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Übersicht >>Archiv - frühere Nachrichten >>Archiv - spätere Nachrichten| 31 Dec. '10 | Russ.
Außenminister Lavrov zu den Beziehungen mit Georgien: “Wir wollen und
sind bereit, in einer Weise zu handeln, so dass Barrieren abgebaut
werden, welche Kontakte von Person zu Person behindern.”
Russia’s
Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, said Moscow was ready to foster
people-to-people contacts between Georgia and Russia, but as far as
state-to-state ties are concerned, he said, Moscow hoped that the
Georgian people would elect new leaders, who would know how to build
relations with neighbors.
“It was not us, who have cut diplomatic
relations, even after President Saakashvili ordered to attack South
Ossetia. After this attack was repelled and stopped, we were not
offering to cut diplomatic relations – it was President Saakashvili, who
did it,” Lavrov said in an interview with Russian state-run news
channel Rossiya-24, aired on December 30.
“But we are pragmatics and
we understand that the Georgian people are friendly people to us, that
majority of the Georgian citizens has this stance and we are open for
contacts, which will help people to feel some kind of relief, involving
direct flights, opening of Verkhny Lars [border-crossing point] which
was put into operation after the repair works; we were ready for that
[reopening of border-crossing point] and it is good that the Georgian
leadership did not politicized this issue; it also involves many other
issues, first of all related to humanitarian relations,” he said.
“We
want and we are ready to act in a way so that to remove barriers, which
are impeding people-to-people contacts. There will be a result if there
are these kinds of contacts.”
“As far as the current leadership of
Georgia is concerned, assessment of the Russian Federation are well
known: we hope that the day will come when the Georgian people elects
leadership, which will take care of national interests of its state,
instead of [taking care] of geopolitical games and a leader, who will
take care of relations with neighbors, who will know how to build
relations with the neighbors based on mutual respect and equality and
who will know taking into consideration interests of all the peoples
living in the region,” Lavrov said.
|
| 23 Dec. '10 | US-Botschafter John Bass sagt über georgische Medien, dass es zu wenig investigativen Journalismus gebe
John
Bass, the U.S. ambassador in Tbilisi, said Georgian media lacked
investigative journalism about government’s activities that over time
could be damaging for democracy development.
“I think the state of
media in Georgia is, what I would call, work in progress, where there is
clearly wide range of viewpoints available for the public, but not
necessarily an objective approach to the variety of issues or a range of
opinions being expressed on specific channels or shows,” the U.S.
ambassador said.
“I think there is a lack of investigative journalism
about the activities of government and about the intersection of
government and business in this country that over time could be
corrosive to the development of the democratic society. That is
something we will continue to work on,” he said and added, that the U.S.
would continue its assistance in development of free media as part of
the efforts to help strengthen Georgia’s democracy.
The U.S.
ambassador made the remarks in the town of Gori on December 22 after
visiting a local TV station Trialeti, which has accused the authorities
for number of times this year of exerting pressure on its management and
journalists.
Ambassador Bass said that he had heard concerns
expressed by Trialeti TV journalists about pressure they were
experiencing when trying to ask hard questions and when focusing on
issue that the authorities were not particularly pleased to be aired.
“Those
depictions concern me and I’ll be looking into those allegations and
talking with authorities about how to improve environment and climate
for journalists working in Georgia,” the U.S. ambassador said.
While
investigative reports, mainly produced by independent studios funded by
foreign donor organizations, are aired on Tbilisi-based Maestro and
sometimes on Kavkasia television stations, the nation-wide broadcasters,
including the Georgian Public Broadcaster, have no investigative pieces
in their programming.
Gia Chanturia, the general director of the
public broadcaster, pledged when he was running for the post in August,
2009 to launch investigative reports – the promise, which has not yet
been delivered.
|
| 16 Dec. '10 | Tbilisi
fragt Moskau an, bei der Verhaftung und Vernehmung von zwei georgischen
und einem russischen Bürger zu helfen, welche von Tbilisi der
Organisation der Anschläge in Georgien zwischen September und November
verdächtig werden
Georgia requested Moscow to help in detention
and interrogation of two Georgian and one Russian citizen, which Tbilisi
suspects of organizing blasts in Georgia between September and
November.
“In particular we are requesting them to help us in
detention of two citizens of Georgia, who are currently on the territory
of Abkhazia, as well as to detain accused [Yevgeny] Borisov and to
interrogate them in presence of the Georgian law enforcement officers,”
Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister, said on December
16.
Alleged perpetrators behind the blasts, according to the Georgian
Interior Ministry, acted under the instructions of Russian military
officer, serving in Abkhazia, Yevgeny Borisov.
Kalandadze said that
Georgia passed a note to Switzerland requesting to solicit for contacts
with the Russian prosecutor’s office. She said that Georgia had also
handed over all the materials of the case to Switzerland.
Switzerland
represents Russia's diplomatic interests in Georgia and Georgia's
interests in Russia after the two countries cut diplomatic ties
following the August, 2008 war.
“Despite tense relations between us,
Russia’s involvement in the investigation will be extremely important,
since the case involves a very grave crime, it has been qualified as a
terrorist act; hence it represents a threat not only for Georgia, but
also for the entire world,” Kalandadze said.
On December 9, two days
after Georgia announced about arrest of six suspects behind the blasts,
the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the explosions were “provocation”
and “show”, demonstrating “unprofessional work of the Georgian special
services.”
|
| 15 Dec. '10 | Civil Georgia im Gespräch mit den drei Beisitzern der Genfer Gespräche: 'Neuer Kontext' für Genfer Gespräche
* 'Non-Use of force pledge in package with int'l security guarantees';
* 'We can cautiously be optimistic';
* 'Flexible informal framework';
* 'Optimistic about OSCE mission’s return in the long run';
Georgia's
unilateral declaration on non-use of force creates "new context", which
can serve to further progress in Geneva Discussions, co-chairs of the
talks, launched two months after the August war, say.
The three
co-chairs of the Geneva discussions, Pierre Morel of EU, Antti Turunen
of UN and Bolat Nurgaliyev, the special envoy of outgoing Kazakh OSCE
chairmanship, spoke on December 7 with Civil.ge about the implications
non-use of force pledge may have on the Geneva discussions, as well as
about the prospects of restoration of OSCE mission in Georgia.
The
diplomats were in Tbilisi after talks in Moscow and also visited
Tskhinvali and Sokhumi in run up to fourteenth round of Geneva talks
planned for December 16.
The following is a transcript of the interview:
Q.:
President Saakashvili made unilateral pledge on non-use of force on
November 23, later reiterated at the OSCE Astana summit. It was then
followed by response from Tskhinvali, Sokhumi and Moscow. This has long
been one of the key issues in Geneva Discussions with the participants
failing to achieve an agreement. What practical meaning this declaration
may have on talks in Geneva and do you think it may be the sign of any
breakthrough?
Pierre Morel: We have taken note and we are not making
statement speaking of a breakthrough. But what is clear is that it is
the main subject on which we've been working for this year. We had
plenty of other subjects, but this question of non-use of force and
international security arrangements has been the matter we have tried to
work very methodically - reviewing different options, getting
proposals, comparing proposals, seeing the pros and cons of different
formulas. So, we think that this work in Geneva, however modest, has
helped to clarify ideas and has led participants [of the Geneva
Discussions] to take the initiative, and indeed the statement by
President Saakashvili is an important initiative. It is interesting to
see that it led the other participants [of the Geneva Discussions] to
react positively and we have now an expanded base for our work. Of
course, all this is taking place just few days before the Geneva
session, and this will be very much in the center of the next session.
Q.:
If there is an agreement between the participants on this issue, it
seems that one of the major controversies in the Geneva discussions will
be removed.
Pierre Morel: Yes, but we've learnt to be
careful. It is very clear that there are different types, modalities of
statement and declaration. Therefore, you have different approaches to
the statement on non-use of force. We have to be precise and to see
where there is convergence and where there is divergence. This is part
of our work and we must progress on this important subject in full
clarity.
All the elements of the text of the statement of President
Saakashvili are not exactly the way they might have been expected from
other participants. But we have clear points of legal nature in this
pledge. This is very important: I mean this is connected to
international law, and now, in a written form. The modalities of the
statement of President Saakashvili will be a matter of discussion, no
doubt.
One year ago, this kind of approach was considered by some as
just impossible; now we have moved. I also need to recall that, for some
participants, the initial line was to say that there is a need for an
agreement and that a statement was not enough; but it was also
recognized by them that a statement would be a good start. That's where
we have to do our further work. Frankly, we have been confronted with a
lot of skepticism on this subject; some would say one year ago that we
were embarking into some kind of philosophical consideration; no, we
have tried to pin down what were the possibilities, the limitations, the
opportunities, and we have been working with all the options. This is
the approach of the Geneva Discussions.
‘We Can Cautiously Be Optimistic’
Antti
Turunen: With his [President Saakashvili's] statement and inputs from
Sukhumi and Tskhinvali we now have the material and we can say that the
process is [moving] in right direction with this material we have and we
can cautiously be optimistic. There is a feeling, that all the
participants agree now that the Geneva Discussions are the right format
and it's the only format where these issues are discussed. In that sense
we have achieved a lot and secondly we have also achieved the full
functioning of the IPRM [Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism] -
both of these mechanisms, not only the Gali mechanism [referring to
regular meetings held in Gali, breakaway Abkhazia], but also the Ergneti
mechanism [referring to regular meetings in frames of IPRM held in a
village on the administrative border of breakaway South Ossetia] - are
positive steps forward.
I think we have all chances and also
challenges to take the next step forward and try to formulate something,
which is common, not only individual statements.
Q.: Mr. Morel said,
while speaking about President Saakashvili's declaration, that it might
not be what others expected; it seems there are still disagreements
about the form of this non-use of force declaration. One of the recent
proposals put forth by Russia was, that if the parties fail to agree on
signing a legally binding agreements on non-use of force, then let them
separately make unilateral, individual declarations on non-use of force.
Georgia's unilateral declaration is very much similar to what Russia
has been proposing...
Pierre Morel: Yes, indeed. We have said that we
have had different proposals; this was the base of the work of the
co-chairs. Indeed, it can be the first step, and some also would argue
that it should lead to an agreement - but an agreement between whom and
whom and a statement from which participant of the discussions? So we
have clearly taken a new step; we must assess where we are and, once
again, [assess] what is now possible.
Last year, the participants in
Geneva [Discussions] were discussing ideas, launching proposals and
counter-proposals... One year later, after this useful work, we have
statements, including the formal one made by Georgian head of state in a
prestigious place [European Parliament], confirming to major
international interlocutors his position; we have Foreign Ministry
reaction in Russia; we have inputs from Sukhumi and from Tskhinvali; so
we have now a new context. This deserves further analysis.
Q.:
Judging from the Russian leadership's statements, Moscow is not going to
make any such declaration on non-use of force as it considers itself a
mediator and not a party into the conflict. Is this one of the reasons
of your cautious stance?
Pierre Morel: This is a matter of
discussion already [since] the last year. We continue to look after this
dimension. We were discussing that in a context of drafts put on table
between the participants; now we have new developments, which have taken
place on the international level with the legal dimension. So let's
reconsider this point further.
Antti Turunen: Both the substance and
the format - everything is to be discussed; the format [is] also
including possible guarantees of international security arrangements -
all this is part of the package. We are just approaching this with
cautious steps, and let's see how it functions.
'Non-Use of Force Pledge and Int'l Security Guarantees Should Go Hand in Hand'
Q.:
You mentioned international security guarantees. The document, which
the co-chairs have developed known as "basic elements of a framework for
an agreement on the non-use of force and international security
arrangements", is this something in which you tried to combine the key
positions of the participants - on the one hand calls for non-use of
force and on the other - Tbilisi's insistence on creating international
security guarantees in the breakaway regions?
Pierre Morel: This is
how you start; when you have different points of view and you have
people seating around the table, looking for means to improve security -
let's identify all the options; so, you first have to do a checklist in
order to review all the dimensions. In this deepening of the
discussion, we have stressed, again and again, with all the
participants, that if you want to work on non-use of force, you have
also to work on the international security arrangements, which are
connected with non-use of force.
Non-use of force is not the kind of
concept which is floating in the air. This is something related to
concrete situations, which implies rules of behavior and guarantees and
consequences on the ground. Otherwise, why should one enter into this
complex exercise? This is meant to improve real security; therefore, as
soon as you begin to work on this legal and commitment dimensions, you
must look at the guarantees and modalities.
So we have always spoken
of "non-use of force and international security arrangements". If
partners, interlocutors are ready to commit themselves, they also look
into the modalities in which this can be secured and can be prevented
from non-compliance or failure.
Q.: So these two – non-use of force and international security guarantees - go hand in hand.
Pierre Morel: Yes, exactly.
‘Flexible Informal Framework’
Q.: Who are the mediators in the Geneva discussions?
Pierre Morel: Well, let's not be trapped by the words, this would be my first reaction.
As
you know, the Geneva discussions started on October 15, 2008 - two
months after the war. That was part of August 12 agreement and
complementary arrangements of September 8. We started from scratch in
the sense that Georgia has withdrawn from the former Moscow and Sochi
agreements; therefore, we had no real precedents. We started in a new
context and we had therefore to elaborate our framework. Thus, we shaped
this formula of co-chairs, which is linking the three organizations
[UN, OSCE, EU]. Since the start, we have been working the same way,
shaping further our system.
As a part of this mission, we have paid
regular visits to all participants, and you can call this a mediation
role. But, usually, when you look at international norms, it is done
within certain rules or under the aegis of one organization or with a
formal agreement between the different parties to the conflict. We have
not gone through too many procedural steps. We've had guidelines, and
our mandate is based on the August 12 agreement. With the consent of all
the participants in this rather flexible informal framework of the
Geneva Discussions, we have tried to push as far as possible the work.
There are about 60 people meeting every two months. Work is going on
between the sessions, we do not stop [between them], this is our rule as
co-chairs; our respective teams are constantly involved and this is
what we have elaborated.
We will not put ourselves into some kind of
specific category, because we keep this informal character; it's called
Geneva Discussions, it's not negotiations. So in that respect, I
understand your need to qualify things more precisely...
Q.: I'm
asking this because Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, said just
recently "Russia, US, EU, OSCE and UN act there as mediators"...
Pierre
Morel: We would not enter into this kind of characterization. We start
from what we have - the mission we have received - and we try to push it
as far as possible.
Antti Turunen: This process itself hopefully
will really create some kind of peace reconciliation, that's of course
our dream and aim. But at the moment we try to do step-by-step,
facilitating the discussions that we have in Geneva and it's the only
forum for all the participants and it is important achievement in itself
and now we are taking cautiously steps forward and hopefully we can
keep making progress.
Pierre Morel: In other words, we do not have
full-fledged, structured system from the beginning. It was rather
specific base from which we try to extract the maximum. We have had some
results already and some positive impacts on the ground, together with
EUMM [EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia] and with the work we have been
doing between the sessions; this represents certain dynamism, we are
there to further the process, as far as we can.
‘Optimistic about OSCE mission’s return in the long run’
Q.:
OSCE Summit in Astana adopted a Commemorative Declaration, but failed
to adopt a comprehensive action plan with unresolved conflicts
representing key stumbling block. Can you identify briefly what was the
controversy particularly in respect of Georgia?
Bolat Nurgaliyev: The
major controversies were around the status issue of the two entities -
South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Insistence that the fragment on protected
conflicts should be titled 'Conflict in Georgia' was not receiving
consensus among the participating states; that prevented us from putting
[that fragment] in the text; otherwise, other aspects [were] agreed
including to proceed [with the work] within the framework of the Geneva
International Discussions.
But I have to remind that the
concluding part of the Declaration contains instruction to the incoming
chairmanship of the OSCE to proceed working on the Action Plan taking
into consideration what has already been discussed during preparation of
the summit, plus the proposals and specific ideas, which were put
forward during the summit and in the speeches of heads of government and
heads of state.
Q.: There have been calls by number of western
leaders at the Astana summit for re-establishment of the OSCE mission in
Georgia. The previous, OSCE Greek chairmanship in 2009, was putting
forth proposal in this respect. What were the Kazakh chairmanship’s
efforts in this regard, what kind of proposals, if any, have been
discussed and do you foresee any progress in this regard?
Bolat
Nurgaliyev: Of course we were very keen to ensure the continuity of the
preceding efforts and we picked from where our Greek colleagues left
that particular set of issues - it's not just one issue, it's also the
essence of what the mission of the OSCE should be doing in the region.
We
were trying to adjust ideas put forward by different participants. For
example: something is not acceptable to all the sides, then what about
this, what about that - and this took quite a long time, because
[during] each occasion we had the request for timeout for consideration
of fresh proposals.
But I think, more or less, the formula on which
we will be proceeding to concentrate our efforts - Kazakhstan being the
member of "OSCE Troika", will also be providing its own input, but now
the leading role will be passed to the Lithuanian chairmanship - this
way or other way, I am pretty optimistic that we will have an OSCE
presence. But, of course, that will need further tries and in the long
run I am sure that we will restore a meaningful and useful presence of
the OSCE, which will continue to play its role in the Geneva
International Discussions, as well as its engagement in implementation
of specific projects, which were discussed yesterday here in Tbilisi and
today in Tskhinvali.
Q.: You said you are optimistic about restoration of OSCE presence in Georgia; what is this optimism based on?
Bolat
Nurgaliyev: I've never heard that there is no need for that [mission
in Georgia] and the acceptance of the projects that we are discussing,
which have a direct bearing on everyday life of population of the region
is the proof that we will be definitely having a field mission. But how
it is going to be, on what footing - that is subject of further
deliberation; the matter in principle is accepted; the devil is in
details, but these details, I am sure, will be worked out.
Q.: There
have been talks on launch of EU-funded and OSCE-implemented
rehabilitation project in breakaway South Ossetia [if launched it will
be the first of this kind since the August, 2008 war], involving repair
works on Zonkari dam. Are there any tangible signs that this project
will be launched?
Bolat Nurgaliyev: Yes, we strongly hope that it's
going to be this way, because there were some technical issues, which we
had to clear; we seem to have come to understanding. Money is there,
the technical feasibility has been studied. Now it's a matter of signing
the contract and starting actual work. We were insisting that it should
start as soon as possible given the winter’s coming and if it is
snowing, maybe, there will be a delay, but that will be a delay caused
by force majeure.
|
| 14 Dec. '10 | Russisches Außenministerium kritisiert den Resolutionsentwurf des US-Senat
Tbilisis
Versuch, den Vorkriegszustand wiederherzustellen, sei "illusorisch".
Moskau sei bereit, zu "gleichen und konstruktiven" Beziehungen zwischen
"diesen Staaten" beizutragen, einschließlich dazu beizutragen, ein
Gewaltverzichtsabkommen unter ihnen zu unterzeichnen.
A draft
resolution, initiated in the U.S. Senate and calling for recognition of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia as Georgia’s territories “occupied” by
Russia, is “illogical”, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on December
13.
“We of course do not question the right of American lawmakers to
give their own assessment to the situation in the region, but at the
same time we have to note with regret, that the draft resolution, as
well as positions of many members of the Congress ignores new reality,
which has emerged after Saakashvili’s regime unleashed aggression in
August, 2008,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“As a
result of these actions – few doubt that it was Tbilisi, which
unleashed the aggression – independent states have emerged – Abkhazia
and South Ossetia. Still considering them [Abkhazia and South Ossetia]
as ‘regions of Georgia occupied by the Russian Federation’ is, to say
the least, incorrect and illogical,” it said.
The Russian Foreign
Ministry also said that Tbilisi’s attempts to restore pre-war status quo
were “illusive.” It also said that Moscow was ready to contribute to
building of “equal and constructive” relations between “these states”,
including through signing between them a non-use of force agreements.
“We
hope, that the American Senators will take into consideration these
indisputable facts while assessing situation in Georgia and around
Georgia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
|
| 13 Dec. '10 | Außenminister der EU und der 'östlichen Partner' treffen sich in Brüssel
“Die
Minister betonten die Notwendigkeit, weitere Fortschritte zu machen,
insbesondere bei Verhandlungen zu Assoziationsabkommen einschließlich
von Freihandelszonen."
... Wikileaks: Nach der Aussage eines
EU-Diplomaten betrachte Russland die Initiative "östliche Partnerschaft"
als antirussisch. ...
|
| 11 Dec. '10 | Senator McCain ruft die Obama-Regierung dazu auf, dass die USA den Verkauf defensiver Waffen an Georgien wiederaufnehmen
Washington
solle Radar-Frühwarnsysteme an Georgien liefern. Er rief in seiner rede
zu einem "größeren Sinn für Realismus in der Betrachtung von Russland"
auf.
U.S.
Republican Sen. John McCain has again called on the Obama administration
“to resume the sale of defensive arms to Georgia”, saying that
Washington should at least provide Tbilisi with early warning radars.
