict Settlement, Border Monitoring Top Georgia-OSCE Relations
Salome Zourabichvili and Dimitrij Rupel. Issues related to South Ossetian conflict resolution and border monitoring topped the agenda of OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, during his visit to Georgia on April 1. At a joint news conference Dimitrij Rupel and his Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili spoke about some details of these issues.The OSCE Chairman-in-Office expressed …
Zourabichvili Outlines Georgia’s Priorities in Relations with OSCE
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili outlined those issues at a news conference after talks with visiting OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel, which currently top agenda of Georgia’s relations with OSCE. “You know that one of our main issues [in regard of OSCE] is resumption of [Russo-Georgian] border monitoring [mission by the OSCE observers], [the issue] how …
Tags: Salome Zurabishvili
01/04/2005 - 23:01
Opposition New Rights Speak of Smuggling in Shida Kartli
At a news conference on April 1 the opposition New Rights party leaders unveiled ?a smuggling scheme,? which, as they claim, still operates in Shida Kartli region bordering with breakaway South Ossetia, and which, according to the New Rights, is backed by top-level officials both in the region and in Tbilisi including Defense Minister Irakli …
Outdoor Alcohol Trade Banned
Selling of alcohol drinks at outdoor markets has been banned in Georgia, starting from April 1. The authorities claim this measure is a part of those attempts aimed at curbing smuggling. Officials resorted to the similar measure a month ago, when outdoor tobacco trade was banned on the entire territory of Georgia on March 1 …
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, State Minister Discussed S.Ossetia Peace Plan
Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava discussed Tbilisi”s peace plane over South Ossetian conflict settlement during the meeting with visiting OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel on April 1, the Georgian State Minister”s press office reported. Goga Khaindrava briefed Dimitrij Rupel about “the three-step peace plan” envisaging: firstly, “gradual demilitarization” of …
FBI ‘Confirms Georgian Officials Conclusions’ over Zhvania’s Death
Experts from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, which have probed into the death of late Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, confirmed the Georgian officials conclusions and announced that Zhvania died of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty gas heating devise which was improperly installed in the apartment where Zhvania’s dead body was found …
Saakashvili, Yushchenko Call on Kyrgyz Nation for Reconciliation
In a joint address to the Kyrgyz nation Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yushchenko call for finding a legitimate constitutional way out of the crisis. ?The Tulip Revolution manifested that revolutions can not be exported, they happen only where there are objective grounds in place. We have no intention to take any sides. …
Armenian President Visits Georgia
President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan will pay an unofficial visit to Georgia on April 1, Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia Gela Bezhuashvili told reporters. He said that bilateral and regional issues will be discussed during talks between Armenian and Georgian Presidents. Gela Bezhuashvili also said that the issue of Armenian community living …
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Visits Georgia
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel arrived in Georgia late on March 31 as a part of his South Caucasian tour. During the visit the OSCE Chairman-in-Office will hold talks with President Saakashvili, Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili, State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava and other officials. The …
Abkhaz Leader, UN Envoy Discuss Planned Georgian-Abkhaz Talks
President of breakaway Sergey Bagapsh held talks with UN Secretary General”s Special Representative to Georgia Heidi Tagliavini in Sokhumi to discuss the forthcoming Georgian-Abkhaz talks planned in Geneva for April 7-8, news agency Regnum reports. UN-sponsored Georgian-Abkhaz talks, known as the “Geneva format,” also involve representatives from the UN Secretary General”s Group of Friends for Georgia …
31/03/2005 - 18:33
Nazarbayev: Kazakhstan Interested in Baku-Supsa Pipeline
Kazakh Prezident Nursultan Nazarbayev said his country would be interested in participating in the privatising process of the Tbilisi-Supsa oil pipeline as well as the port of Supsa itself. “As soon as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline enters into operation, all Azerbaijani oil would be transported through it, which leaves the Tbilisi-Supsa infrastructure. We are interested in this pipe as …
Saakashvili, Nazarbayev Discuss Economic Cooperation
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said, after talks with his visiting Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili on March 31, that ?there are neither political nor economic obstacles hampering our cooperation,? Kazakh news agency Kazinform reported. Nazarbayev also said that Kazakhstan is interested in Georgia?s transit capabilities. The Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia and the …