“For
two years, mostly out of deference to Russia, defensive arms sales have
not been authorized for Georgia. This has to change. At a minimum we
should provide Georgia with early warning radars and other basic
capabilities to strengthen its defenses,” he told an audience at the
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies on December 10. U.S. Sen. John McCain Spoke at SAIS on December 10 - School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
Sen. McCain voiced the similar call in his opinion piece in the Washington Post in August, 2010.
McCain,
who in the speech called for “greater sense of realism about Russia”,
said that Washington needed to deal with Russia “more as the modest
power it is, not the great power it once was.”
“What that means, in
part, is being more assertive in the defense of our interests and
values,” he continued. “For starters, we need to resume the sale of
defensive arms to Georgia.”
“Our allies in central and eastern Europe
view Georgia as a test case of whether the United States will stand by
them or not. Russia views Georgia as a test case, too – of how much it
can get away with in Georgia, and if there then elsewhere. It is the
policy of our government to support Georgia’s aspiration to join NATO.
Sen.
McCain’s remarks seem to reflect discussions, which apparently are
still ongoing in Washington about the scope of military cooperation with
Georgia. Earlier this month two classified diplomatic dispatches from
series of leaked U.S. embassy cables gave a rare glimpse of such
discussions.
According to other leaked cable, sent from U.S. embassy
in Tbilisi in November 2009, Georgia’s Foreign Minister, Grigol
Vashadze, allegedly termed the country’s problem related to procurement
of arms as “silent embargo”.
|
| 11 Dec. '10 | Entwurf einer Resolution zu Georgien im US-Senat initiiert:
Draft of Resolution on Georgia Initiated in U.S. Senate
Draft - S.RES.698
A
resolution expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the
territorial integrity of Georgia and the situation within Georgia's
internationally recognized borders
Whereas, since 1993, the
territorial integrity of Georgia has been reaffirmed by the
international community and 36 United Nations Security Council
resolutions;
Whereas the Helsinki Final Act resulting from the
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1975 states that
parties ‘‘shall regard as inviolable all one another’s frontiers’’ and
that ‘‘participating States will likewise refrain from making each
other’s territory the object of military occupation’’;
Whereas the
United States-Georgia Strategic Charter, signed on January 9, 2009,
underscores that ‘‘support for each other’s sovereignty, independence,
territorial integrity and inviolability of borders constitutes the
foundation of our bilateral relations’’;
Whereas, in October 2010, at
the meeting of the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic
Partnership, Secretary of State Clinton stated, ‘‘The United States will
not waiver in its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity’’;
Whereas the White House released a fact sheet on July
24, 2010, calling for ‘‘Russia to end its occupation of the Georgian
territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia’’ and for ‘‘a return of
international observers to the two occupied regions of Georgia’’;
Whereas
Vice President Joseph Biden stated in Tbilisi in July 2009 that the
United States ‘‘will not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as
independent states’’ and went on to ‘‘urge the world not to recognize
[Abkhazia and South Ossetia] as independent states’’;
Whereas the
August 2008 conflict between the Governments of Russia and Georgia
resulted in civilian and military causalities, the violation of the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and large numbers of
internally-displaced persons;
Whereas the August 12, 2008, ceasefire
agreement, agreed to by the Governments of Russia and Georgia, provides
that all Russian troops shall be withdrawn to pre-conflict positions;
Whereas
the August 12, 2008, ceasefire agreement provides that free access
shall be granted to organizations providing humanitarian assistance in
regions affected by violence in August 2008;
Whereas the
International Crisis Group concluded in its June 7, 2010, report on
South Ossetia that ‘‘Moscow has not kept important ceasefire commitments
and some 20,000 ethnic Georgians from the region remain forcibly
displaced’’;
Whereas Human Rights Watch concluded in its World Report
2010 that ‘‘Russia continued to exercise effective control over South
Ossetia and. . . Abkhazia, preventing international observers’ access
and vetoing international missions working there’’;
Whereas, in October 2010, Russian troops withdrew from the small Georgian village of Perevi;
Whereas
the withdrawal of Russian troops from Perevi is a positive step, but it
does not constitute compliance with the terms of the August 2008
Russia-Georgia ceasefire agreement;
Whereas, on November 23, 2010,
before the European Parliament, Georgian President Saakashvili committed
Georgia to not use force to restore control over the Georgian
territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
Whereas Secretary of State
Clinton stated in Tbilisi on July 5, 2010, ‘‘We continue to call for
Russia to abide by the August 2008 cease-fire commitment. . . including
ending the occupation and withdrawing Russian troops from South Ossetia
and Abkhazia to their pre-conflict positions.’’;
Whereas the Russian
Federation vetoed the extension of the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Georgia and the United Nations
Observer Mission in Georgia, forcing the missions to withdraw from the
regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia;
Whereas Russian troops
stationed in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia continue to be
present without a mandate from the United Nations or other multilateral
organizations;
Whereas the Senate supports United States efforts to
develop a productive relationship with the Russian Federation in areas
of mutual interest, including non-proliferation and arms control,
cooperation concerning the failure of the Government of Iran to meet its
international obligations with regard to its nuclear programs,
counter-terrorism, Afghanistan, anti-piracy, economics and trade, and
others; and
Whereas the Senate agrees that these efforts must not
compromise longstanding United States policy, principles of the Helsinki
Final Act, and United States support for United States allies and
partners worldwide: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate
(1)
affirms that it is the policy of the United States to support the
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Georgia and the
inviolability of its borders and to recognize the areas of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia as regions of Georgia occupied by the Russian Federation;
(2)
calls upon the Government of Russia to take steps to fulfill all the
terms and conditions of the 2008 ceasefire agreements, including
returning military forces to pre-war positions and ensuring access to
international humanitarian aid to all those affected by the conflict;
(3)
urges the Government of Russia and the de facto authorities in the
regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to allow for the full and
dignified return of internally-displaced persons and international
observer missions to the territories of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia;
(4)
supports constructive engagement and confidence-building measures
between the Government of Georgia and the de facto authorities in the
regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia; and
(5) affirms that the path
to lasting stability in this region is through peaceful means and
long-term diplomatic and political dialogue.
|
| 11 Dec. '10 | 'Resolution zur Okkupation' im US-Senat initiiert
Die
demokratische Senatorin Jeanne Shaheen hat eine Resolution verfaßt, die
Georgiens territoriale Integrität und die Anerkennung von Abchasien und
Südossetien als von Russland besetzte Regionen unterstützt. Russland
auch aufgerufen, das Waffenstillstandsabkommen von 2008 vollständig zu
erfüllen.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire has
crafted a resolution supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and
recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as regions “occupied by the
Russian Federation”.
The draft titled “Expressing the sense of the
Senate with respect to the territorial integrity of Georgia and the
situation within Georgia’s internationally recognized borders” was
referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on December 9,
according to Sen. Shaheen’s website.
The Georgian authorities are
actively lobbying for this type of resolution, that would refer to
Abkhazia and South Ossetia as occupied regions, in Washington and other
western capitals, describing the effort as part of “de-occupation
policy”.
The draft resolution, which Tbilisi hopes will be passed
sometime early next year, “affirms that it is the policy of the United
States to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial
integrity of Georgia and the inviolability of its borders and to
recognize the areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as regions of Georgia
occupied by the Russian Federation.”
It also calls on Russia to fully
comply with its 2008 ceasefire agreements and urges Moscow, Tskhinvali
and Sokhumi “to allow for the full and dignified return of
internally-displaced persons and international observer missions.”
The
draft also “affirms that the path to lasting stability in this region
is through peaceful means and long-term diplomatic and political
dialogue.”
Georgia’s Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for
Euro-Atlantic Integration, Giorgi Baramidze, who is now visiting
Washington, said that the document “can be called ‘a resolution on
occupation’.”
“It will strengthen Georgia’s position in struggle for Georgia’s de-occupation,” Baramidze said.
Georgian
Parliamentary Chairman, Davit Bakradze, said on December 10, that the
resolution would be “the highest degree of guarantee, both from the
political and legal point of view, that the policy and the position of
the United States will be very clear-cut” in respect of Georgia and its
occupied territories.
“[The resolution means] that this policy and
position of the U.S. will be directed only towards de-occupation of
Georgia, only towards maintaining Georgia’s territorial integrity and
that this policy will not be changed in the future,” Bakradze said in
televised remarks.
“Legislative bodies of many other countries will
also pass resolution of this kind, which will of course put Russia into a
very uncomfortable, morally and politically difficult situation,” MP
Petre Tsiskarishvili, the parliamentary majority leader, said on
December 10.
Sponsor of the resolution, Sen. Shaheen, together with
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, is a co-chair of Georgia Task Force at
the U.S. think-tank Atlantic Council. This bipartisan task force is
expected to produce a report with recommendations for U.S. policy on
Georgia.
On December 10 the Atlantic Council held an off-the-record
roundtable discussion with Baramidze to discuss, during which he spoke
of Georgia’s current priorities in NATO-Georgia relations.
Georgia’s NATO membership was one of the issues, which Baramidze was discussing in Washington.
“We
should know the U.S. position on how Georgia can become NATO member. We
have already heard from NATO for three times that Georgia will become
NATO member and there is no question mark about it anymore. Now we need
the U.S. administration’s very clear position” in respect of outlining
the concrete steps on how to achieve this goal, Baramidze told Rustavi 2
TV on December 9.
|
| 10 Dec. '10 | Vorsitzender des nationalen Sicherheitsrates Giga Bokeria trifft Irakli Alasania
Irakli
Alasania, leader of opposition Our Georgia-Free Democrats (OGFD) party,
met with newly appointed secretary of National Security Council (NSC),
Giga Bokeria, on December 10.
OGFD said its leader wanted to receive
information about the government’s plans to address problems of
residents living in the areas adjacent to breakaway South Ossetia’s
administrative border.
Alasania visited some of those villages of the
Shida Kartli region last week and criticized the authorities for paying
no attention to the needs of local residents there, saying that because
of government’s “irresponsible policy” those villages face the threat
of being disserted.
In a letter sent to President Saakashvili on
December 6, Alasania called on the authorities to allocate at least GEL
15 million to provide social assistance to the residents of about 80
villages during the winter period. Alasania also said in the same
latter, that the President’s pledge two months ago to provide those
villages with flour and firewood had not been delivered.
OGFD said that during the meeting Bokeria and Alasania also discussed country’s security-related issues.
|
| 10 Dec. '10 | Acht neue Botschafter ernannt
The
Parliament approved on December 10 Georgia’s new ambassadors to
Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia,
Sweden, Egypt and Syria, as well as a representative to the Council of
Europe.
Teimuraz Sharashenidze, who most recently served as Georgia’s consul to Istanbul, was approved as ambassador to Azerbaijan.
Georgia’s
former ambassador in Baku served on the post only for two months before
resigning in January, 2010 for the reasons, which have never been made
public. In April, 2010 the Georgian Parliament approved on the
ambassadorial post to Azerbaijan a ruling party lawmaker Irakli
Kavtaradze, a deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee for foreign
relations. He, however, has not taken the post; it was reported in the
Georgian and Azerbaijani press that Baku refused to accept the Georgian
ambassador-designate. But the official explanation by Tbilisi was that
although MP Kavtaradze was approved on the post by the legislative body,
later the decision was revised and decided to keep Kavtaradze in the
Parliament.
In other changes in the diplomatic corps Zurab
Tchiaberashvili, Georgia’s permanent representative to the
Strasbourg-based Council of Europe (CoE), was replaced by his deputy
Mamuka Zhgenti; Tchiaberashvili was approved as ambassador to
Switzerland, replacing Giorgi Gorgiladze, who became Georgian ambassador
to Portugal.
Georgian former ambassador to Poland Kote Kavtaradze
became ambassador to Sweden. In Poland he was replaced by Nikoloz
Nikolozishvili, former ambassador to Slovakia and Slovenia.
Former
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Nalbandov was approved as an
ambassador to Slovakia and Slovenia. It is not yet known, who will
replace him on the post of deputy foreign minister.
Archil
Dzuliashvili, who served as Georgia’s consul in Kuwait, Bahrain and
Qatar, became Georgian ambassador to Egypt and Syria, replacing Gocha
Japaridze, who served on this position since March 2009.
Earlier this week the Parliament also approved new ambassadors to Armenia, Mexico and Brazil.
|
| 10 Dec. '10 | Russisches Außenministerium: Gewaltverzichtsversprechen 'schaffen eine neue Situation'
President
Saakashvili’s non-use of force pledge, followed by similar commitments
by Abkhaz and South Ossetian leaders, “create new situation in the
region,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on December 9.
The
statement, which is about the upcoming fourteenth round of Geneva talks
planned for December 16, also says that this issue of non-use of force
pledges “will undoubtedly become main issue” discussed within the
security working group in frames of the Geneva talks.
“It is planned
to attentively study and discuss the approaches set out in the [non-use
of force] statements and to consider the possibility of their legal
reinforcement by the international community with the help of available
instruments,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“The Russian side is disposed to continue discussions at Geneva in a constructive spirit,” it said.
|
| 10 Dec. '10 | EUMM äußert sich über den Weg, wie Informationen aus dem Mechanismus zur Krisenprävention weitergeleitet werden
EUMM
sagt weiterhin, dass sie nicht in einer Position sei, die Beteiligung
Russlands in den letzten Anschlägen zu bestätigen oder abzustreiten.
EU
Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) said that “contrary to recent
press reports” it was not in a position to confirm or deny the claims of
Russian involvement in any of the explosions that occurred in Georgia
in recent few months.
“The Mission has not conducted an investigation
into these events as it is not in its mandate to do so,” EUMM said in a
statement on December 9.
Georgia's evidence, through which Tbilisi
claims that an Abkhazia-based Russian army officer was behind series of
explosions and one failed blast attempt, include, among others, an
inquiry made by Russian forces in Abkhazia via hotline asking EUMM about
explosion, which never happened.
The Georgian Interior Ministry
released an e-mail received from EUMM confirming to the ministry that it
received such inquiry through a hotline from the Russian forces in
Abkhazia. The Georgian Interior Ministry suggested that those who made
the inquiry had prior knowledge that the blast was intended on a railway
in western Georgia. Rustavi 2 TV’s December 7 report on the case said
the e-mail from EUMM “confirms once again that implementation of the
task [carrying out explosions] is under personal control of the Russian
special services.”
“The Mission provided information from the log of
the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) hotline for 3
October to the Georgian Ministry of the Interior as part of the normal
hotline procedure. Information from the hotline is available to all the
participants. The hotline plays an important role in the sharing of
information and de-escalating tensions,” the statement reads.
|
| 9 Dec. '10 | Georgien im globalen Korruptionsbarometer
Dreiviertel
der Befragten sagen, dass die Regierung Korruption "effektiv" oder
"sehr effektive" bekämpfe und Korruption in den letzten drei Jahren
"zurückging" oder "stark zurückging".
Georgia has the highest rate of
respondents, among 86 countries, who say that their government’s
efforts to fight corruption have been effective, according to a survey
by Transparency International.
According to the 2010 Global Corruption Barometer,
which measures public perception of corruption in their respective
countries, 77% of respondents said that the Georgian government
has been “effective” or “extremely effective” in fighting
corruption.
Opinion poll in Georgia was carried out in Tbilisi by GORBI in which 500 respondents were interviewed this June.
With
78%, Georgia has by far the highest rate of people stating that
corruption has “decreased a lot” or “decreased” in the past three
years, according to the survey.
According to the survey, the
government is seen by 56% of respondents as the most trusted
institution to fight corruption in Georgia and only 2% named the media
as the most trusted institution in this regard.
Political parties
and the judiciary remain the institutions that are perceived as most
corrupt with 2.9 points each on a scale from 1 to 5, wherein 1 is not
corrupt and 5 – very corrupt; these two institutions are followed by
public officials with 2.7 points; Parliament with 2.6 points; business
and media with 2.4 points each.
The Georgian church, military and
police are regarded as the least corrupt institutions with 1.4; 1.8 and
2.1 points, respectively, followed by NGOs with 2.2 points.
The 2010
Global Corruption Barometer surveys more than 91,000 people in 86
countries and territories. It focuses on petty bribery, perceptions of
public institutions and views of whom people trust to combat corruption.
According
to the survey, worldwide six out of 10 people say corruption has
increased over the last three years and one in four people report paying
bribes in the last year.
|
| 9 Dec. '10 | Russisches
Außenministerium nennt die Anschläge vor kurzem, die nach Tbilisi von
einem russischen Armeeoffizier federführend gelenkt wurden,
"Provokation" und "Show" der Regierung
The Russian Foreign
Ministry said on December 9, that recent explosions in Georgia, which
Tbilisi said were masterminded by a Russian army officer serving in
Abkhazia, were “a provocation” and “show” staged by the Georgian
authorities themselves.
“An ordinary show, staged by the authorities
in Tbilisi could have caused a smile to sober minded people if not a
report about the death of an elderly woman. First of all it indicates on
unprofessional work of the Georgian special services,” the Russian
Foreign Ministry said referring to an explosion on November 28 which
killed a women in one of the central parts of Tbilisi.
“The world has
got accustomed to reports coming from Tbilisi about ‘attempts of the
Russian occupants’ to destabilize situation. These stories are becoming
less and less credible.”
“But this latest fiction by Saakashvili’s
regime has a special provocative pattern. An attempt to sow seeds of
discord with our leading international partners can be traced in this
recent case,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, apparently referring to
the fact that one of the explosions took place about 100 meters from
the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi on September 22.
“It is obvious for us,
that ahead of next round of the Geneva Discussions on Transcaucasus,
President of Georgia wants to attract attention to himself as the leader
of ‘the most democratic and successful state’ on the post-Soviet space,
which is hindered by certain ‘evil forces’ in its further development,”
it said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry was apparently referring to
Saakashvili’s one of the public statements in which he said in early
September, that Georgia had turned into “Russia's major competitor in
the post-Soviet space in terms of model of development; the major
competitor in the sphere of ideology.”
The Georgian Interior Ministry
said on December 7, that it arrested six people in connection to five
blasts in Tbilisi and one failed attempt of explosion in western
Georgia. It said that key suspects were acting under the instructions of
a Russian military officer serving in breakaway Abkhazia.
|
| 9 Dec. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili spricht über Abchasien in der UN-Klimakonferenz in Cancun
President
Saakashvili told the climate conference in Cancun, Mexico that in
“occupied region of Abkhazia the Black Sea coast has been experiencing
abrasion due to the devastating practices of the occupying power and its
proxy regime.”
“Their mining of inert materials from the Gumista
River construction projects related to the Sochi Olympics has resulted
in landslides and degradation of the microclimate,” he said while
addressing the conference.
“Their illegal search for oil in the Black
Sea, in the territorial waters of Georgia, is done in a total blackout,
without any legitimate authority being able to check the impact on the
environment,” Saakashvili continued. “This is extremely alarming. What
is most unfortunate is that we are unable to halt these disturbing
practices due to the ongoing occupation and the violation of all
cease-fire agreements.”
He also told the conference, that the global warming was “a challenge for humankind”.
“Our
overarching goal in Georgia is to show that lowering our consumption of
fossil fuels can help us increase growth-and can do so in a sustainable
way,” Saakashvili said.
Remarks of H.E. President Mikheil Saakashvili:
16th Conference of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
Cancun, Mexico
8 December 2010
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
Allow me to deliver my speech in Spanish, in honor of our Mexican hosts.
It is a great honor for me to be here at the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
I
will try to share with you Georgia's vision on how a little country
like ours can be a laboratory for how to confront climate change and
work on sustainable development.
But first, allow me to thank our Mexican hosts and all of you for the progress made during the conference.
There
were fears that Cancun, after the disappointment of Copenhagen, would
be a summit marked by little hope and low aspirations.
We must
congratulate the Mexican Government, and in particular the President of
the Conference, Ms. Patricia Espinosa, for their extraordinary work in
rejuvenating these global climate talks. I also am very pleased by the
appointment of Ms. Christiana Figueres as the Executive Secretary.
The
conference, of course, is not over, but Cancun has the potential to
mark a new beginning in our common pursuit of a low-carbon era.
We
are near agreements on the REDD framework for compensating developing
nations for preserving forests, as a well as on a "Green Fund" that will
channel billions to poor nations to help them adapt to climate impacts,
adopt low-carbon technology from developed countries, and convert to
cleaner energy sources.
In a more ideal world, of course, the
Copenhagen Accord would have been achieved last December and we would be
gathering here in the aftermath of success.
As you know, Georgia is and remains a strong supporter of the Copenhagen Accord.
We
believe that the time has past for a debate on whether the world needs
to address climate change; the only question we now face is how to do
so.
We also believe strongly that a low-carbon world not only benefits the environment, but also help decrease regional tensions.
After
all, our country lies at a crossroads of global energy supplies, a
region where oil and gas have helped fuel conflicts for more than a
century. Building up local, renewable sources can help ensure that
energy is not used as a political tool. Doing so in close cooperation
with neighboring countries, as Georgia does, creates greater regional
stability.
Immediately after Copenhagen, Georgia formally affiliated
with the Copenhagen Accord and we fully support the implementation of
its provisions. We also believe in the absolute necessity of continuing
the UNFCCC process, and we're confident in a balanced outcome that
reflects the guiding principle of common but differentiated
responsibilities.
in addition to the question of CO2 emmisions it is
time to start working and finding solutions for other environmental and
sustainibility issues.
Although Georgia is a small country, we
believe we can have a large impact, especially in our region-one that
has suffered from environmental degradation, as well as oppression and
instability.
Ecological concerns and policies are not reserved to big
and wealthy members of the Northern World: transitional democracies,
emerging countries, small republics can do their part. In fact, they
should see the green ambition as the key for their development and their
stability.
In the global fight against climate change, these
countries have a critical role to play as laboratories for
innovation-testing new ideas, setting ambitious targets, and serving as a
model for others.
Our overarching goal in Georgia is to show that
lowering our consumption of fossil fuels can help us increase growth-and
can do so in a sustainable way.
We are bringing the same resolve to
this initiative as we have brought to the reform of our economy, our
institutions and our political sphere.
Georgia already has taken
concrete steps in combating climate change. Tbilisi, our capital, has
joined the "Covenant of Mayors Initiative of the European Union" to
significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. It is the first
capital of the region to join the initiative.
Perhaps most
important, Georgia is making great strides in developing its renewable
energy program. We have established a friendly investment environment
that has led to billions being poured into renewable energy sources,
especially hydropower.
As a result of our rapid progress, already
more than 80 percent of the electricity production in Georgia comes from
renewable sources. In fact, we are exporting renewable energy to our
neighbors, and we will eventually transmit it through Turkey to the
European Union. This will enable us to achieve our goal of establishing
Georgia as the first large-scale renewable energy exporter to Europe.
Our
renewable energy initiatives can be complemented by large-scale
initiatives to grow our forests and advance carbon sequestration
activities, both of which will need the support of the international
community.
These programs could allow natural forests to constitute
as much as 10 percent of Georgia's territory, offering significant
economic and environment benefits. Efforts such as these also will lead
to the rehabilitation of degraded soils and vegetation cover, the
protection of watersheds, and greater local employment.
In addition
to these evolutions, we are launching a program that will lead to a
cleaner transport industry. And public institutions will play the role
of example. Georgia's government will, starting from this year, replace
official traditional cars by electric ones.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I
cannot end my speech without noting that there are man-made challenges
to our climate that would be easy to stop and that we must not ignore. I
have to point there to the tragic situation of Georgia's currently
occupied region of Abkhazia, where the Black Sea coast has been
experiencing abrasion due to the devastating practices of the occupying
power and its proxy regime.
Their mining of inert materials from the
Gumista River construction projects related to the Sochi Olympics has
resulted in landslides and degradation of the microclimate.
Their
illegal search for oil in the Blacksea, in the territorial waters of
Georgia, is done in a total blackout, without any legitimate authority
being able to check the impact on the environment.
This is
extremely alarming. What is most unfortunate is that we are unable to
halt these disturbing practices due to the ongoing occupation and the
violation of all cease-fire agreements.
Ladies and gentlemen-
Global warming is a challenge for humankind as a whole and requires a response from a united humankind.
We
must act with resolve and determination, setting aside our short-term
interests, our actual rivalries or tensions, and taking concrete actions
for our long-term good, for the good of the generations to come.
Thank you.
|
| 8 Dec. '10 | Tbilisi sagt, dass Beweise einen russischen Offizier mit den Explosionen in Tbilisi in Verbindung bringen
Ein in Abchasien stationierter russischer Armeeoffizier, Yevgeny Borisov, soll nach den Beweisen von Tbilisi hinter mehreren Explosionen und einem fehlgeschlagenen Anschlag stecken. Einer
der Beweise neben anderen ist eine Anfrage der russischen Streitkräfte
in Abchasien via Hotline an die EU-Beobachtermission über eine
Explosion, die nie stattfand. Einer der ausführenden Täter habe
den russischen Offizier offensichtlich belogen, dass die Bombe
explodiert sei, aber die georgischen Medien darüber nicht berichtet
hätten. ...
Das russische Verteidigungsministerium weist Tbilisis Behauptungen als "Märchengeschichten" zurück. ...
* A source from Russian MoD rejected Tbilisi’s claims as 'fairy tales'
Georgia's
evidence, through which Tbilisi claims that an Abkhazia-based Russian
army officer was behind series of explosions and one failed blast
attempt in recent few months, include, among others, an inquiry made by
Russian forces in Abkhazia via hotline asking EU Monitoring Mission
about explosion, which never happened.
The Georgian police arrested
on December 4 a group of six people, four man and two women, in
connection to five explosions in Tbilisi in a period between September
and November. At least one arrested suspect, according to the police, is
linked to a failed explosion on a railway bridge in western region of
Samegrelo in early October. Georgia claimed that the group was acting
under the instruction of a Russian military officer, Yevgeny Borisov,
serving in the Russian troops in Abkhazia. Tbilisi, however, stopped
short of directly accusing the Russian leadership of being behind the
blasts and offered Moscow to cooperate in investigation.
In a
videotaped confession, released by the Interior Ministry, one of the key
suspects, Gogita Arkania, says that he and one of his accomplices,
Merab Kolbaia (he is now wanted by the Georgian police, which say that
Kolbaia is hiding in Gali district of Abkhazia), placed an explosive on a
railway bridge at the Chaladidi village of Khobi district on October 2.
But
the explosive failed to detonate and, according to Arkania’s video
testimony, Kolbaia had to lie to his handler, Russian officer, Yevgeny
Borisov, that the bomb went off, but it was not reported by the Georgian
media because the authorities imposed media blackout on the story,
fearing that it could have overshadowed a visit of NATO Secretary
General to Tbilisi a previous day on October 1.
The Interior Ministry
also made public an e-mail received from EU Monitoring Mission in
Georgia (EUMM) informing the ministry that on October 3 it was contacted
via hotline by Lieut. Col. Aleksander Berchenko from the Russian forces
stationed in breakaway Abkhazia asking about alleged train accident,
which occurred on the Senaki-Poti section of the railway causing human
casualties. A Russian contact on hotline, according to this e-mail, was
citing information received from persons who were commuting across the
administrative border. He also requested to pass on the Georgia side
that the Russian side was ready to offer assistance. EUMM has confirmed
to Civil.ge that it had received such inquiry.
Shota Utiashvili, head
of the Georgian Interior Ministry’s information and analytical
department, told Civil.ge on December 8, that the only way for the
Russian army officer, Yevgeny Borisov, to obtain credible information
about whether the explosion occurred or not was via hotline with EUMM.
Utiashvili claims that since the explosion in fact never occurred, it
seemed that those making inquiry to EUMM apparently knew in advance that
the blast was intended.
The Georgian Interior Ministry also said
that key suspects communicated with their Russian handler before and
after every explosion in person or by phone, making calls on a mobile
phone number registered with the Russian Defense Ministry.
Although
Russia made no official public statement about the allegations, the
Russian daily, Kommersant, reported on December 8 quoting unnamed source
from the Russian Ministry of Defense, saying that it was Tbilisi’s “yet
another poorly planned and poorly staged provocation.”
“The Georgian
leadership is acting very clumsily. More creativity is needed, than
just these fairy tales about mobile phone numbers registered with the
Russian Ministry of Defense,” the source was quoted.
The Kommersant
also reported, that a source from the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested
Georgia’s this recent allegation was aimed to coincide with EU-Russia
high-level summit in Brussels on December 7.
When Georgia announced
in early November about uncovering of an alleged Russian military
intelligence’s spy network in Georgia, Moscow said it a provocation,
which aimed at attracting international attention in lead up to NATO
Lisbon and OSCE Astana summits.
Meanwhile, Shalva Natelashvili,
leader of opposition Labor Party, whose party’s office was damaged in
one of the explosions in Tbilisi in November, said that he “declares
distrust” to the version announced by the Georgian authorities and
blamed President Saakashvili of masterminding the blasts. A woman was
killed in explosion outside the Labor Party office in Tbilisi overnight
on November 28.
|
| 7 Dec. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili: 'Sehr schwerwiegende Terroranschläge verhindert'
“Diese Terroranschläge wurden im Voraus geplant und den Straftätern wurden Anweisungen und Sprengkörper gegeben. ... "
President
Saakashvili said on December 7 that with the arrest of six suspects
behind series of recent explosions in Georgia, the law enforcement
agencies helped to prevent “serious terror attacks.”
“The Georgian
police arrested a group [of people] suspected of dangerous crime, the
group, which is accused of committing several very dangerous acts, in
particular explosions at the Georgian railway, [explosion] in the
vicinity of the U.S. embassy and outside one of the opposition party’s
office, which led to death of a woman,” Saakashvili said in televised
remarks before departure to Mexico.
“All the evidence available to
our law enforcement agencies indicate that these people [perpetrators]
were acting from the occupied territory,” he said.
The Georgian
Interior Ministry said that the key suspect was acting under the
instructions of a Russian military officer, serving in breakaway
Abkhazia.
Georgian Deputy Interior Minister, Eka Zguladze, said that
Georgia would like to cooperate with “any party”, including with Russia,
in the process of investigation.
“We are ready to cooperate with any
party and we hope that in case of a constructive approach by relevant
Russian agencies we will be able to question others involved in the
case,” Zguladze said.
President Saakashvili also said that evidence
available for now, including explosive devices confiscated during
searches at home of one of the suspects, indicated that “we have managed
to prevent very serious terror attacks.”
“These terrorist acts were
planned in advance and perpetrators were given both instructions and
explosives… I want to thank our law enforcement agencies, our police and
I want to call on them to further intensify their work,” Saakashvili
said.
|
| 7 Dec. '10 | Innenminister Merabishvili: 'Ernsthafte Bedrohung abgewendet'
Im Haus eines Verdächtigen fand die Polizei 13 weitere Sprengkörper und 9 Kanister, gefüllt mit Hexogen.
Vano
Merabishvili, the Georgian interior minister, said the police “averted a
serious threat” by arresting suspects behind series of recent
explosions in Georgia.
He said that the group was planning to carry
out more explosions as the police found explosive devices in one of the
suspect’s house.
According to the Interior Ministry, police found “13
explosive devices, including 9 cans filled with hexogen, out of which
four had nails inside and one contained bullets.”
|
| 7 Dec. '10 | Georgien bringt die Explosionen in Tbilisi mit Russland in Verbindung; Verdächtige verhaftet
- ein Hauptverdächtiger handelte auf Anweisungen eines rusischen Offiziers
- Tbilisi bietet Moskau eine Zusammenarbeit bei der Untersuchung an
* 'Key suspect acted under Russian officer’s instructions'
* 'Tbilisi offers Moscow to cooperate in investigation'
Police
arrested six persons suspected of being behind series of explosions in
Tbilisi and in western region of the country in last few months, the
Georgian Interior Ministry said.
Police said one of the key suspects
was acting under the instructions of Abkhaz-based Russian military
officer. The Interior Ministry said that the arrest were carried out on
December 4.
Two explosions in separate locations of the capital city left one woman dead overnight on November 28.
The
Interior Ministry said that the same group of suspects was behind the
explosion close to the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi on September 22 and two
explosions near Tbilisi Central Railway Station on October 21. The
group, the ministry said, was behind a failed attempt of explosion at a
railway bridge in Khobi district of western region of Samegrelo in
October.
According to the Interior Ministry, one of the arrested
persons, who is suspected of carrying out the explosions, is a resident
of Gali district in breakaway Abkhazia Gogita Arkania.
Eka Zguladze,
the Georgian deputy interior minister, who described the explosions as
"terrorist acts", said that Arkania was recruited by a Russian military
officer, Yevgeny Borisov, serving in breakaway Abkhazia and under the
threat against his family forced Arkania to carry out series of
explosions.
The ministry said that police found in a house of
Arkania’s one of the suspected accomplices “13 explosive devices,
including 9 cans filled with hexogen, out of which four had nails inside
and one contained bullets.”
“In total, 10 kilograms of hexogen were found,” the Interior Ministry said.
It said that two suspects, wanted in connection to the same case, “are hiding in Russian occupied Gali district.”
“We
are ready to cooperate with any party and we hope that in case of a
constructive approach by relevant Russian agencies we will be able to
question others involved in the case,” Eka Zguladze said.
Next day
after the two blasts in Tbilisi, Davit Bakradze, the Georgian
parliamentary chairman, said that the explosions were an attempt by
external forces to portray Georgia as unstable state.
"There are
forces outside the country [Georgia], which are interested in portraying
Georgia as unstable state. These forces have nothing else left, except
of this type of physical attacks. I want to disappoint them and say that
they have less and less chances of doing that," Bakradze said on
November 29.
|
| 7 Dec. '10 | Tbilisi verurteilt das Smerch-Raketensystem Russlands in Südossetien
Das
Außenministerium betont in seiner Erklärung, dass das Smerch-System mit
einer maximalen Reichweite von 90 km eine offensive Waffe sei und unter
die Begrenzungen falle, die durch das Abkommen über konventionelle
Streitkräfte in Europa
(CFE) falle. Russland hob seine Teilnahme an dem CEF-Abkommen 2007 auf.
|
| 6 Dec. '10 | Bagapsh und Kokoity bereit für Gewaltverzichtsversprechen
Sergey
Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoity, leaders of breakaway Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, respectively, said on December 6 that they were ready to commit
themselves not to use force.
In what appears to be a coordinated
move, both Bagapsh and Kokoity released separate statements on the
matter, which are mainly similar to each other.
“I want to announce
officially on behalf of the Republic of Abkhazia: in its relations with
Georgia, Abkhazia is going to firmly adhere to the generally recognized
principle of renouncing force and threat of force,” Bagapsh said.
“I,
as the head of the Republic of South Ossetia, officially announce: our
state will not use force against Georgia, its population, territories,
armed forces,” Kokoity said.
Both of them say that they have no trust
to President Saakashvili’s verbal statement made before the European
Parliament unilaterally renouncing use of force and like Moscow called
for a written, legally binding document.
Bagapsh said that Sokhumi
was ready to accept Moscow’s proposal on unilateral declarations made
separately by Tbilisi, Tskhinvali and Sokhumi.
Moscow itself refuses
to make such a declaration on non-use of force, saying that it is not a
party into conflict, which, it says, is only between Tbilisi and Sokhumi
on the one hand and between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali on another.
The
Georgian President said in his address to the OSCE summit in Astana on
December 1 that he had already sent letters reflecting Georgia’s non-use
of force pledge to the Secretary-General of the OSCE, UN and NATO, as
well as the Presidents of the European Commission, the European Council
and the United States.
It is likely that the issue will top the agenda of upcoming talks in Geneva, scheduled for December 16.
|
| 4 Dec. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili über 'Mängel' in den Beziehungen mit der Geschäftswelt
Der
Staat habe immer noch viele Mängel, mit denen sich der "neue
ökonomische Kurs" befasse, der darauf abzielt, dass kleine und mittlere
Unternehmen gefördert werden.
President Saakashvili acknowledged on
December 3 that the state still had “lots of shortcomings” in the
relations with businesses, which, he said, would be addressed through
“new economic course” aimed at boosting small and medium businesses.
“Although
during recent years Georgia demonstrated an impressive progress in all
kinds of ratings and in respect of its reputation in terms of improving
business climate and combating corruption, a lot of shortcomings are
still remaining in the relations between the state and the
entrepreneurs; a lot of entrepreneurs … still have a feeling that they
are not properly listened and are treated unfairly by the state; cases
are still frequent, when the punishment is more severe than the
violation deserves it,” Saakashvili said in live televised remarks at an
opening of new customs clearing facility in outskirts of Tbilisi.
“The
entrepreneurs often fairly have a perception that the state does not do
enough to make business environment better. That is why a lot of
business people have lost the sense of stability... Hence, they do not
re-invest in expanding their businesses; they do not create new jobs and
many people, who could have launched business, do not do it, because,
in their perception this is connected with humiliation,” he said.
Saakashvili’s
remarks follow an address to the President by parliamentary minority
leader, MP Giorgi Targamadze, who called on Saakashvili to stop
“aggression” against small and medium businesses, which “are struggling
for survival”, trying “to get rid of claws” of tax authorities.
In
the same remarks, Saakashvili also said on December 3, that “we should
awaken entrepreneurial spirit through fair economic environment”, which,
he said, would help creation of “lots of small and medium businesses.”
“Today
we announce a new economic course, which aims at overcoming the
existing shortcomings and creating much better business environment in
Georgia,” he said.
As part of this “new economic course”, President
Saakashvili enlisted some of those measures, which are provisions of the
new tax code, which will go into force from January, 2011.
According
to the new tax code, a position of tax ombudsman will be created. PM
will appoint ombudsman in agreement with Chairperson of the Parliament.
Ombudsman will have to present an annual report on taxpayers’ rights to
the parliamentary committee for finances and budget. The new tax code,
which was not supported by the parliamentary minority saying that it
failed to properly address entrepreneurs’ needs, also envisages
principle of "good faith", wherein if proved that taxpayer acted in good
faith and a wrongdoing is caused by an unintentional mistake rather
than by intended attempt to evade taxes, a taxpayer will not be fined by
the Finance Ministry’s council for adjudication of tax disputes.
Saakashvili
also said that new customs clearance facilities with one-stop services
would significantly reduce timeframe and cost of such procedures.
|
| 3 Dec. '10 | Ungelöste Konflikte durchkreuzen die Annahme eines OSCE-Aktionsplans
Der
zweitägige hochrangige OSCE-Gipfel endete ohne die Annahme eines
umfassenden Aktionsplanes, um die Rolle der Organisation in der
Verhinderung und Lösung von Konflikten, einschließlich wegen des
Scheiterns in einer Formulierung in Bezug auf Georgien
übereinzustimmern.
Two-day high-level OSCE summit, first of this kind
since 1999, ended in Astana without adoption of a comprehensive action
plan for strengthening the organization’s role in preventing and
resolving conflicts, including because of a failure to agree on wording
in respect of Georgia.
“We have offered Russia to find a compromise.
But as we said earlier, we would not have allowed adoption of any
document, action plan not reflecting objectively and in details Georgia,
our territorial integrity, sovereignty and war in Georgia,” Grigol
Vashadze, the Georgian foreign minister, said on December 3 and added
that agreement became impossible between Russia and other OSCE
participating states.
Sergi Kapanadze, head of the Georgian Foreign
Ministry’s department for international organizations, said it became
impossible to adopt the summit’s key document “because Russia was not
ready to take a constructive step in respect of the conflicts.”
Sergey
Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said on December 1, that Moscow
would not have agreed on such a wording in the document, which made a
reference to Georgia’s territorial integrity “in its previous borders”.
“An
issue of ‘conflict in Georgia’ was voiced in the speeches of number of
western delegations in such a context that as if South Ossetia and
Abkhazia remain part of Georgia and as if there is a conflict between
Moscow and Tbilisi. We have explained to our interlocutors… that we see
no conflict between Russia and Georgia,” Lavrov said, referring to
Moscow’s position, according to which it is not part of the conflict,
which is only between Tbilisi and Sokhumi on the one hand and Tbilisi
and Tskhinvali on the other.
The OSCE Astana summit adopted Commemorative Declaration, which reaffirms in general terms the organization’s existing values.
In
his address to the summit on December 1, President Saakashvili called
for “stronger, better and more resolute OSCE, one that does not shy away
from tackling the real problems and serves as forum for dialogue
between partners, between all the leaders at every level.”
In his
speech he also reiterated readiness for a dialogue with Russia and also
said that he had already sent letters reflecting Georgia’s non-use of
force pledge to the Secretary-General of the OSCE, UN and NATO, as well
as the Presidents of the European Commission, the European Council and
the United States.
|
| 2 Dec. '10 | Augustkrieg in den durchgesickerten US-Depeschen auf WikiLeaks
* Cables from the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi;
* 'Some Allies Parroting Russian Points';
* NATO 'United in Principle, Split on Actions';
* Armenia’s Muted 'Exasperation';
Leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, available at the moment, contain about 116 dispatches related to August, 2008 war in Georgia.
This
bunch of cables involve at least 16 classified dispatches originating
from the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi, others are from various European
capitals and NATO headquarters, as well as from Moscow and few of them
are from Yerevan and Baku.
The August war-related cables were first
made available on a website of the Moscow-based magazine, Russian
Reporter, which said it obtained the documents from WikiLeaks. Some of
those August war-related cable, which were posted on the magazine’s
website, later also appeared on WikiLeaks website itself.
Tbilisi
cables detail the U.S. embassy's reporting of events from early hours of
the war and its aftermath, while the cables from the European capitals
reveal diplomatic wrangling within the NATO and EU over how to react on
Georgia crisis and the cables from Yerevan are revealing Armenia’s muted
frustration over, what it felt was, “undeserved cold shoulder” from
Tbilisi.
Tbilisi Cables
The first dispatch from the U.S. embassy
in Tbilisi, immediately after the launch of hostilities, available at
the moment, is dated with August 7, 2008 in which then U.S. ambassador
to Georgia, John Tefft, reports to Washington about the start of
"intensive fighting" previous evening.