Ethnic Armenians Protest Against Closure of Russian Base
Hundreds of local residents in Akhalkalaki, a town in Georgia?s south-western region of Samtskhe-Javakheti which is predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians, rallied on March 31 in protest of the withdrawal of the Russian military base stationed in this town. Protesters also demanded the improvement of existing social conditions in the town, including the solving of the energy …
Bagapsh Rejects Tbilisi, Batumi as Venue of Talks with Saakashvili
Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh reiterated his readiness to hold talks with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, however added that he will not arrive for talks in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, or in Batumi, Adjara Autonomous Republic, as was proposed by the Georgian side. ?I am ready to meet with anyone, including Saakashvili. However, the meeting of such a …
Bagapsh Comments on Return of IDPs
Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said at a news conference on March 30, that the return of displaced Georgians should only take place in Abkhazia?s Gali district, adding that only those Georgians who did not fight against Abkhazians in the 1992-93 armed conflict may return to the region, Apsnipress reported. ?People, who fought against our state will …
Bagapsh Rejects Talks over Abkhazia’s Political Status
President of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh said at a news briefing on March 30 in Sokhumi that the Abkhaz side is ready to launch talks with Tbilisi, but only over economic projects and ruled out possible negotiations over the breakaway region’s political status, Apsnipress news agency reported. “No talks over Abkhazia’s status can take place. We can …
First NGO Fair in Georgia
On April 2, 2005 at 12:00 PM at the Expo Georgia Pavilion #1 on 118 Tsereteli Avenue in Tbilisi, Save the Children with its local partner organization, the United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG), will hold an official opening ceremony for the first Civil Society Organization (CSO) Fair in Georgia. The CSO Fair is organized …
Georgian, Ukrainian Foreign Ministers Meet Ahead of Kyrgyz Visit
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk met with his Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili early on Thursday in Tbilisi, ahead of the two Ministers? joint visit to Kyrgyzstan, planned for March 31. Tarasyuk told Georgian reporters after the talks that bilateral cooperation, as well as the upcoming visit to Kyrgyzstan was discussed during these talks. The Georgian Foreign Minister …
Zourabichvili, Rice Hold Phone Talks
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held a telephone conversation on March 30, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported. The recent developments in Georgia and bilateral cooperation were discussed during the phone talks. This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
Tags: Salome Zurabishvili
Georgia, Azerbaijan Fail to Agree on Border Delimitation
Officials from Georgia and Azerbaijan ?failed to make progress? in delimitation of the border between the two countries during talks in Tbilisi on March 28-29, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Gomiashvili said at a news conference on March 30. He said that the two sides were not able to agree over several sections of the Georgian-Azeri border; however …
30/03/2005 - 18:50
Georgian, Ukrainian Foreign Ministers to Visit Kyrgyzstan
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili and her Ukrainian counterpart Boris Tarasyuk will travel to Kyrgyzstan on March 31 ?to familiarize [themselves] with the situation on the ground there,? Giorgi Gomiashvili, the Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister said at a news briefing on March 30. He said that Georgia is ?closely watching? the situation in Kyrgyzstan, as ?Georgia is …
Saakashvili Focuses on Foreign Policy, Amid Opposition’s Attempts to Revitalize
While President Saakashvili boasts of, as he puts it, “Georgia’s huge foreign policy successes,” the opposition parties and movements are taking advantage of the social problems that have lately been generated in the country and are preparing the foundation for a revitalization of their activities. But most political analysts agree that these attempts by the …
Ex-Energy Minister Sentenced to 10-Year Imprisonment
The court found former Georgian Energy Minister Davit Mirtskhulava guilty of abuse of office while serving as the Minister from 2000-2003 and sentenced him to ten years of imprisonment on March 30. Mirtskhulava denies all the accusations against him as politically-motivated. His lawyer, Eka Beselia, said that Mirtskhulava refused to make a deal with prosecutors and …
New Opposition Movement Established
On March 30 a new opposition public movement, the People?s Forum for Welfare and Democracy (PFWD), was established. Leader of the Traditionalists Party Akaki Asatiani, who was Saakashvili?s ally during the Rose Revolution, economic analyst Niko Orvelashvili of the Institute of Economic Development, as well as some other influential politicians are the founders of this new movement, …
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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)