John Tefft, who is now
ambassador to Ukraine, was in frequent contact with the senior Georgian
officials, including President Saakashvili. He writes in the August 7
dispatch that he had been told by Grigol Vashadze, then Georgian deputy
foreign minister and now the foreign minister, that "a full-scale South
Ossetian attack" was underway against Georgian villages, which led to
death of one Georgian peacekeeper.
In the same dispatch, the
ambassador writes, citing OSCE monitors, which were on the ground in the
conflict zone at the time, that Georgian forces with GRAD multiple
rocket launchers were on the move, "either as part of a show of force or
readiness, or both."
"Ambassador urged the [Georgian] Foreign
Minister and the Deputy Minister of Defense to remain calm, not
overreact, and to de-escalate the situation," the same cable reads.
The
ambassador notes in the dispatch that the recent fighting was
"atypical" as it did not stop by the daybreak, as it was usually the
case.
"From evidence available to us it appears the South Ossetians
started today's fighting. The Georgians are now reacting by calling up
more forces and assessing their next move. It is unclear to the
Georgians, and to us, what the Russian angle is and whether they are
supporting the South Ossetians or actively trying to help control the
situation," the cable reads.
According to the cable, at mid-day on
August 7 the ambassador was told by Batu Kutelia, at the time deputy
defense minister and after that Georgia's ambassador to the U.S., that
although the Georgian troops were on higher alert, there was no
intention to deploy them in response to recent attacks.
But the
ambassador also reported in the same cable that the Georgian army's 4th
brigade was "noticeably absent" from the training on August 7, which was
carried out by the U.S. military instructors at the time. He also
reported citing OSCE observers, that the Georgian troops were on the
move on the main east-west highway in direction of Gori, a town close to
the conflict zone and in addition the embassy observers noticed on the
highway about 30 city buses carrying uniformed men heading from Tbilisi.
Next
day, on August 8, the U.S. ambassador reported in Washington that he
was told by President Saakashvili that the Georgian forces were in
control of most of South Ossetia, including Tskhinvali with fighting
continuing near Java in the north of breakaway region. At the time,
according to the same cable, it still remained unclear for the embassy
whether regular Russian army or "North Caucasian irregulars" were
engaged in those fighting in the north of Tskhinvali.
The ambassador
was also told by Saakashvili, according to the cable, that Tbilisi had
no intention of getting into this fight, but was "provoked by the South
Ossetians".
"All the evidence available to the country team supports
Saakashvili's statement that this fight was not Georgia's original
intention," Ambassador Tefft writes. "Key Georgian officials, who would
have had responsibility for an attack on South Ossetia, have been on
leave and the Georgians only began mobilizing August 7 once the attack
was well underway."
This part of the cables was widely publicized in
Georgia, including by the nationwide broadcasters as “yet another
evidence" backing Georgia's version of events.
In the same cable, the
ambassador writes, citing OSCE observers on the ground in Tskhinvali
that Georgia's attack on Tskhinvali "began at 23:35 on August 7 despite
the cease-fire declared at 19:00" by President Saakashvili. Georgia said
it had to open fire after continues attacks on the Georgian villages
during the cease-fire period, unilaterally announced by Tbilisi.
"During
the night of August 8, four short range ballistic missiles were fired
from within Russia toward Tskhinvali," the ambassador reported in the
same cable.
He also wrote that most in the Georgian government
believed the fighting had started as "a ploy of de facto [South
Ossetian] leader [Eduard] Kokoity," but at the time President
Saakashvili became concerned "that this might have been a Russian
pretext and a further attack could be expected."
In a separate
dispatch on the same day, the embassy reported that situation remained
"dangerous; however, there is no indication or evidence that Tbilisi is
under immediate threat."
Next morning, August 9, after overnight air
strikes by Russia, Saakashvili told the ambassador by phone, that Russia
was trying to take over Georgia and "install a new regime."
On
August 10 Eka Tkeshelashvili, then Georgian foreign minister, briefed
the diplomatic corps in Tbilisi that “Georgia has suffered huge
casualties.” The U.S. embassy cable on August 10 says that Georgian
forces have been pushed out of Tskhinvali and the conflict zone
following a massive Russian attack.
On August 11 the ambassador was
reporting to Washington that it was “increasingly difficult to get an
accurate analysis of the military situation because of the fog of war
and the fact that the Georgian command and control system has broken
down.”
“Senior government officials sometimes give us different reports of military action,” the August 11 cable reads.
NATO ‘United in Principle, But Difficult to Agree on Action’
As
the hostilities in Georgia were unfolding, several U.S. cables from
Brussels show, Washington, backed with some Eastern European nations,
was taking lead in securing “strong statement” by NATO’s top governing
body, North Atlantic Council (NAC), condemning Russia’s actions in
Georgia.
But those efforts, as seen from these cables, were met with
opposition from Germany, described in one diplomatic dispatch from
Brussels as “the standard bearer for pro-Russia camp.”
According to
the cables, Germany was also lobbying for canceling already scheduled
trip of North Atlantic Council to Georgia in September.
One cable
said that deputy chief of Russian mission in NATO warned that
NATO-Russia relationship would be "called into question" if the Alliance
went ahead with this visit.
“As the crisis situation in Georgia
unfolded on August 8, NATO Allies and the International Staff struggled
with how to respond,” one cable from NATO headquarters reads.
“Unfortunately, the crisis also revealed the continuing divisions within
the Alliance on how to address Georgia's desire to join NATO's
Membership Action Plan, with Germany and Norway arguing that the
upcoming NAC trip should be reconsidered. On the other hand, Poland--a
strong supporter of NATO MAP--had argued that the crisis only reinforced
the need for the NAC to travel to the region.”
According to these
cables, Paris was also against of NATO “becoming too prominent” in the
crisis with one French diplomat, as quoted in one dispatch, saying that
NATO’s August 8 public statement, calling on all sides to end violence,
had been "enough of a NATO role for now."
By August 11 Germany the
Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Turkey seemed cautious about NAC trip to
Georgia saying that it was too early at that stage to decide on the
matter. Eventually it was decided to proceed with the visit, which took
place on September 15.
On U.S.-proposed strong-worded statement on
Russia’s actions in Georgia, NATO allies failed to reach a consensus.
According to one cable from Brussels, although all the allies were
unanimous in the need to immediate halt the hostilities, some argued
that adopting highly-critical language against Russia was not the best
way to do that.
“The Balts, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and the UK
also wanted a strong statement. Germany countered, hoping for harmony
between EU, OSCE and NATO messages and cautioning that any statement by
the NAC should ‘help in defusing tensions.’ This German perspective was
backed by France, Turkey, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Italy and
Slovakia,” a cable from the Brussels reads, adding that France was also
cautious as it thought that NATO statement could have undermined French
attempts to negotiate a settlement in its capacity of EU Presidency.
One
cable from Brussels, detailing NATO Political Committee meeting on
August 11, described the situation as NATO being “united in principle,
but difficult to agree on action.”
‘Some Allies Parroting Russian Points on Georgian Culpability’
According
to these cables, some NATO allies’ reservations were triggered by
doubts that it was Tbilisi, which started the recent hostilities.
The
August 11 dispatch from NATO headquarters recommends Washington that
“intelligence releasable to NATO Allies on this point might be a useful
tool”.
“A number of Allies - especially Germany - are parroting
Russian points on Georgian culpability for the crisis,” this cable
reads.
Notion about Tbilisi’s culpability was so widespread that even
some officials from Georgia’s strongest supports were privately
questioning the Georgian authorities’ actions immediately before the
launch of large-scale hostilities.
One cable from the U.S. embassy in
Warsaw says that Poland took “surprisingly forceful leadership” in
supporting Georgia. In a separate cable, detailing a meeting between
U.S. diplomat and late chief of staff of the Polish Armed Forces, Gen.
Franciszek Gagor, the latter is quoted as saying that Saakashvili made
“an extremely bad decision to move into South Ossetia and played
directly into Russia's hands.”
“Poland believes Saakashvili was
manipulated by Russian agents - possibly even among his advisors – to
open the door for military action in Georgia with the object of
destabilizing the Georgian government,” Gen. Gagor, who died in Smolensk
plane crash, suggested, according the cable.
Several cables show
that the U.S. diplomats were advising Georgian authorities to launch
“effective public diplomacy” to push for its version of events as
“Europeans in some countries believe that Georgia had started the
conflict, that the U.S. is to blame for encouraging Georgia.”
Armenia’s Muted 'Exasperation'
One
cable from Yerevan details a conversation between Armenia’s Deputy
Foreign Minister and U.S. charge d'affaires on August 11 in which the
Armenian official asked for assistance in freeing cargo shipments, which
he said, Georgian authorities were holding up. Armenia’s import largely
depends on commodities shipped via Georgia.
According to this cable,
the Armenian official suggested that Georgian authorities were holding
cargo, destined for Armenia, for commandeering these kinds of critical
staple goods for Georgian national needs during time of war. According
to the cables from Yerevan, Armenia was also complaining about “enormous
price increase” by two Georgian companies, providing shipment services
to Armenia, few days before the war started (Armenian PM publicly spoke
about price hikes and complained about it in June, 2009).
The issue
was again raised by Yerevan on August 14, when the U.S. charge
d’affaires was summoned by Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan to express
“urgent concern” about continued problems with shipments.
“The PM
complained that while Georgian authorities denied clearance for critical
goods already at the Georgia-Armenia border to enter Armenia once the
conflict was underway, Georgian shipments to Azerbaijan continued
without disruption,” the cable from the U.S. embassy in Yerevan reads.
The
U.S. diplomat, according to the cable, responded that the first step
toward resolving Armenia's supply problem was for the Russians to end
their military activity in Georgia and urged Yerevan “to use its
influence in that direction.”
The Armenian PM, according to the
cable, also complained that Lado Gurgenidze, who at the time was
Georgia’s PM, was “no longer taking my calls” and suggested that Georgia
might be punishing Armenia for its close relations with Russia.
"We
have not made this into a public issue," the Armenian PM was quoted in
the cable, “because we are trying to protect the good relationship we
have with Georgia.”
In a separate cable, detailing developments of
August 15, the U.S. embassy in Yerevan was reporting to Washington that
“top Armenian officials are growing increasingly offended by Georgians’
non-responsiveness to Armenian efforts to reach out.”
“The most
discourteous, perhaps, was the Georgian FM's refusal even to meet FM
Nalbandian for a few minutes in Yerevan airport, as she passed through
en route overland to Georgia in the early morning of August 15,” the
cable reads and adds that one the Armenian Foreign Minister even
described Tbilisi’s stance as “hostile attitude.” He said that President
Saakashvili had refused to return repeated calls from his Armenian
counterpart and the Georgian PM had ignored calls from his Armenian
counterpart.
According to the cable, the Armenian Foreign Minister
told the U.S. diplomat that Yerevan was trying to help Georgia by taking
in more than 4,000 refugees and offering to serve as a humanitarian
corridor for international relief efforts.
"What more do they want
from us?" the cable quoted Armenian Foreign Minister, saying the
Armenian authorities were "avoiding any negative public statements about
Georgia" and warned that were such a statement to be made, the reaction
of ethnic Armenians in Javakheti region of Georgia would be “very
dangerous” for Georgia.
“Despite the obvious threat behind his words,
Nalbandian insisted that ‘this is not a card we could play’ with
Georgia, but ‘just a reality’,” the cable reads.
According to the
same cable, despite mounting exasperation expressed privately, the
Armenian officials had kept their public statements about Georgia
“determinedly positive”.
Armenian President, Serzh Sarkisyan, visited
Georgia on September 30, 2008. During the visit the Georgian President
thanked Yerevan for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and said
that the two countries would boost economic cooperation.
|
| 2 Dec. '10 | Großbritannien, Deutschland und Schweden rufen zu einer OSCE-Mission in Georgien auf
In
thier speeches at the OSCE summit in Astana on December 1, British
Deputy PM, German Chancellor and Swedish Foreign Minister called for
restoration of OSCE mission in Georgia, which was closed down 18 months
ago, after Russia vetoed extension of its mandate.
Similar call for
restoration of the OSCE presence in Georgia was also voiced at the
summit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Reiterating
Berlin's support to Georgia's territorial integrity, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel said she was very much in favor of OSCE presence on the
entire territory of Georgia.
British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
told the summit that re-establishing of OSCE mission in Georgia "is a
matter of urgency."
He also said that Russia "must meet its ceasefire commitments and withdraw its troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia."
"The
UK, like the vast majority of states represented here, unequivocally
recognises Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its
internationally-recognised borders," he said and added that President
Saakashvili's non-use of pledge was welcomed.
"Let us hope this encourages all parties to commit to a resolution by peaceful means," the British Deputy PM said.
Swedish
Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said at the summit that the international
community should support efforts to reach peaceful settlement of
conflict in Georgia, including through Geneva talks and restoration of
"a meaningful OSCE presence on the ground. in all of Georgia." He also
welcomed "public recommitment" by President Saakashvili that Georgia
will not to use force to restore its territorial integrity.
|
| 1 Dec. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili's Rede beim OSCE-Gipfel in Astana
President Saakashvili's Speech at the OSCE Summit in Astana
December 1, Astana
Thank
you Mr. Chairman, distinguished heads of states and governments, ladies
and gentlemen, allow me first of all to thank our Kazakh hosts, and you
know, I have been in the city of Astana for the first time six years
ago.
This very city is a great evidence of what leadership of
personalities, what historic differences it can make. And I think it is
very much attribute also to the great man Nursultan Nazarbayev with very
rare vision about this city, about this country, about this region.
And
I think it is a great example to follow for all the others also in this
region. Our common mission at the summit is to agree on a set of
concrete steps to make the OSCE a true security community one free of
dividing lines, conflicts, spheres of influence, a community in which
human rights are respected and people live in dignity.
We need a
common vision for how to enforce the principles that define the OSCE, or
how to foster a cooperation to quarrel rivalries and the strategy to
help us overcome the danger of tensions and the so-called frozen
conflicts that undermine the stability of our common area.
I am
confident that we can make a substantial progress, but we cannot do it
so if we ignore the difficulties we faced to overlook the progress or
the result.
35 years ago the Helsinki Final Act marked a fundamental
shift in the history of international relations by affirming a set of
principles to bind the behaviors of states, this included the
inviolability of borders, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the
territorial integrity of states and respect for international law on
human rights.
Unfortunately over three decades later these principles
are still being violated within the OSCE area. 11 years ago at the last
OSCE summit in Istanbul we witnessed the adoption of another set of
fundamental principles, embodied in the Istanbul summit declaration and a
charter for the European security. What a different time it has been, I
remember President Yeltsin together with President Clinton sealing up
of what was the end of Cold War in the OSCE area, on withdrawal troops,
on arms control, the commitments that had to be complied with. If those
commitments had been upheld, my country would have been liberated from
the presence of foreign troops on her soil.
Unfortunately, the time
has changed, the mood has changed and Russia [inaudible] on the
obligations it undertook in Istanbul both with respect to Georgia and to
other states. In fact contrary to the spirit of Istanbul, Russia has
dramatically increased the size of its forces illegally stationed within
our internationally recognized borders.
Today more than 12 000
heavily armed troops enforced the Russian occupation of 20 percent of
Georgian territory, with tanks, with missiles, with heavy artillery,
this is a blatant violation of the Helsinki principles, the Istanbul
declaration, international law and August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement
brokered by the European Union. If we treat these principles as dead
letter, our community is destined to die as well.
By contrast, if we
commit to implementing than we can make progress towards being a real
security community, one in which there is mutual sympathy, trust, and
sense of common interests. These commitments have to be respected in all
three dimensions, not only in political, military area.
We all agree
today that the human dimension is a pre-requisite for comprehensive and
indivisible security. But in our case the human dimension commitment
have been violated as well. In 1994- 1996 the OSCE summits in Budapest
and Lisbon condemned the ethnic cleansing in Georgia and called for the
safe and dignified return of IDPs and refugees.
Yet the number of
IDPs and refugees in a country of less than 5 million people continue to
increase, climbing up to 500 000 after the ethnic cleansing campaign of
2008. Half a million souls are thus deprived of their most basic human
rights because of their origins, their nationalities, ethnicities, their
faith, their political views. Human rights continue to be violated on a
daily basis in the occupied regions; the OSCE has reported on this many
times throughout the last two years as you all know very well.
These
facts, ladies and gentlemen, must not be ignored or overlooked, and
previous OSCE agreements must be fulfilled. I came here with a message
of hope and a profound commitment to helping lead positive change in our
security community.
We came here to tell you that these tragic facts
can be reversed, that they will be reversed and that our conflict with
the Russian Federation can be resolved. The way forward is through a
comprehensive dialogue, not permanent confrontation.
We rely on the
power of words, not of bombs. On November 23rd, one week ago I made the
solemn pledge in front of the European Parliament, that Georgia would
never use force to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty;
that it will only resort to peaceful means in its quest for the
de-occupation and the reunification of its territory. Even if the
Russian Federation refuses to withdraw the occupational forces, even if
less than 20% of original population remain in the occupied areas and
80% are held back to go back to their houses, even if its proxy militias
multiply their human rights violations, Georgia will only retain the
right to self-defense in case of new attacks and invasion of the
Georgian territory that remains under control of the Georgian
government.
We have made this pledge, because we believe that peace is the only way to achieve our legitimate and legal goals.
I
have just sent letters formulizing Georgia's pledge to the
Secretary-General of the OSCE, UN and NATO, as well as the Presidents of
the European Commission, the European Council and the United States.
I
came here animated by the same spirit, reiterating my call to the
Russian leadership to engage in serious negotiations, to engage in
dialogue rather than in polemics. Unfortunately, despite our numerous
calls Russia has not agreed to any dialogue either bilaterally or within
the framework of the OSCE.
Dialogue between Moscow and Tbilisi
remains one of the stumbling blocks of the Astana declaration. Yet this
organization is built upon dialogue and consensus.
Last summit 11
years ago we encountered serious difference and overcame the true
dialogue. We must master the same resolve today because without dialogue
we will never bridge our differences. I am committed without any
reservations to engage in dialogue as soon as possible as to seek
peaceful solutions of our conflicts.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we all
want to forge a new common space free of dividing lines, spheres of
influence and intentions we have inherited from the history. We all want
to have a true, security community.
We need stronger, better and
more resolute OSCE, one that does not shy away from tackling the real
problems and serves as forum for dialogue between partners, between all
the leaders at every level. There has been a lot of arguments around the
OSCE, there has been an attack on ODIHR for instance in terms of
election monitoring.
It is ups and downs, we also had our arguments
with them but I always believe that OSCE presence on monitoring for
democratic process, election process, the whole democratic dialogue is
very helpful to any country, especially for those who are coming out
from cold to another kind of policy and to another sphere. Indeed, our
region has been changing.
No country of the OSCE but one as well as
basically no other serious country in the world recognized occupation of
our regions. The region has been changing itself; the country has
become more independent, more self-reliant, speaking out with their
voice.
Today I was speaking with Roza Otunbayeva, who is herself a
symbol of changing Kyrgyzstan, but also lots of changes in this region. I
think, this is the whole change of its democratization, better security
and OSCE is a very important instrument.
It was like this in the
seventies, when it was in much more difficult situation of the cold war
and it remains the same in today's world if we use it properly.
We must not allow the past to undermine our future, the tools we have at our disposal are dialogue and consensus.
Georgia is committed to this path and I am confident that strengthened OSCE peace and cooperation will prevail in our region.
Thank you.
|
| 1 Dec. '10 | Außenminister Vashadze über Tbilisi’s Position beim OSCE-Gipfel
"In
der Abschlusserklärung sollte ein Bezug auf die wichtigsten
internationalen Dokumente, solche wie die UN-Charta und die Schlussakte
von Helsinki; sie sollte eine Forderung an Russland enthalten, das
Waffenstillstandsabkommen vom 16. August zu erfüllen; ... territoriale
Integrität, das Recht auf Rückkehr für georgische Bürger, die durch die
russische Aggression zu Flüchtlingen wurden."
Georgian Foreign
Minister, Grigol Vashadze, told Georgian journalists in Astana, which
hosts OSCE summit, that Tbilisi would not support a final declaration of
the summit if it failed to reflect Georgia’s interests.
“In the
final document there should be a reference to the wichtigsten
internationalen Dokumente, such as UN Charter, Helsinki Final Act; it
should necessarily contain a demand to Russia to fully implement the
August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement; this document should also reflect,
along with [Georgia’s] territorial integrity and Russia’s commitments,
the right of return in safety and dignity of all those Georgian
citizens, who, as a result of Russian aggression, have become refugees
or internally displaced persons,” Vashadze said.
Georgian diplomats
said “a very intensive and difficult” work was ongoing in Astana on the
draft of final declaration of the summit - OSCE decision-making process
requires the consensus of all 56 member states.
|
| 1 Dec. '10 | OSCE-Gipfel in Astana
Unter den 38 beteiligten Staatsführern: der georgische and russische Präsident, Mikheil Saakashvili und Dmitri Medvedev.
Heads
of state and high-level diplomats from the 56 OSCE member countries are
gathered in Astana, Kazakhstan for a two-day summit, which is the first
of this type since 1999 Istanbul summit.
The Astana Summit on
December 1-2 brought together 38 heads of states and governments, and
other senior officials – Georgian and Russian Presidents, Mikheil
Saakashvili and Dmitri Medvedev, respectively, among them.
Georgian
diplomats said “a very intensive and difficult” work was ongoing in
Astana on the draft of final declaration of the summit - OSCE
decision-making process requires the consensus of all 56 member states.
“It
will be very difficult to reach a consensus, taking into consideration
the fact that the country [Russia] with which we have tense relations is
also an OSCE member. A very difficult work is underway in Astana right
now on the draft of final document,” Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian
deputy foreign minister, said in Tbilisi on November 30.
Grigol
Vashadze, the Georgian foreign minister, told Georgian reporters in
Astana, that Tbilisi would not support a text if it failed to reflect
Georgia’s interests.
Meanwhile, in his speech at summit on Wednesday
morning the French Prime Minister, François Fillon, reiterated support
to Georgia’s territorial integrity and called “on the parties” to fully
implement August 12 and September 8, 2008 ceasefire agreements.
“We
salute the solemn undertaking given by the President of Georgia before
the European Parliament to refrain from the use of force and we call on
all the parties to accept this open hand,” the French PM said.
|
| 30 Nov. '10 | Georgien in neuesten WikiLeaks-Veröffentlichungen
Aussage
eines franz. Diplomaten über Russland und die abtünnignen Regionen
Abchasien und Südossetien sowie eines chinesischen Diplomaten über
Präsident Saakashvili.
Several latest releases of classified U.S.
diplomatic cables, posted on WikiLeaks website on November 29, contains
references to Georgia in particular during the U.S.-French strategic
dialogue earlier this year, as well as one Chinese diplomat’s “unusually
blunt language” while talking about President Saakashvili.
(Summary of documents in which Georgia is referred and which were released on November 28, is available on this link)
French Diplomat: Russia Will Never "Derecognize" Abkhazia, S.Ossetia
In
Department of State’s secret readout of the U.S.-French Strategic
Dialogue, held in January 2010 in Washington, a French diplomat is
quoted speaking about how Georgia’s issue was impeding any potential
progress over some issues in respect of relations with Russia.
According
to this readout Jacques Audibert, director for strategic affairs,
security and disarmament at the French Foreign Ministry, told U.S. Under
Secretary of State William Burns and Defense Under Secretary Michele
Flournoy, that Moscow-proposed treaties on European security
architecture were “unacceptable” and “mere provocations”.
He,
however, said Paris wanted to use these proposals by Moscow to engage
with Russia on new approaches towards issues like crisis management and
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.
But Audibert,
according to the readout, said that these issues will continually be
bogged down over the situation in Georgia, which he saw as “intractable
as Russia will never ‘derecognize’ the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia while also never recognizing Georgian sovereignty over its
territory, including the two enclaves.”
Chinese Diplomat: Saakashvili "Not a Mature Statesman’
In
a June, 2009 dispatch from the U.S. embassy in Kazakhstan, which
details a conversation over dinner between U.S. ambassador in Astana
Richard Hoagland and his Chinese counterpart Cheng Guoping, the latter
is quoted saying that he thinks Russia will use force to overthrow
President Saakashvili.
The cable describes the Chinese ambassador’s
remarks about the Georgian President as “unusually blunt language” in
which he said that Saakashvili "is not a mature statesman.” The Chinese
ambassador is also quoted saying that Saakashvili “overreacted to
Russian provocations and gave Russia the opportunity to take Abkhazia
and South Ossetia."
“Clearly, Russia baited and cheated Georgia,” he was quoted.
Cheng
Guoping, who was Chinese consular in Georgia in 1997-2001, also
suggested in conversation with his U.S. counterpart, that former U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's July 2008 trip to Georgia, before
the August war, might have indirectly encouraged Saakashvili to take
military action. According to the cable, Guoping said his understanding
was that Saakashvili briefed Secretary Rice on his plans to mobilize
Georgian armed forces and when she did not directly object, Saakashvili
mistook that as a sign of U.S. support.
According to the same cable,
the Chinese ambassador described Georgia’s ex-parliamentary speaker and
leader of opposition Democratic Movement-United Georgia party, Nino
Burjanadze, as “much more mature than Saakashvili”, who might become
Georgia’s next President. Guoping, according to the cable, predicted
last year that Saakashvili “won't stay long" as the President.
Cheng Guoping, who was Chinese ambassador to Kazakhstan in 2008-2009, is now an assistant to the Chinese Foreign Minister.
|
| 30 Nov. '10 | Premierminister Bakradze verbindet Exlosion in Tbilisi mit 'außeren Kräften'
"Es gibt Kräfte außerhalb des Landes, die daran interessiert sind, dass Georgien als instabiler Staat porträtiert wird. ..."
Two
blasts in Tbilisi overnight on November 28, which killed a woman, was
an attempt by external forces to portray Georgia as unstable state,
Davit Bakradze, the Georgian parliamentary speaker, said on Monday.
"There
are forces outside the country [Georgia], which are interested in
portraying Georgia as unstable state. These forces have nothing else
left, except of this type of physical attacks. I want to disappoint them
and say that they have less and less chances of doing that," Bakradze
said while speaking at a session of the parliamentary bureau.
Police
said on November 28 that same, unspecified explosive substance was used
in two explosions in separate locations of Tbilisi - one took place in
one of the central parts of the capital city, outside the opposition
Labor Party's office and another one in the suburb, about hour and a
half later, at 2:56am local time.
The Interior Ministry said that the
case was investigated under the first part of 229 article of criminal
code, which deals with cases of a deliberate act of explosion of
gasoline, gas or other materials with a goal to damage property or to
harm lives of others.
|
| 29 Nov. '10 | Georgien auch in den geheimen US-Depeschen erwähnt, die in WikiLeaks veröffentlicht wurden
Georgia
is mentioned in some of the classified U.S. diplomatic cables, obtained
and made public by WikiLeaks website on November 28, showing the issue
of Georgia raised in various contexts in meetings between the U.S.
senior diplomats and officials with their European and Russian
counterparts, as well as during the talks between Israeli and Russian
officials.
WikiLeaks has so far revealed only small part of a
quarter-million U.S. embassy dispatches from around the world, saying
that cables “will be released in stages over the next few months.”
In
the documents, available on the website at the moment, Georgia is
mainly mentioned in dispatches originating from U.S. embassies in
Moscow, Paris and Baku. It was reported in the Georgian media and
blogosphere on November 29, that some leaked dispatches also originate
from the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi dating from the August, 2008 war
period. These dispatches, however, have not yet appeared on the
WikiLeaks website.
Mistral’s ‘Wrong Message’
One February, 2010
cable from the U.S. embassy in Paris details a meeting between U.S.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and then French Defense Minister Herve
Morin. According to this diplomatic dispatch, the U.S. Defense Secretary
expressed concerns about the French sale of the amphibious assault
ship, Mistral, to Russia
“He [Gates] told Morin that because of
Sarkozy's involvement in brokering a ceasefire in Georgia, which Russia
was not fully honoring, the sale would send the wrong message to Russia
and to our Allies in Central and East Europe,” the cable reads.
According
to the cable, Morin, however, downplayed the matter suggesting that
sale of the ship “would not make any difference with respect to Russian
capabilities, as Russia's naval production ability was severely
degraded.” Gates responded, according to the cable, that the U.S.
concerns were not about Russia’s military capacity, “but about
messaging.”
According to the same cable ex-defense minister of France
said that extending the Alliance to Georgia would weaken Article 5, a
provision providing common defense. Gates, according to the cable,
expressed his preference for NATO to extend into the Mediterranean and
“concurred with Morin that a bigger Alliance posed challenges.”
Georgia in U.S.-French Discussions
Georgia
is also mentioned in a separate September, 2009 cable from the U.S.
embassy in France, which details meetings of Philip Gordon, the U.S.
assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, with
senior French policy-makers in Paris.
At the time seizure of several
cargo vessels en-route to Abkhazia by the Georgian coast guard in the
Black Sea triggered tensions, accompanied by threats from Sokhumi that
its forces would open fire and “destroy” the Georgian coast guard boats
in case of further seizures.
According to the cable, the U.S.
Assistant Secretary Gordon and President Sarkozy's senior foreign policy
adviser, Jean-David Levitte, discussed these “dangerous” cases
involving maritime incidents. Levitte, according to the cable, told
Gordon that President Saakashvili had a French advisor – apparently
referring to Georgian President’s close adviser on foreign and media
affairs Raphaël Glucksmann – who had informed Paris that Georgian ships
had orders to respond if fired upon. Levitte, according to the same
cable, also said that the French message was that Georgia “must not
respond to provocation, as that would only play into Russia's hands.”
According
to the same diplomatic dispatch, Gordon said during the various
meetings with the French policy-makers, that the U.S. “pursues a policy
to support Georgia in the face of Russian pressure without encouraging
President Saakashvili to act in ways that are unhelpful.”
'U.S. Not Rearming Georgia'
Several
leaked confidential cables, where Georgia is mentioned, show that
Russia has been raising its concerns over military cooperation between
Georgia and U.S. during the talks with the U.S. officials. Positions,
which are described in those several cables, are in line with those
expressed by both the Russian and U.S. officials publicly on the matter.
One
cable from the U.S. embassy in Moscow details U.S. Assistant Secretary
of Defense Alexander Vershbow’s talks with senior Russian officials in
Moscow on September 30, 2009.
According to the cable, Russian
officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, asked
Vershbow why Washington was providing military assistance to Georgia,
which “threatens stability in the Caucasus region.”
Vershbow,
according to the cable, responded that it was “a matter of principle”
and that the U.S. would help Georgia protect its sovereignty. Vershbow,
however, also said that the U.S. was not rearming Georgia, as Russia
claimed it. He added that since the August, 2008 war, there “has been no
U.S. lethal assistance to Georgia.”
According to the cable, Vershbow
also said the U.S. “is proceeding with great care and focusing on
training, education, and helping prepare Georgia” to participate in the
Afghan operations – the position, which Vershbow publicly reiterated a
month later, when he was visiting Tbilisi.
According to the same
cable, Vershbow also told the Russian officials that “Georgia is a
sovereign state with the right to self-defense. We do not accept any
arms embargo, and we may provide weapons to Georgia in the future.”
At
the time of Vershbow’s visit to Moscow a year ago, there have been some
reports about Tbilisi willing to see monitors from the United States
joining EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM). According to the same
cable, the issue was raised by the Russian officials at the meeting with
Vershbow warning that joining of the U.S. to the EUMM would be “a
serious problem” for Russia, because “it would send the wrong message to
President Saakashvili that he could use force again.” Vershbow declined
these reports as speculation, according to the cable, but said that the
U.S. would consider it if the EUMM did make such a request in the
future.
The issue of U.S.-Georgia security cooperation was also
raised by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his meeting with
Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Carl Levin,
according to the cable from the U.S. embassy in Moscow sent in April,
2009. Lavrov mentioned Georgia, when telling the U.S. Senator that
Moscow suspended sale of S-300 missiles to Iran. Lavrov said that
nothing Russia had sold Iran had been used against anyone, whereas U.S.
weapons provided to Georgia had been used against Russian soldiers.
Russia Appreciates ‘Limited Arms Sales to Georgia’ by Israel
Lavrov
also raised the issue during the meeting with his Israeli counterpart,
Avigdor Lieberman, in June, 2009, according to the cable sent from the
U.S. embassy in Moscow. This cable reads that Lavrov expressed Russian
appreciation for Israeli steps “to limit arms sales to Georgia to
defensive weapons, but raised concern that other countries were
supplying offensive weapons.”
A separate cable from February, 2010,
which details visit of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to
Moscow, cites a Moscow-based Israeli diplomat saying that Israel, as a
Russian partner, was "listening attentively" to Russia's concerns about
weapons supplies to Georgia. Israel has friendly relations with Georgia
but the Russian relationship was also very important, the Israeli
diplomat is cited in the cable, adding that both Russia and Israel were
trying to come to an "understanding" on the matter.
Georgia is also
mentioned in one cable, dispatched from the U.S. embassy in Baku, which
details a meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and U.S.
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns in Baku in
February, 2010. According to the cable, dated with February 25, 2010,
Aliyev warned about the negative effects of Turkey-Armenia protocol
ratification without being proceeded by progress in Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement; according to the cable, Aliyev “darkly predicted”, among
other things, undermining of energy projects and damage to Georgia,
including through lost transit income.
|
| 28 Nov. '10 | Zwei
Explosionen in Tbilisi in der Javakhishvili-Straße nahe dem Büro der
"Arbeiterpartei"; Innenministerium: Strafsache eröffnet, "gleicher
Sprengstoff"
Two explosions in separate locations of the capital
city Tbilisi, in which the same, unspecified explosive subsance was
used, left one woman dead overnight on Sunday.
A 65-year-old woman
died and one person was injured after the explosion on the Javakhishvili
street in one of the central parts of the city at about 1:30am local
time on November 28, the Georgian Interior Ministry said.
The
explosion occurred outside the residential building on the Javakhishvili
street number 88, where the opposition Labor Party's office is also
housed. The woman, who died, lived in a house in front of the explosion
site.
Nearby houses, including the Labor Party's office, were damaged and windows shattered.
Leader
of Labor Party, Shalva Natelashvili, said that the explosion on the
Javakhishvili street aimed at "terrorizing" his party.
About hour and
a half later, a second explosion took place in a suburban district of
Mukhiani. The explosive device went off at about 2:56am local time
outside a grocery store located in an apartment building there. The
explosion in Mukhiani damaged the store and shattered windows of nearby
apartment buildings.
The Interior Ministry said in a brief statement
that the criminal case was opened under the first part of 229 article of
criminal code, which deals with cases of a deliberate act of explosion
of gasoline, gas or other materials with a goal to damage property or to
harm life of others.
In a separate statement released later on
Sunday, the Interior Ministry said that the preliminary probe showed
"same type of explosive substance" was used in both of the explosions
and added that more time was required to find out other details.
|
| 27 Nov. '10 | US-Zerstörer Gonzalez im Hafen von Batumi bis 2.12.
Küstenwache
sagt, es werde ein gemeinsames theoretisches und praktisches Training
der Schiffsmannschaft und Küstenwache durchgeführt.
The U.S.
guided-missile destroyer, Gonzalez (DDG 66), will make a port call in
Batumi next week, the border police at the Georgian Interior Ministry,
said.
It said that the warship and its crew, which will be hosted by
the Georgian coast guard and the local authorities of Adjara Autonomous
Republic, will stay in Georgia till December 2.
"A joint theoretical
and practical training of the ship crew and Georgian coast guard
personnel will be carried out," the Georgian Border Police said, adding
that number of social and a community relations events are also planned.
Similar
port calls are made for few times a year by the U.S. warships and are
usually described by the officials as "routine friendly visits."
|
| 26 Nov. '10 | Premierminister Giorgi Baramidze gegen die Ausrichtung der olympischen Spiele in Sotschi
Er
teile die "Meinungen" einer Gruppe von Abgeordneten, die ihren
Widerspruch gegen die Ausrichtung der olympischen Spiele in Sotschi,
nicht weit entfernt von der abtrünnigen Region Abchasien ausdrückten.
Der Abgeordnete Tsiklauri sagte: "Gemäß der Olympischen Charta ist es unmöglich, Olympische Spiele auf einem Gebiet auszurichten, wo der Genozid einer Nation stattfand."
Giorgi
Baramidze, Georgia’s deputy prime minister and state minister for
Euro-Atlantic integration, said that he personally shares “sentiments”
of a group of Georgian lawmakers who expressed their opposition to
holding of Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, not far from Georgia’s
breakaway region of Abkhazia.
A group of lawmakers from parliamentary
committees on foreign affairs and compatriots living abroad, as well as
the parliamentary commission on territorial integrity discussed the
issue at a meeting on November 19.
“The legislators consider that it
is necessary to convince the international Olympic Committee, National
Olympic Committees and the international community in the necessity of
holding 2014 Winter Olympiad in a different country,” the Georgian
legislative body’s press office said after the meeting.
Apart of the
factor of occupation of Abkhazia, a ruling party lawmaker Nugzar
Tsiklauri said after that meeting, Sochi Olympic Games “are planned to
be held on the territory considered to be a place of genocide of
Circassians.”
“According to the Olympic Charter, it is impossible to
hold Olympic Games on the territory where the genocide of a nation took
place,” MP Tsiklauri said.
No formal decision has yet been taken by
the Parliament on the matter and lawmakers said that they would continue
discussions to elaborate final position.
Speaking at a joint news
conference with Czech Foreign Minister, Karel Schwarzenberg, in Prague
on November 25, Giorgi Baramidze said: “I personally express solidarity
with the members of parliament, because I understand sentiments, I
understand why they think that Russia does not deserve to be the host of
the Olympic Games - because the Olympic movement is something different
that Russia demonstrates today.”
"I don't think that the Olympic
movement is something close to the killing of the hundreds of thousand
people in North Caucasus, in Chechnya and elsewhere, killing its own
journalists, putting in prison businessmen just because they have
different opinions, and I don't think it's a good idea to occupy a
neighboring country's territory. This place – Sochi – as you know is
very close to the Georgian border, where we have illegal occupation… and
I do not think that the Olympic spirit is anyhow close to the idea of
not respecting international law, not respecting human rights,” he said.
In
what he termed as “barbarian act”, Baramidze said, that recently Russia
“repainted X century Georgian church and put on [the church] a Russian
[style onion] dome… and destroyed frescos of the church” in Abkhazia.
“Everyday people are killed and raped on the ground [in Abkhazia], just few kilometers from Sochi,” Baramidze said.
Georgia
was itself competing for hosting 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Borjomi
and Bakuriani. But after Georgia’s bid was eliminated, President
Saakashvili said in February, 2007, that Georgia would support Russia’s
bid to hold the Olympics in Sochi.
“Olympic games in Sochi would
foster peaceful processes in this region that has always been associated
with conflicts. So in this regard, [Olympic Games in Sochi] will be a
positive incentive for regional cooperation.” Saakashvili said at the
time.
|
| 26 Nov. '10 | EU-Beobachter
besorgt über die "Grenzziehungsarbeiten" der russischen Militärs und
südossetischen Milizen an der Verwaltungsgrenze des abtrünnigen
Südossetien
EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia said it was
concerned about “demarcation works” along the administrative border of
breakaway South Ossetia carried out by the Russian forces and local
South Ossetian militias.
The mission said in a statement on Friday
that on November 25 its patrol observed seven Russian and South Ossetian
armed personnel accompanying three South Ossetian civilians “performing
measuring activities on the ground along the Administrative Boundary
Line, close to the village of Ditsi.”
“This is not the first time that such measuring activity has been reported,” EUMM said.
“The
Mission has increasing indications that this is part of a broader
policy of unilateral border demarcation. The EUMM is concerned about
these ‘border demarcation works’, as they are incompatible with the
principle of Georgian territorial integrity, which is fully supported by
the European Union,” it said.
|
| 26 Nov. '10 | Öffentlicher TV-Sender "1 TV" im Zentrum des zweiten Demonstrationstages
Nachdem
die Demonstration vor dem Parlamentsgebäude wieder zusammengekommen war
und dabei die Rustaveli-Straße blockierten, entschied sich ein Teil der
Demonstranden, zum Gebäude des öffentlichen TV-Sender "1 TV" zu
marschieren, um gegen die Art zu demonstrieren, wie über die
Demonstration am Tag zuvor in dem Nachrichtenprogramm berichtet worden
war.
Few thousand protesters reconvened outside the Parliament on
Friday afternoon for a second day of rally, launched on November 25.
Organizers
of the November 25 Public Assembly had to reconvene the protest
spontaneously after yielding to pressure from some of the most radical
part of the rally participants, who were angered by the organizers’
decision to disperse the rally. The organizers were saying that the
scale of the November 25 rally was not large enough for launching
“decisive actions” for forcing President Saakashvili to resign; they,
instead, offered to launch setting up of “committees” in the provinces
to prepare for “civil disobedience campaign”.
After the protest was
reconvened at about 2pm local time outside the Parliament, blocking the
Rustaveli Avenue, part of the protesters decided to march towards the
Georgian Public Broadcaster’s headquarters to protest against the way
November 25 rally was covered in the broadcaster’s news program. Traffic
on the Rustaveli Avenue was restored after the part of the protesters
launch the march towards the public broadcaster.
Gia Chanturia, the
general director of the public broadcaster, rejected the criticism
saying that the broadcaster allotted enough time to covering the
November 25 rally. He said that protest outside the public broadcaster
and the protesters demands amounted to interference into the
broadcaster’s editorial policy.
The November 25 rally outside the
Parliament, the largest in last 18 months, was well down in news lineup
of the national broadcaster’s primetime news programs, including on the
public broadcaster; the latter, however, invited in its talk show one of
the organizers of the rally, Eka Beselia, for a 20-minute talk about
the Public Assembly.
Chanturia met with Beselia, while the protesters
were gathered outside the public broadcaster and after the meeting
Beselia told the participants of the rally that head of the public
broadcaster assured her that the channel would invite the Public
Assembly leaders in its talk shows; she then called on the rally
participants to disperse. She also said that there were no immediate
plans for holding rallies and that the organizers of the Public Assembly
would meet to decide about exact plans.
Most of those opposition
parties, which participated in the May local elections, refused to join
the Public Assembly, except of Conservative Party and People’s Party.
Ex-parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze’s party is in forefront of the
Public Assembly movement, which was also jointed by the National Forum
party.
|
| 26 Nov. '10 | EU begrüßt Tbilisi's Bekenntnis zum Gewaltverzicht
EU
foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, welcomed Georgia’s non-use of
force commitment announced by President Saakashvili in his speech to the
European Parliament on November 23.
“I see it as a constructive step
and positive contribution to ongoing efforts towards a peaceful and
lasting solution to the conflict,” Ashton said in a statement on
November 25.
“In this regard, I underline the importance of the
Geneva International Discussions, where the issue of non-use of force is
at the centre of the agenda.”
“We are looking forward to further
steps, as announced by President Saakashvili in his speech, and stand
ready to continue the active engagement of the EU in the conflict
resolution efforts in Georgia,” she said.
Saakashvili said in his
speech, that he would send a relevant letter of Georgia’s non-use of
force pledge to the UN Secretary General, OSCE Secretary General and EU
leaders.
French Foreign Minister, Michele Alliot-Marie, also welcomed
the Georgian President’s statement and called on all the parties into
the Geneva talks to accept this “strong gesture” of peace and to respond
with release of all the remaining detained persons and with allowing EU
monitors to access breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
|
| 26 Nov. '10 | Demonstration in Tbilisi auch in den TV-Nachrichten: während "Rustavi 2", "Imedi TV" und "1 TV" nur relativ kurz berichteten, wurde in "Kavkasia" und "Maestro" das Ereignis als Top-Story behandelt
Student
tuition fee protest in London was a bigger news story for Georgia's two
major nationwide broadcasters on November 25, than the protest rally in
Tbilisi center, which was the largest one in last 18 months, since
opposition's lengthy street demonstrations in spring, 2009.
The most
watched Georgian TV station Rustavi 2's main, 9pm news program, reported
about the Tbilisi protest rally 40 minutes after the bulletin's start.
Rustavi 2 TV opened its primetime news program with 17-minute long
report about a concert of Spanish opera star Placido Domingo in
Georgia's Black Sea resort town of Batumi and his meeting with President
Saakashvili on November 25; the bulletin then included news about
financial probe into over 100 Georgian betting firms and a story about
student tuition fee protest in London, followed by report about
settlement in Moldova, built with Georgian assistance after flooding
there and about President Saakashvili's visit to that settlement on
November 24; then came some crime news and four-minute long story about
the Tbilisi protest rally.
Another major nationwide broadcaster,
Imedi TV, in its main, 8pm news program, reported about the Tbilisi
protest rally about 32 minutes after the program's start, dedicating to
the event two minutes. The news about the rally was reported after
stories about tensions on the Korean peninsula and the student tuition
fee protests in Europe.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster's main, 8pm
news program's news lineup differed from the two other major channels
with absence of a story about student tuition fee protests in the UK.
The public broadcaster reported about the Tbilisi rally about 28 minutes
after the start of the news program, after reporting about Moldova
settlement story, some crime news and a lengthy report about Placido
Domingo's concert.
Unlike the three nationwide broadcasters, the
November 25 rally in Tbilisi was a top story for news programs of two
Tbilisi-based television stations, Kavkasia and Maestro, with this
latter also providing live footage from the rally in its afternoon news
program.
|
| 25 Nov. '10 | Einige
Demonstrationsveranstalter der "Öffentliche Versammlung" genannten
Demonstration vor dem Parlamentsgebäude äußerten ihre Enttäuschung über
die Teilnehmerzahl, die geringer als erwartet war
Gubaz Sanikidze vom "National Forum" sagte, mehr Leute als gerade hier anwesend sind, seien erforderlich, um das Ziel zu erreichen.
An
opposition rally outside the Parliament, dubbed by organizers as Public
Assembly, dispersed peacefully couple of hours after its launch on
November 25 with some organizers publicly expressing disappointment over
turnout, lower than they expected.
Several thousands of protesters were gathered at the rally, which was the largest since lengthy street protests in spring, 2009.
After
the organizers announced about the end of the rally it triggered
protest of some participants, complaining that they were disappointed by
the decision to disperse. Small group of protesters were remaining
outside the Parliament as of evening, although traffic, which was
blocked during the rally, was reopened.
Organizers – several
opposition parties, among others ex-parliamentary speaker Nino
Burjanadze’s party and the National Forum – said that the rally marked
the launch of a process, which should eventually lead to resignation of
President Saakashvili.
But as one opposition politician from National
Forum party, Gubaz Sanikidze, told protesters “more people, than
currently present here, is required” in order to achieve the goal. In
his address to the rally, Sanikidze criticized those who had snubbed the
rally and told the participants “not to be disappointed”.
“If we
fail today, we will accomplish [the goal] tomorrow,” he said and added
that active campaigning should now start in the provinces to mobilize
more supporters.
Nino Burjanadze, leader of Democratic
Movement-United Georgia party, who was in forefront of the People’s
Assembly movement, told the rally: “We are launching uncompromising
struggle for dismantling of Saakashvili’s regime, which will definitely
be accomplished with victory.”
She said that “committees” of
supporters would be established in the regions in charge of campaigning
in the provinces in order “to prepare for disobedience campaign.”
Irakli
Batiashvili, an opposition politician behind the Public Assembly
movement, told the rally, that in case of a large-scale rally the
organizers were ready for launch of decisive actions for achieving the
goal from today. “But now we will have to show more patience… including
for setting up disobedience committees in the regions,” Batiashvili
said.
The organizers’, however, said that the turnout was enough for
making Public Assembly’s decisions at the rally – including “vote of no
confidence to President Saakashvili” and “annulment of constitutional
amendments” – “legitimate”. The rally included, what the organizers
called, “delegates” from the regions, who were selected in their local
communities. The rally also includes activists and supporters of those
opposition parties, which initially were skeptical about the initiative,
but eventually decided to join it – the National Forum was one of such
parties.
Most of those opposition parties, which participated in the
May local elections, refused to join the rally, except of Conservative
Party and People’s Party.
The rally outside the Parliament was
extensively covered by the Tbilisi-based Maestro TV, including through
providing live footage. The rally was far from being top news for
Georgian public broadcaster and two another nationwide broadcaster,
Rustavi 2 TV and Imedi TV, which mentioned the rally only briefly in
their news bulletins at 4pm, 3pm and 5pm, respectively.
|
| 25 Nov. '10 | Demonstrationen von Gruppen der Opposition vor dem Parlamentsgebäude
Einige
tausend Demonstanden versammelten sich vor dem Parlamentsgebäude unter
dem Titel "Zusammenkunft des Volkes" oder "Öffentliche Versammlung".
opposition parties.
Several thousands of protesters gathered outside
the Parliament on November 25 for a rally dubbed as People’s Gathering,
or Public Assembly, backed by some opposition parties.
The rally,
spearheaded by ex-parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze’s Democratic
Movement-United Georgia opposition party, is the largest one held since
the opposition’s lengthy street protests in spring, 2009.
Participants
of the rally, which will start at 3pm local time, started to gather
outside the Parliament by the noon and few hours later the capital
city’s main thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue, in front of the legislative
body, was blocked.
The rally includes several thousand of movement
supporters, called delegates, who, the organizers say, were selected in
their local communities throughout the country with each of them claimed
to be representing dozens of other local residents of those
communities. Organizers said in ahead of the rally they expected about
12,000 delegates to turn out at the rally, which, they said, would have
an ambition to represent hundreds of thousands of citizens throughout
the country. The rally also includes activists and supporters of those
opposition parties, which initially were skeptical about the initiative,
but eventually decided to join it – the National Forum is one of such
parties.
Opposition politicians behind the rally say that the rally
should mark launch of a process, which should eventually lead to
resignation of President Saakashvili. They say that the movement’s
further action will largely depend on the scale of the rally.
Most of
those opposition parties, which participated in the May local elections
refused to join the initiative, except of Conservative Party and
People’s Party.
|
| 25 Nov. '10 | Tbilisi begrüßt den Begriff 'besetzt' in der EU-Erklärung
Die
interne Erklärung, nicht bestimmt für die Ausgabe an die
Öffentlichkeit, wurde von EU-Diplomaten erarbeitet als Antwort auf einen
Bericht des Generalsekretärs des Europarats über Georgien. Der zweite
zusammengefasste Bericht über den konflikt in Georgien wurde von den
Botschaftern des Ministerrats bei einem Treffen in Straßburg diskutiert.
Die EU-Erklärung, verfaßt im Rahmen des Kommittees, sagt, dass die Situation in Georgien, einschließlich der Regionen Abchasien und Georgien, in Besorgnis für
die EU verbleibe. Die EU unterstütze mehr Aktivität des Europarats vor
Ort und ruft den Generalsekretär auf, die Kontakte zwischen den Parteien
zu intensivieren, die zwecks des vollen Zugangs zu den besetzten
georgischen Gebieten eingebunden sind.
Georgian Foreign Ministry
welcomed on November 24 mentioning of term "the occupied Georgian
territories" in reference to Abkhazia and South Ossetia in a joint
statement made by EU diplomats in Council of Europe (CoE).
The
internal statement, not meant for public release, was made by EU
diplomats in response to a report of CoE's Secretary General about
Georgia. The second consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia was
discussed by ambassadors from ministerial council, CoE's decision-making
body, at a meeting in Strasbourg on November 23.
The EU statement
made in frames of the committee, says that "situation in Georgia,
including its Abkhaz and South Ossetian regions, remains of concern to
the EU"; it says that EU supports CoE's more activity on the ground and
calls on the CoE Secretary General to intensify contacts with the
parties involved "in order to have full access to the occupied Georgian
territories."
"The Georgian Foreign Ministry welcomes EU's this
statement and thinks, that this is yet another important step taken by
the international community towards forcing the Russian Federation to
implement August 12 ceasefire agreement and to withdraw its forces from
Georgia's occupied regions," the Georgian Foreign Ministry said in a
statement on November 24.
It said that giving a proper legal
assessment to the situation on the ground "is an important step" in
order to make Russia understand "the consequences of occupation of the
Georgian territories."
|
| 25 Nov. '10 | Zentralbank hält an Leitzins von 7.5% fest
National Bank of Georgia (NBG) kept refinancing rate unchanged at 7.5% on November 24.
NBG’s
monetary policy committee said after its meeting on November 24, that
it had to tighten monetary policy in recent months amid increasing
inflation.
Annual inflation came in at 9.6% in October (9.8% in September), above the central bank's 6% target.
Finance
Minister, Kakha Baindurashvili, said on November 12 that the government
had to revise upwards 2010 forecasted inflation from 6% to 9% due to
external factors mainly related to increased food prices.
NBG
increased key rate from 6.5% to 7% in September and then to 7.5% in
October. The rate was kept unchanged at 5% since late November 2009 and
increased to 6.25% in June and then to 6.5% in July.
|
| 22 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili wird Rede halten vor dem Europaparlament
Dabei will er Russland zum Dialog ohne Vorbedingungen aufrufen und ein Bekenntnis zum Gewaltverzicht abgeben.
President Saakashvili will address a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on November 23.
His address is scheduled for 3pm Tbilisi time.
In an interview with Le Figaro ahead of his speech, Saakashvili said
that during the address he would call on Russia for a dialogue without
preconditions and also said that in his speech he would make a
commitment to non-use of force. He said that such unilateral commitment
made by a country, whose territories remain under occupation, was “a
controversial” move, since every country has the right to defend its
sovereignty, including through military means. “But I see things
differently,” he said, adding that Georgia could not end up like
Afghanistan or Chechnya.
Saakashvili said on November 19 that he was the only President of non-EU
member state to be honored with an opportunity to address the European
Parliament twice. He first addressed MEPs in November, 2006.
"It happens not because there is a special attention personally to me,
but because of support of Europe and rest of the world towards Georgia,"
Saakashvili said.
Georgia’s one of the key priorities in respect of the European
Parliament, officials in Tbilisi say, is adoption of a resolution in
which Abkhazia and South Ossetia will be referred to as “occupied
territories.”
In May, 2010 the European Parliament was considering using term
“occupied territories” in its resolution on South Caucasus, but the term
was removed from the draft and not included in the final text adopted
on May 20.
|
| 22 Nov. '10 | Teil der Opposition plant am 25.11. eine Demonstration vor dem Parlamentsgebäude
An
opposition movement, which has been dubbed as People’s Gathering,
joined by some opposition parties will hold a rally outside the
Parliament on November 25.
This movement, which initiators say has an
ambition to represent majority of the population by uniting a delegates
selected in their local communities throughout the country - each
claimed to be representing several dozen of people from their
communities – was initially launched by opposition-minded, public
figures, probably the most prominent of them Nona Gaprindashvili, who
was women’s world chess champion from 1962 to 1978.
Ex-parliamentary
speaker Nino Burjanadze’s party, Democratic Movement–United Georgia, was
the most vocal and for sometime the only supporter of the initiative
with most of the opposition parties remaining largely skeptical about
the idea.
But last week, when the opposition National Forum party,
announced its intention to join the movement and participate in the
rally planned for November 25, the idea of Public Gathering gained new
momentum; the National Forum’s announcement was followed by the
statement of Conservative and People’s Party on November 22 that they
would also join.
Unlike Burjanadze’s party, these three opposition
parties are formally part of a group, which has recently launched talks
with the ruling party on election system reform. Other participants of
the talks have no intention to join the initiate. A newly established
Georgian Party – which will hold its inaugural session on November 24 –
is also reluctant at this stage towards the initiative, but does not
rule out close cooperation in the future.
Initiators of the movement
said their initial intention was to hold the People’s Gathering either
in Sports Palace or in Locomotive football stadium in Tbilisi, but were
“forced” to convene the gathering on the Rustaveli Avenue, outside the
Parliament, after the authorities refused to grant access to both of
those venues, citing technical reasons.
The People’s Gathering said
in a declaration in late September, that it “will employ all the
effective forms of civil resistance… and together with healthy political
forces and civil society it will achieve holding of democratic and fair
presidential and parliamentary elections.”
Details of what the
further steps of the organizers and participants of the rally might be
remains unclear. Organizers say the eventual goal of the movement is to
achieve resignation of President Saakashvili and his government.
Burjanadze
said for number of times in her multiple media interviews on the matter
that the movement would take the decision about its further actions on
the gathering on November 25. “If the Gathering decides that we should
give [Saakashvili] time till next elections [in 2012], we should wait;
but I doubt such decision will be taken at the Gathering,” Burjanadze
said.
|
| 22 Nov. '10 | Designierter Botschafter in den USA Temur Yakobashvili: Tbilisi möchte die Beziehungen zu den USA auf eine 'neue Ebene' heben
Temur
Yakobashvili, former state minister for reintegration who has been
nominated for Georgia's ambassador to the United States, said on
November 21 that "new realities" had emerged recently, which creates
opportunities for "lifting U.S.-Georgia relations to a new level."
In
the cabinet reshuffle, announced on November 20, which also involved
changes in Georgia's National Security Council (NSC), Yakobashvili was
replaced on the post of the state minister by Eka Tkeshelashvili, who
served as NSC secretary.
"Two years after the war, situation has
been clarified... on the other hand Obama is no longer a new president
and the U.S. foreign policy priorities have been defined; it has also
been defined that Georgia should not be treated only in the context of
Russia," Yakobashvili told public broadcaster's weekly program, Accents,
on Sunday evening.
Yakobashvili, who in parallel to the state
minister's post also served as vice-premier, said that under the new
conditions more active efforts were required in "various directions" to
further boost bilateral ties.
"Sending a vice-premier as an
ambassador it is first of all a political signal and I think it is a
message from Georgia that against the background of these new realities
we want to lift relations with the United States to the new level and
[that Tbilisi wants] full-pledged implementation of Charter on Strategic
Partnership [with the U.S.],"
He said that there was "whole range
of new possibilities" in the bilateral relations with the U.S. and
during "very substantive, business-like and warm" meeting between the
U.S. and Georgian Presidents in Lisbon "whole range of priorities have
been defined to broaden our relationship."
Yakobashvili's new post -
his ambassadorial nomination has yet to be approved by the Parliament,
which is a mere formality - will mark his comeback in the diplomatic
service. In 1990s he served in the Georgian Foreign Ministry, holding
various positions there, including the director of the Department for
USA, Canada and Latin America.
Yakobashvili, who holds diplomatic
rank of Envoy Extraordinary, joined the government in January, 2008,
when he was appointed on the post of state minister; before that
appointment he was executive vice-president of Tbilisi-based think-tank,
Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS).
In
the capacity of the State Minister he personally was in charge of
development implementation of Georgia's state strategy on occupied
territories and its action plan.
Yakobashvili said in the TV
interview on November 21 he was "glad" that Eka Tkeshelashvili replaced
him on the post of state minister, "because she is not only
well-qualified but also well-informed in this matter."o
"We've been
working together on these issues, so there are all the pre-requisites in
place that [the work on these issues] will be continued," Yakobashvili
said.
Yakobashvili will replace Batu Kutelia, who was approved as Georgia's ambassador to the U.S. in December, 2008.
|
| 21 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili's hielt einige bilaterale Treffen auf dem Lissabon-Gipfel ab
US-Präsident
Obama, britischer Premierminister David Cameron, Premierministerin
Julia Gillard - Australien, Premierminister Petr Nečas - Tschechei,
Premierminister Mark Rutte - Holland, Präsident Abdullah Gül - Türkei,
Präsident Traian Băsescu - Rumänien, Präsident Bronislaw Komorowski -
Polen, Premierminister Stephen Harper - Kanada
Apart of a bilateral
meeting with President Obama, President Saakashvili held number of other
meetings with counterparts and heads of governments from several
countries on sideline of NATO Lisbon summit on November 19-20, according
to the Georgian President's administration.
Saakashvili met with
British Prime Minister David Cameron; PM of Australia Julia Gillard;
Czech PM Petr Nečas; Dutch PM Mark Rutte; as well as Turkish President
Abdullah Gül; Romanian President Traian Băsescu and Polish President
Bronislaw Komorowski, according to the Georgian President's
administration. Saakashvili also met with Canadian PM Stephen Harper.
|
| 21 Nov. '10 | Georgien bietet 20 Ausbilder für die afghanische Armee an
Georgia,
which has 950-strong combat unit in Afghanistan, has offered to send 20
instructors to help train the Afghan forces, the Georgian Ministry of
Defense said.
It said that President Saakashvili voiced the proposal
at a meeting of leaders from countries contributing to the Afghan
operation on a sideline of NATO Lisbon summit on November 20.
"The
proposal made by Georgia today is very important," Bacho Akhalaia, the
Georgian defense minister, said on November 20. "We offered to send
Georgian military instructors who will provide training for the Afghan
military in various professions; it might be infantry component, or
aviation,” Mr. Akhalaia stated.
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Russ. Präsident Medvedev: Georgien 'wahrscheinlich schwerwiegendste' Unstimmigkeit mit NATO
Russian
President, Dmitry Medvedev, said that at Lisbon summit NATO and Moscow
made “a significant step forward” towards boosting cooperation, but also
said that differences, including on Georgia, remain.
“One of the
most serious differences probably is about our assessment of 2008 events
– attitude towards what has happened in August, 2008, towards those
geopolitical changes, which occurred at that time; in particular
emergence of two new states – South Ossetia and Abkhazia. But we [Russia
and NATO] have noted that this issue should not become a stumbling
stone,” Medvedev said while speaking at a news conference after
NATO-Russia Council meeting in Lisbon on November 20.
“We have agreed
that [differences] should not disrupt our relations,” he said. “On the
contrary, we should work on finding ways out of these difficult
situations. We should work on hearing each others’ arguments.”
Medvedev
said that in overall the Lisbon summit was “a significant step forward
towards strengthening our relations” and for that reason, he added, this
summit was “a historic event.”
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Georgien in der NATO-Gipfelerklärung - wörtliche Auszüge
-
Stabilität und erfolgreiche politische und wirtschaftliche Reformen in
Georgien sind wichtig für die euro-atlantische Stabilität
- Bukarest-Entscheidung in allen Entscheidungen wiederholt: Georgien wird ein NATO-Mitglied werden
- NATO-Russland-Kooperation ist von strategischer Bedeutung
20.
...Stability and successful political and economic reform in Georgia and
Ukraine are important to Euro-Atlantic security. We will continue and
develop the partnerships with these countries taking into account the
Euro-Atlantic aspiration or orientation of each of the countries.
21.
At the 2008 Bucharest Summit we agreed that Georgia will become a
member of NATO and we reaffirm all elements of that decision, as well as
subsequent decisions. We will foster political dialogue and practical
cooperation with Georgia, including through the NATO-Georgia Commission
and the Annual National Programme. We strongly encourage and actively
support Georgia’s continued implementation of all necessary reforms,
particularly democratic, electoral and judicial reforms, as well as
security and defence sector reforms, in order to advance its
Euro-Atlantic aspirations. We welcome the recent opening of the NATO
Liaison Office in Georgia which will help in maximising our assistance
and support for the country’s reform efforts. We welcome Georgia’s
important contributions to NATO operations, in particular to ISAF. We
reiterate our continued support for the territorial integrity and
sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders. We
encourage all participants in the Geneva talks to play a constructive
role as well as to continue working closely with the OSCE, UN and the EU
to pursue peaceful conflict resolution in the
internationally-recognised territory of Georgia. We continue to call on
Russia to reverse its recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia
regions of Georgia as independent states...
23. ...NATO-Russia
cooperation is of strategic importance, as reflected by today’s meeting
of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) at the level of Heads of State and
Government in Lisbon. In light of common security interests, we are
determined to build a lasting and inclusive peace, together with Russia,
in the Euro-Atlantic Area. We need to share responsibility in facing up
to common challenges, jointly identified. We want to see a true
strategic partnership between NATO and Russia, and we will act
accordingly, with the expectation of reciprocity from Russia. We
recommit ourselves to the goals, principles and commitments which
underpin the NRC. On this firm basis, we urge Russia to meet its
commitments with respect to Georgia, as mediated by the European Union
on 12 August and 8 September 2008. Over the past year, NATO-Russia
cooperation has progressed and produced notable results. We welcome, in
particular, the completion of the Joint Review of 21st Century Common
Security Challenges, which has identified practical cooperation projects
on Afghanistan, including counter-narcotics; non-proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery; counter-piracy;
counter-terrorism; and disaster response. We also welcome the new
extended arrangements offered by Russia to facilitate ISAF transit to
and from Afghanistan. We are actively pursuing cooperation with Russia
on missile defence, including through the resumption of theatre missile
defence exercises. We will also want to discuss in the NRC a range of
other topics, including Afghanistan; implementing OSCE principles;
military deployments, including any that could be perceived as
threatening; information sharing and transparency on military doctrine
and posture, as well as the overall disparity in short-range nuclear
weapons; arms control; and other security issues. We look forward to
discussing all these matters in the NRC, which is a forum for political
dialogue at all times and on all issues, including where we disagree.
Our dialogue and cooperation with Russia also help us to resolve
differences by building trust, mutual confidence, transparency,
predictability and mutual understanding...
35. ... With our vision of
a Euro-Atlantic area at peace, the persistence of protracted regional
conflicts in South Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova continues to be a
matter of great concern for the Alliance. We urge all parties to engage
constructively and with reinforced political will in peaceful conflict
resolution, and to respect the current negotiation formats. We call on
them all to avoid steps that undermine regional security and stability.
We remain committed in our support of the territorial integrity,
independence and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the
Republic of Moldova, and will also continue to support efforts towards a
peaceful settlement of these regional conflicts, taking into account
these principles.
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Georgien in der Abschlusserklärung des NATO-Gipfels in Lissabon
... Wie die Erklärung nach dem Strasbourg/Kehl-Gipfel ruft die jüngste
Erklärung Russland auf, "seine Anerkennung von der Südossetien- und
Abchasien-Region von Georgien als unabhängige Staaten rückgängig zu
machen". ...
Like NATO’s new strategic concept, in respect of Georgia, the final declaration of Lisbon summit reiterates the decision taken by NATO leaders at 2008 Bucharest summit, that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance.
It also reaffirms subsequent decisions taken by the Alliance in respect of Georgia, which among others also includes the one of 2009 Strasbourg/Kehl summit
in which NATO leaders said that Georgia’s Annual National Programme,
setting reforms targets, will help Georgia in advancing its reforms
“without prejudice to further decisions which must be taken about MAP” –
Membership Action Plan, a precursor to an eventual membership to which
Georgia was refused at 2008 Bucharest summit.
Like the 2009 Strasbourg/Kehl declaration, the recent one again calls
on Russia “to reverse its recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia
regions of Georgia as independent states.”
While noting that NATO wants to see “a true strategic partnership”
with Russia, the Lisbon summit declaration reiterates support to
Georgia’s territorial integrity and calls on Moscow “to meet its
commitments with respect to Georgia” undertaken under the August 12,
2008 six-point ceasefire agreement and follow up treaty of September 8,
2008.
It says that “protracted regional conflicts” in South Caucasus and in
Moldova “continues to be a matter of great concern for the Alliance.”
“We strongly encourage and actively support Georgia’s continued
implementation of all necessary reforms, particularly democratic,
electoral and judicial reforms, as well as security and defence sector
reforms, in order to advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” the
declaration reads. |
| 20 Nov. '10 | NATO-Generalsekretär Rasmussen sagt, eine
verbesserte NATO-Russland-Beziehung werde in veritabler Weise dazu
beitragen, eine Lösung im Konflikt Georgien-Russland zu finden
NATO
Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who announced about launch of
“fundamentally new relations” between NATO and Russia, said improved
ties between the Alliance and Moscow would also help to resolve conflict
between Russia and Georgia.
Speaking at a news conference after a
meeting between NATO leaders and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in
Lisbon, Rasmussen said that the Alliance and Russia “agreed in writing
that while we face main security challenges we pose no threat to each
other.”
"For the first time the two sides will be cooperating to defend themselves," Rasmussen said.
Asked
how “fundamentally new relations” between Russia and NATO might effect
conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi, Rasmussen responded: “I hope to see
a resolution to that very unfortunate conflict and I can assure that
within the framework, we have created for consultations with Russia, we
will continue to discuss the Georgia issue.”
“The NATO position
remains the same; we insist on full respect of Georgia’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity; we will continue to pursue a non-recognition
policy as regards Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”
"Generally
speaking, I do believe, that an improved relationship between NATO and
Russia will also contribute in a valuable way to find the solutions to
the conflict between Russia and Georgia," Rasmussen said.
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Umbesetzung in der Regierung: neue Positionen für Temur Yakobashvili, Eka Tkeshelashvili und Giga Bokeria
* Bokeria becomes NSC secretary replacing Tkeshelashvili;
* Tkeshelashvili replaces state minister Yakobashvili;
* Yakobashvili set to become ambassador to the U.S.;
President
Saakashvili has replaced secretary of National Security Council (NSC),
Eka Tkeshelashvili, with deputy foreign minister Giga Bokeria, the
President’s administration said on November 20.
Tkeshelashvili has
been appointed as the State Minister for Reintegration – the post
overseeing Tbilisi’s policies towards breakaway Abkhazia and South
Ossetia – replacing Temur Yakobashvili. The latter also served as
vice-premier and with the recent reshuffle the vice-premier’s post will
now be occupied by Tkeshelashvili.
Yakobashvili, who held the post of
the state minister since January 2008, was nominated as Georgia’s
ambassador to the United States, replacing Batu Kutelia. The local media
reported that the latter will be become deputy secretary of the
National Security Council. Yakobashvili ambassadorial nomination
requires Parliament’s approval.
The announcement about the changes in
the government and NSC comes amid ongoing visit of President
Saakashvili to Lisbon at NATO summit. In Lisbon the Georgian delegation
also includes Giga Bokeria and Temur Yakobashvili.
In the capacity of
First Deputy Foreign Ministry, Bokeria was Georgia’s chief negotiator
in the Geneva talks. It was not immediately clear whether he would
retain this role in his new capacity of secretary of National Security
Council or not.
In her new capacity of the State Minister for
Reintegration, Eka Tkeshelashvili, 33, will be in charge of Tbilisi’s
policies towards the breakaway regions, as well as on implementation of
Tbilisi’s state strategy on occupied territories and its action plan,
which was developed under Yakobashvili’s tenure on the post.
Tkeshelashvili,
who served as Georgia’s Foreign Minister in 2008, held number of senior
governmental posts since 2004, including deputy interior and deputy
justice minister, as well as chairperson of court of appeals and chief
prosecutor.
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili über 'fruchtbarste diplomatische Woche'
President Saakashvili said this week was the most “fruitful” in terms of diplomatic successes for Georgia under his presidency.
Speaking
to a group of Georgian journalists in Lisbon on sideline of NATO summit
after meeting with President Obama, Saakashvili said that NATO
Parliamentary Assembly’s resolution, his trip to Brussels to meet with
EU leadership and talks with his U.S. counterpart, as well as his
upcoming speech before the European Parliament on November 23 was
marking failure of Russia’s attempts “to cast away and sideline” Georgia
on the international arena.
“I am on this post [of the President]
for many years already, but I do not remember having - and we have not
had – such a fruitful international week. It means that all the attempts
– and lots of money have been invested in those attempts - to somehow
weaken… and to cast away and sideline Georgia [have foiled] and on the
contrary, those attempts boomeranged against perpetrators of those
attempts,” Saakashvili said.
“This indicates on the fact that in
every type of relations the truth will always prevail and good will
always defeat evil. We need patience.”
“In the 21st century, nobody
will last long as an occupying force on a territory of the European
country. This status of an occupier has been established and support to
Georgia has been strengthened. What we need now is patience, unity – and
I think that our people have this unity today – and we need hard work
to make Georgia stronger,” he said.
Saakashvili said that the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly resolution, which mentions “occupation” and
“ethnic cleansing”, was not “a minor event” and it was a result of “a
huge diplomatic struggle.”
He also said that he was the only
President of non-EU member state to be honored with an opportunity to
address the European Parliament twice. He first addressed MEPs in
November, 2006.
"It happens not because there is a special attention
personally to me, but because of support of Europe and rest of the world
towards Georgia," he said.
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili 'zufrieden' mit den Gesprächen mit Obama
Schon
die Tatsache, dass Präsident Obama nur wenige Treffen neben dem
NATO-Gipfel einplante und dabei Georgien berücksichtigte, war eine
wichtige Botschaft.
President Saakashvili said the fact that
President Obama’s scheduled of few bilateral meetings on sidelines of
NATO Lisbon summit also included talks with his Georgian counterpart was
in itself “an important message”.
“I am very satisfied with this
meeting,” Saakashvili told a group of Georgian journalists in Lisbon
after meeting with President Obama late on November 19 evening. “As you
know this was President Obama’s only meeting here at NATO summit, apart
his meetings with [Afghan] President Karzai and with the hosts
[referring to Portuguese leaders] – and you know that Afghanistan tops
the agenda of this summit; actually he had no other meetings here except
of these ones. Of course this is already in itself an important
message.”
“During the meeting the President [Obama] made an extremely
supportive statements about reforms in Georgia; he assessed highly
democratic and economic reforms carried out in Georgia; he demonstrated
good knowledge of details of the situation [in Georgia]; not only he
reiterated support to Georgia’s territorial integrity, but [also
demonstrated] that they [the U.S. authorities] are working on this issue
and of course [Obama expressed] support towards the path, which will
lead us to the NATO membership,” Saakashvili said.
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | US-Präsident Obama trifft Präsident Saakashvili in Lissabon
Weißes
Haus: "Präsident Obama beteuerte wieder die Unterstützung der USA für
die Souveränität und territoriale Integrität Georgiens. Präsident Obama
drückte seine Anerkennung für Georgiens bedeutenden Beiträge zu der
ISAF-Mission in Afghanistan und für den Dienst und das Opfer seiner
tapferen Truppen." ...
President Obama met with his Georgian
counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili in Lisbon on sideline of NATO summit on
November 19 to discuss "further strengthening" of relations between the
two countries, the White House said.
The meeting, long sought by the
Georgian leader, was the first one-on-one talks between Obama and
Saakashvili, although the two briefly met at the Washington nuclear
security summit in April.
"President Obama reaffirmed U.S. support
for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. President Obama
expressed his appreciation for Georgia’s significant contributions to
the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and for the service and sacrifice of its
brave troops," the White House said.
It also said that the two
presidents discussed "the Georgian government’s efforts to implement
political, economic, and defense reforms and our shared interest in
securing democracy, stability, and prosperity in Georgia."
The
Georgian President's administration said in a statement that the two
leaders discussed "discussed regional security, stressing the importance
of dialogue and cooperation."
It also said that President Obama
reiterated the U.S. support to Georgia's NATO aspirations and "commanded
Georgia's reforms and urged the Georgian leadership to continue them."
"President
Saakashvili thanked President Obama and his Administration for their
steadfast support of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity,
and for affirming Georgia's path toward eventual NATO membership.
President Saakashvili also expressed the gratitude of the Georgian
people... for generous [USD 1 billion] financial aid package that helped
Georgia in the last two years," the Georgian President's administration
said.
It said that Saakashvili "stressed the importance of US
assistance in Georgia's continued pursuit of democratic and economic
reforms."
|
| 20 Nov. '10 | Georgien im Zusammenhang mit dem neuen NATO-Strategiekonzept
Bukarest-Entscheidung
wiederholt; Fokus auf NATO-Georgien-Kommission gerichtet;
NATO-Russland-Kooperation ist von strategischer Wichtigkeit; diese
Kooperation sollte auf der Achtung der territorialen Integrität von
Ländern basieren
|
| 19 Nov. '10 | 'Georgien bleibt in Afghanistan bis die Mission vollendet ist'
President Saakashvili said on November 19 that Georgia would remain committed to the Afghan mission until it's accomplished.
Saakashvili
made the remarks at a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen
Harper, on a sideline of NATO summit in Lisbon.
“You know we are
second biggest per capita contributors to Afghanistan in terms of
numbers of troops. We have no caveats and we are fighting alongside the
Americans, Canadians, with British and we are willing to stay there
until the mission is accomplished,” he said.
Georgia has 950 troops
in Afghanistan; five Georgian soldiers were killed in combat in two
separate incidents in early and late September.
Saakashvili also said
at the meeting with the Canadian PM: “We love Canada in Georgia, not
only in Georgia, but in the whole region, and not only because it’s a
great country but it has been paying great attention to our region. It
has been outspoken in defence of values and it’s a great ally in
Afghanistan."
Georgian State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration
Issues, Giorgi Baramidze, said that Canada "is an active supporter to
Georgia's NATO integration." "These relations are very important for
us," he said.
Meanwhile, Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister, Giga
Bokeria, said on November 19, that Georgia was expecting that NATO
summit in Lisbon would give a "firm" recommitment to its decision at the
Bucharest summit in 2008 to eventual Georgian membership.
“We hope
and we have a ground to hope that at this summit a very clear message
will be made about future of Georgia’s NATO membership – that is a very
firm reiteration of the NATO Bucharest summit decision; as you know
there have been speculations on this issue and it is important to remove
all the question marks about it,” Bokeria said.
|
| 19 Nov. '10 | Staatsbudget für 2010 abgeändert
Durch
Steuermehreinnahmen und einen Kredit für den Bau von
Hochspannungsleitungen wurden die Ausgaben im Energieministerium von GEL
23.8 Mio. auf GEL 199.2 Mio. erhöht sowie die Mittel der meisten
Ministerien.
|
| 17 Nov. '10 | Parlamentarische Versammlung der NATO (NATO-PV) zu Georgien's Verfassungsreform
Die
Verfassungsreform wird begrüßt, aber auch das Bedauern ausgedrückt,
dass die Beratschlagung des Europarats nicht völlig von Tbilisi
aufgegriffen wurde.
In a resolution passed on November 16 the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly welcomed constitutional reform in Georgia, but
expressed regret that consultancy of Council of Europe's advisory body
for legal affairs was not fully used by Tbilisi in the process.
The
resolution says that the Assembly is "welcoming... the process of
constitutional reform, but regretting that full use was not made of the
advisory mechanism of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe".
The
Venice Commission in overall welcomed Georgia's new constitution, which
will go into force from late 2013, as a "significant step in the right
direction". It, however, said that it "would be desirable to further
strengthen the powers of parliament."
The non-binding resolution by
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which mainly focuses on issues related
to Georgia's breakaway regions, commends the Georgian authorities on
"their efforts to further democratic reforms, and in particular, to
fight corruption, build democratic institutions and engage opposition in
decision‑making."
It also welcomes "the conduct of competitive and
democratic local elections" in May, 2010 and urges Georgia "to continue
efforts to strengthen the rule of law and promote democratic reforms in
all areas, particularly those that further engage the opposition".
The
Georgian nationwide broadcasters allocated significant airtime to the
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's resolution in thier prime time news
bulletins on Tuesday evening, but like the Georgian officials' televised
comments on the matter, the TV coverage was also only focused on the
part of the resolution which deals with Georgia's breakaway regions.
The
most watched Rustavi 2 TV, which dedicated 20 minutes of its prime time
news bulletin to the resolution, made only a partial mentioning of
other issues in the documented saying the the Assembly "assessed
positively" Georgia's constitutional reform.
|
| 16 Nov. '10 | Georgien begrüßt eine Resolution der Parlamentarischen Versammlung der NATO (NATO-PV)
Darin wird von "besetzten Gebieten" und "ethnischer Säuberung" gesprochen.
Georgia
welcomed a resolution passed by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on
November 16 in particular the part of the document, which refers to
Abkhazia and South Ossetia as "occupied territories".
The NATO
Parliamentary Assembly, which unites lawmakers from the alliance member
states and associate delegates from NATO partner countries, including
from Georgia and Russia, adopted at its session in Warsaw on November 16
a non-binding resolution on the situation in Georgia.
The resolution
says that the Assembly is "deeply concerned by the humanitarian
situation in Georgia ’s occupied territories" and "urges" Moscow, as
well as Sokhumi and Tskhinvali "to reverse the results of what has been
described as ethnic cleansing by the Independent International
Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia as well as by other
international documents."
These two issues - mentioning of "occupied
territories" and "ethnic cleansing" - were the focus of the Georgian
senior officials while praising the resolution. President Saakashvili
said just few hours before the document was passed, that Russia was
sparing no efforts to lobby against mentioning of these issues in the
resolution.
Georgian Parliamentary Chairman, Davit Bakradze, who led
the Georgian delegation at the Assembly, said in a live interview with
Rustavi 2 TV after the resolution was passed, that it was "yet another
political blow for Russia".
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, Nino
Kalandadze, who convened a news conference shortly after the resolution
was passed said, that it was for the first time when Georgian
territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were referred by the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly as occupied territories.
The NATO
Parliamentary Assembly in a declaration passed in November, 2008, three
months after Georgia-Russia war, condemned “disproportionate use of
force” by Russia and "the occupation of Georgian territory by Russian
forces", as well as "the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from South
Ossetia".
In the recent resolution, the Assembly welcomed Russian
troops withdrawal from the village of Perevi, but expressed concern on
"the ongoing tightening by Russian FSB Border Troops of procedures for
crossing" the administrative borders of the breakaway regions.
It
also says that the Assembly is "deeply concerned" about Russia's
"failure to withdraw to the positions it held before the conflict", as
envisaged by the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement.
The resolution
welcomes Georgia's strategy on occupied territories and its action plan
and calls on NATO to reaffirm the Bucharest Summit declaration that
Georgia will become a member of the alliance.
Georgian officials
said, that the document, although non-binding, was significant as it
would set a tone ahead of the NATO Lisbon summit.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly resolution on Georgia also raises issues related to constitutional and democratic reforms.
|
| 16 Nov. '10 | Georgien hofft, dass die NATO ihre Bukarest-Entscheidung wiederholt
Georgia
hopes that NATO leaders’ summit in Lisbon on November 19-20 will
reiterate its decision taken in 2008 in Bucharest that Georgia will one
day join the alliance, the Georgian President’s spokesperson said on
November 16.
“We hope that the Lisbon summit will reiterate its
commitment to the Bucharest [summit] decisions as well as reiterate that
Georgia is moving successfully on the path of NATO integration,” Manana
Manjgaladze, spokesperson of the Georgian President, said on November
16.
During the summit in Bucharest in April, 2008, after heated
debates, NATO leaders refused to grant Membership Action Plan (MAP) to
Georgia, a precursor to eventual accession into the Alliance; NATO
leaders, however, stated that Georgia would become NATO member sometime
in the future.
At the time in public statements the Georgian
leadership had to welcome the decision. However, after the August war
President Saakashvili described this decision by NATO as "a strategic
mistake."
During his visit in Tbilisi on October 1, NATO Secretary
General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said he expected upcoming summit in
Lisbon would reiterate the decision of the 2008 Bucharest summit that
Georgia will one day become member of the alliance once Georgian
fulfills necessary criteria.
The President’s spokesperson also said
on November 16, that President Saakashvili would visit Lisbon to
participate in a meeting of NATO and its allies, contributing troops to
the Afghan operation.
She also said that on the sidelines of the
Lisbon summit Saakashvili also plans number of bilateral talks,
including with British Prime Minister; Presidents of Turkey and the
Czech Republic, as well as with the Australian Prime Minister.
|
| 16 Nov. '10 | 'Historische' Straße eröffnet von Tbilisi nach Süden in die Samtskhe-Javakheti-Region
Georgia
inaugurated new road in its southern regions on November 15,
rehabilitated as part of the U.S. aid program, which, President
Saakashvili said, was “a historic” road ending “an actual isolation” of
Samtskhe-Javakheti region from rest of Georgia.
The road, which
starts from south of Tbilisi, runs through Kvemo Kartli region to
Akhalkalaki in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, where it branches off to the
Turkish border (to already existing Kartsakhi border crossing point) and
to the Armenian border. The road by-passes Georgia’s main east-west
highway and is shorter route to reach southern parts of
Samtskhe-Javakheti region from Tbilisi.
USD 209 million was spent on
two-year rehabilitation works on the road with total length of 224
kilometers – the largest portion of the U.S. aid program to Georgia in
frames of Millennium Challenge Account.
“I want to express my sincere
gratitude to the U.S. government,” Saakashvili told U.S. ambassador,
John Bass, also present at the opening ceremony. “It took longer for the
Americans to build this road, than it would have required for us, but
they have been doing it very thoroughly… each meter was examined for
quality in line with the international standards… This is the best
quality road ever built in Georgia. That should be a standard for every
new road in Georgia.”
After driving Toyota RAV4, which Saakashvili
said was of his mother, on the new road, the President addressed
thousands of local residents of Akhalkalaki, a predominantly ethnic
Armenian populated town, saying at the outdoor rally that it was “a
historic day for the entire Georgia.”
He said that three roads of key
significance were built in Georgia in last couple of centuries; the one
known as Georgian Military Road, which in its present form was built in
19th century to link Transcaucasus with the rest of Russian Empire and
which Saakashvili described as the road "to enslave and colonize"
Georgia and the entire Caucasus region; the second road, he said, was
built through Roki Tunnel about twenty five years ago to link Russia's
North Ossetian Republic with Georgia's Autonomous District of South
Ossetia, which, Saakashvili said was the road, which Russia used to
"disconnect" South Ossetia from rest of Georgia.
"And this is the
third road, which is completely opposite to [road via] Roki Tunnel. This
is the road of unity, unification of the Georgian regions," he said.
He said that these three roads were demonstration of different roles, played by Russia and the U.S. in Georgia.
"While
one country [referring to Russia] built Georgian Military Road and Roki
Tunnel, another country [referring to the United States] helped us to
build this new road, hence helped us in strengthening Georgia," he said.
|
| 15 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili: Georgische Eigenstaatlichkeit ist ein 'Alptraum' für Russland
* He said compromise - the worst enemy of reforms.
Georgia’s
success in building a modern state in the Caucasus region is “the
greatest nightmare” for “our ill-wishers”, President Saakashvili said on
November 14.
He said Georgians had in “genes this longing for creating the modern state"
“For
them [referring to Russia] Georgians are the most independent-minded
people… who are now creating the state, which is more affective and
successful state than theirs – that is the greatest nightmare they can
ever imagine,” Saakashvili said.
“If Georgia managed to do that, the
entire Caucasus will also be able to do that – that’s the greatest
catastrophe they [Russia] can [imagine],” he added.
Saakashvili was
speaking in Kvareli in eastern region of Kakheti, before a group of
World Bank and IFC senior staff, which was in Georgia for its internal
training purposes.
He said Georgia’s reforms were a success story,
because it was driven not by an individual leader, but by the entire
team of strongly motivated leaders.
“We are saying that we are
European, democratic Singapore. Singapore – it was one leader’s success
story. In case of Georgia it is not a success story of a separate
individual leader; Georgia is a galaxy of leaders,” he said.
Asked
what the difference between Georgia and Ukraine after their Rose and
Orange revolutions, respectively, was in respect of reforms, Saakashvili
responded: “Difference with Ukraine is that we have not made any
compromises.”
“Compromises are the worst that can happen to reforms…
We have carried out reforms simultaneously into all directions without
making compromises and wherever we made compromises, personally I then
regretted about it,” Saakashvili said.
|
| 14 Nov. '10 | Innenminister Merabishvili: 'Nichts ist ausgeschlossen, aber ich träume nicht von irgendeiner Position'
Das Interview mit Imedi TV war eines der seltenen, welches der Innenminister den georgischen Medien gegeben hat. Er gilt als die einflußreichste Person in Präsident Saakashvili's Regierung:
* 'War can't be lost against corrupt country';
* 'Doors open for North Caucasian friends';
* 'No Intention to Irritate Russia';
* Computer game 'Police'
Georgian
Interior Minister, Vano Merabishvili, said he was not yet thinking
about what his political career might be under the new constitutional
system, when PM becomes key figure in the country.
In an interview
with the Georgian television station, Imedi, Merabishvili said: "Nothing
is ruled out, but I am not dreaming about taking any post."
"I am
not thinking about which ministry or direction might be interesting for
me; my everyday work does not leave me enough time to think about it... I
do not deem it appropriate to think about it now; two years in Georgia
is a long period... Things change so fast, developments are so
dynamic... and it is impossible to make predictions for two years
ahead", he said.
Then the interviewer narrowed down the question -
although not further enough to directly ask if he was eying prime
ministerial post - and asked if he was "thinking about elections" in
2012.
"No, I do not think about the elections," Merabishvili responded.
Georgia
will have new constitutional system starting from late 2013, wherein
most of the presidential powers will be transfered to Prime Minister; at
the time Prime Minister will be elected by the Parliament, elected in
the 2012 elections. Although there are widespread speculation in Georgia
that President Saakashvili, whose second and final term in office will
expire in late 2013, himself is eying for the prime ministerial post,
some have also suggested that Vano Merabishvili might be aiming at the
post.
The interview with Imedi TV, which was recorded few days ago
and aired on November 13, was the rare one given to the Georgian media
by the Interior Minister, regarded to be the most influential figure in
President Saakashvili's administration. Opponents say Merabishvili's
influence goes far beyond his professional duties as head of the
ministry, which in itself is a powerful agency also incorporating
security services.
In the interview Merabishvili, on the one hand,
tried to downplay widespread notion that he exerts powers on decisions
beyond his official competences, but on the other hand, he also said:
"Decisions, which may not involve the Interior Ministry, are rare."
Imedi
TV's 85-minute long program about Merabishvili incorporated a recorded
sit-down interview with him, preceded by journalist's conversation with
him in the minister's office and at various locations, including a
construction site of one of the police stations in Tbilisi, which like
other newly built police stations and like the Interior Ministry's
headquarters itself is a glass building demonstrating, as Merabishvili
says, transparency of the Georgian police.
'War Can't Be Lost Against Corrupt Country'
One
of the locations where the journalist accompanied Merabishvili was at
the breakaway South Ossetia's administrative border, close to Akhalgori
from where Russian military barracks are seen on the other side of the
dividing line.
"That's the base where subversive actions, political
and economic destabilization and banditry is being planned against
Georgia," Merabishvili said looking in direction of the Russian troops'
barracks. "Of course efficiency of thier [efforts] is not very high,
because of active work of our police and counter-intelligence - thier
major problem, however, is corruption and lack of interest of thier
[Russia's] officers to defend Russia's interests; but we still need to
work hard to foil plans of, although ineffective but numerous,
aggressors and our adversaries."
"It is impossible for the country,
where there is freedom and where the police is loved by the people, to
lose the war against the force, where there is corruption, no human
rights, no free economy... and from where soldiers are fleeing to sought
asylum on our side," the Interior Minister said.
'Opened Door for North Caucasian Friends'
Georgia's
decision to impose 90-day visa-free travel rules for Russian citizens
residing in the North Caucasus has not created any threat to Georgia,
Merabishvili said.
"This is a door, opened to Georgia's friends. We
have enough resources to foil any attempt of aggression against Georgia.
Moreover, this gate [referring to possibility to cross Zemo
Larsi-Kazbegi border crossing point without visa] allows us to gather
more information and to carry out more surveillance on our adversary;
hence, allowing us to prevent thier subversive or other acts [against
Georgia]," he said.
'No Intention to Irritate Russia'
Asked
whether the Interior Ministry's decision to withhold till November 5
release of first official information about the capture of alleged
Russian spies was related to the fact that the Russian military
intelligence marks its professional day on that date, Merabishvili
responded, that it was also a factor, but not the main reason.
He
said it took some time before preparing all the materials in order to
provide "good" media coverage of the case. Rustavi 2 television station
aired a documentary about the case late on November 5.
Merabishvili
said, that major reason behind providing high publicity to the exposure
of the spy network was to warn and discourage those Georgian citizens,
who still keep links with the Russian intelligence.
"Our goal was not to irritate Russia; vector [of this move] was not at all directed towards Russia," he said.
Computer Game 'Police'
Merabishvili
also said that a team of software engineers and programmers, contracted
by the Interior Ministry, was developing the first ever Georgian
computer game, "Police", in which players will take part in virtual hunt
down of criminals and Russian spies. The game will also be available in
English for worldwide audience, the Interior Minister said.
He also
said that although himself a computer savvy, he did not have a Facebook
account and several accounts existing under his name on the social
networking site did not belonged to him.
|
| 12 Nov. '10 | Innenminister: 'Noch mehr russische Agentennetzwerke operieren in Georgien'
Recently
uncovered Russian military intelligence's (GRU) spy network is not the
only one operating in Georgia and the Georgian counter-intelligence
service is keeping a close eye on others too, Vano Merabishvili,
Georgia's influential interior minister, said on November 11.
"There
are at least three [Russian] secret services working in Georgia: GRU,
FSB [Federal Security Service] and SVR [Foreign Intelligence Service -
Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki]," he said in an interview with the Georgian
television station Imedi.
He said apart of recently exposed network, GRU still maintains other networks in Georgia, which "under our surveillance".
Imedi
TV aired on Thursday evening portions from the interview, full version
of which, the broadcaster said, will be shown on Saturday evening
followed by live sit-down interview with Merabishvili in TV studio.
Merabishvili
also said, that Russia's reaction to the recent spy row was far more
moderate than in 2006, when Tbilisi arrested four Russian military
officers on espionage charges. At the time Russia cut air, sea, land and
railway links, as well as postal communication with Georgia and
deported over 2,300 Georgians.
Merabishvili said that at the time
Russia regarded Georgia as "kind of fourth grade country" and it was
especially insulting for Russia when the country, which it deemed as
"nothing", captured four of its spies.
Russia's reaction now was
different, he said, because Russia "has gotten used to the fact" that
Georgia is capable of uncovering its agents.
"Russia now had an
adequate reaction... As I remember when the Russian spy network was
uncovered recently in the United States, the Russian President's
reaction to that was more aggressive than in case of Georgia," he said
"Believe me the next time we will expose thier agents, Russia may not have any reaction at all," Merabishvili said.
Moscow's
immediate reaction to Georgia's announcement that it had arrested
alleged spies, including four Russian citizens, was a statement by the
Russian Foreign Ministry saying that Tbilisi's "spy story" was "a
provocation", aimed at attracting international attention ahead of NATO
and OSCE summits. It also said: "The Saakashvili’s regime suffers from
chronic spy-mania on the anti-Russian grounds."
|
| 11 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili über die Beziehungen mit Russland
"Beziehungen mit Russland sind schon am tiefsten Punkt und können sich nicht verschlechtern."
Relation
with Russia is already at its lowest point and it can not get any
worse, including by uncovering alleged Russian spy network, President
Saakashvili said on November 11.
“Those who are saying that ‘we
should not capture spies, because we should not irritate [Russia]’;
those who are saying that ‘we should not speak about our dignity,
because they [Russia] are being irritated by that’, should understand
and should look thoroughly into what is going on around us: absolutely
all the post-Soviet republics have problems with them [Russia],” he said
while visiting a school in the village of Shamgona at the breakaway
Abkhazia’s administrative border.
“The fact that we have most of the
problems with them is not a surprising at all, because we are the most
independent people among the former [Soviet] republics and on the other
hand we have the most beautiful country and their [Russia’s] desire to
grab this beauty is natural thing; that’s their instinct – they want to
grab access to the sea and this beauty,” he said.
“These [tense
relations] are not because they dislike Saakashvili… or our policies;
that’s their agenda, they simply say: ‘it should be ours’.”
“When one
says that we should not irritate Russia – how can it be further
irritated? What else can be damaged in the relations, when we are
sitting here in this beautiful school at the occupation line and looking
at our occupied lands from this school window?”
“What can be worse
than this in relations, when [Russia] is here occupying the best part of
your country?.. We are still lectured: ‘do not provoke [Russia]’; they
have done all the damage they could have inflicted on us. From this
point on, I hope, it will be possible to get things better; although, of
course, situation is very difficult today,” he said.
Saakashvili told teachers of the school not to refer to the administrative border line with Abkhazia as “border”.
“This
is occupation line. [Russians] want it to be a border… this [border]
was born in the differently arranged mind of once KGB major [apparently
referring to Russia’s PM Vladimir Putin],” Saakashvili said.
|
| 11 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili gegen einen Vorschlag aus dem Paket der Wahlreformen: Change of Majoritarian MP Election Rule
President
Saakashvili said on November 11 he was strongly against of changing
current rule of electing majoritarian lawmakers from the single-mandate
constituencies.
The announcement came a day after the ruling party
and the opposition agreed to start regular meetings from November 17 in
order to develop new election code.
“There are lots of things on
which an agreement is probably possible,” Saakashvili told journalists
while visiting village of Shamgona at the breakaway Abkhazia’s
administrative border.
“There have been demands to scrap regional
representatives [in the Parliament] and to keep only party-lists… to
reduce or to abolish regions’ representatives in the Georgian Parliament
– I can state it right now, that I will not at all agree on that,” he
said.
Saakashvili was most likely referring to one of the points in
package of proposals outlined by the group of eight parties early in
October, according to which the current rule of electing majoritarian
lawmakers should be replaced with so called “regional-proportional
system”.
Under the current rule 75 lawmakers in 150-seat Parliament
are elected through winner-takes-all system in country’s 75
single-mandate constituencies.
Electing majoritarian MPs through
“regional-proportional system”, as eight opposition parties have
proposed, means that parties or election blocs will nominate several
candidates in each constituency. In this case instead of currently
existing single-mandate constituencies, larger multi-mandate
constituencies will be introduced and number of seats available in each
constituency will depend on the region’s size. Seats in the parliament,
under this system, will be allocated proportionally, based on the votes
received by parties in a particular constituency. Under this system
those parties, which clear 5% electoral threshold in that particular
constituency, will be able to endorse majoritarian MPs to the Parliament
from that constituency.
This rule, proposed by the eight opposite
parties, will increase their chances to take more majoritarian seats in
the Parliament. Under the existing system, the ruling National Movement
Party managed to win 71 out of 75 majoritarian seats in the May, 2008
elections.
Saakashvili said on November 11, that some opposition
parties “have no idea what the problems in the villages are and they
want to leave these [villages] without having their representatives in
the Parliament.”
“It is possible to negotiate on everything, exempt
of an issue that can leave residents of Shamgona village without their
representative in the Parliament,” he said.
In his remarks
Saakashvili welcomed the launch of the negotiations on election system
reform, describing it as “very important process.”
“At last we’ve
learnt to sit down and talk with each other. Instead of learning talking
on the language of ultimatums and hysteria - ‘all or nothing’, and
instead of setting deadlines and [instead] of being oriented towards the
past, we’ve learnt civilized talk with each other and listening to each
other,” he said.
|
| 11 Nov. '10 | Mehrere
Schuldirektoren im Zusammenhang mit den Schülerprotesten
zurückgetreten; Erziehungsminister wird strenge Reaktion vorgeworfen
Principals
of several public schools in Tbilisi lost their jobs after twelfth
grade students from their schools participated in a protest rally on
November 9 demanding dropping of newly introduced school-leaving exams.
Education
Minister, Dimitri Shashkin, said on November 10 that it was not a
dismissal as the ministry was not authorized by the law to dismiss heads
of schools and added that principals of eight schools themselves filed
for resignation, because as "it seems" they acknowledged their share of
"responsibility" for thwarted classes on the day when the protest rally
was held on November 9.
Principal of one of the public schools, Maia
Giorgadze, however, said on November 10 that she had been summoned by
the Education Ministry together with several other colleagues on the
evening of November 9 and told to file for resignation because students
from their schools were participating in the rally.
“We were told
that such principals should not be working in the school, because our
students were at the rally,” she told Maestro TV via phone on November
10 and added that she had refused to file for resignation as “my
students were not at the rally”.
Education Minister, Dimitri
Shashkin, whom President Saakashvili once described as “an important
statesman” with a prospect to climb high up career ladder even hinting
on presidency, is a frequent target of criticism from those opponents,
who say that he is reversing from key principles of education reforms,
which were started shortly after the Rose Revolution. One of such
aspects, the opponents say, is stopping of decentralization process and
tightening grip on public schools, turning school boards into a mere
formality.
Another aspect of the case is a motive behind the protest
rally, which was held on November 9 outside the Parliament followed by a
march to the Education Ministry building.
Few hundred twelfth grade
students, who gathered at the Facebook-generated rally, were demanding
dropping of plans to carry out school-leaving exams at the end of
current school year.
The school-leaving exam program was adopted by
the Education Ministry in March, 2010 – five months ahead of schedule in
order to, as the ministry said, give students in their final school
year more time to prepare. The ministry said CAT-type tests will be held
in eight subjects: Georgian language and literature, foreign language,
mathematics, history, geography, physics, chemistry and biology. The
ministry said tests are easy and a student will require some basic
knowledge to pass it.
But those students, who have protested,
complain that new exams will not enable them to focus on university
entry exams, which they say, is a priority for them. They also
acknowledge that it will be difficult for them to pass school-leaving
exams in all eight subjects because they have not been learning some of
those subjects blaming for that the system itself. Some protesters were
saying that they would welcome if the exams were be held in selected
subjects chosen by students themselves.
Ghia Nodia, a professor of
political science at Tbilisi-based Ilia State University, who was
Education Minister in 2008, said the motive behind the protest rally was
“ridiculous” for him. He, however, also told Maestro TV on November 10,
that the Education Ministry’s reaction to the rally by forcing school
principals to resign was not right and described it as “overreaction”.
“There is no need to over-dramatize the fact of the protest rally
itself,” he added.
President Saakashvili intervened in the matter on
November 8, a day before the protest rally was held, and referring to
the protesters’ Facebook page, which has generated over 5.300
supporters, said that those students “do not want to learn.” He also
said that the protesters thought Education Minister Dimitri Shashkin was
weak enough to allow “revolution of bad grade students”.
Both the
Education Minister and the President claimed that some opposition
parties were encouraging school students to stage protest rallies. On
November 9, when some representatives from the opposition Labor Party
joined the twelfth grade school students’ rally outside the Parliament,
the protesters immediately distanced themselves from the politicians
saying that they had nothing to do with the political parties or
politics.
|
| 10 Nov. '10 | Opposition und Regierungspartei einigen sich auf eine Serie von regelmäßigen Treffen, um die Wahlreformen zu besprechen
Opposition
and the ruling party agreed on November 9 on some aspects of format in
which they will have to negotiate on election system reform and decided
to launch series of regular meetings from next week.
Leaders and
senior officials from over dozen of opposition parties and senior ruling
party lawmakers, including parliamentary speaker, Davit Bakradze, were
discussing the issue for over three hours at a meeting in the Parliament
on November 9.
After the talks participants overwhelmingly welcomed
the launch of the process describing it as one of the most significant
political processes which should lead to development of a new election
code.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has been selected as the
venue of the talks with the first meeting scheduled for November 17.
The meetings will be moderated by the participating parties based on rotation principle.
Local
and international non-governmental organizations working in the field
of elections will act as observers, according to the participants of the
meeting.
The talks will include all the parties having seats in the
Parliament, plus those defined by the election code as ‘qualified’ - the
parties which won at least 4% votes in the last parliamentary elections
and at least 3% votes in the last local elections.
But one of the
key points about the format - how the decisions should be taken, based
on consensus or through voting – remains not fully clear yet.
Irakli
Alasania, leader of Our Georgia-Free Democratic opposition party, said
that “various option of decision-making rule” will be discussed next
Wednesday when the negotiators hold the first meeting.
Senior ruling
party lawmaker, Pavle Kublashvili, however, said that the decision would
be taken based on consensus, but it required further discussions what
mechanisms would apply in case of absence of consensus.
“It was
difficult, but fruitful meeting," Parliamentary Chairman, Davit
Bakradze, said after the November 10 meeting. "I hope, that as a result
of this process we will have new election code, which will define
renewed and improved electoral environment.”
“It won’t be an easy
process; we are at the beginning of lengthy and delicate road of
searching for political compromises, but I hope that final result of
this process will be as constructive as the meeting held today,” he
added.
|
| 9 Nov. '10 | Präsident
Saakashvili im Zusammenhang mit der Agentenaffaire: ‘Wir wollen keine
Konfrontation mit irgend jemandem; wir verteidigen uns selbst.’
President
Saakashvili awarded on November 9 Georgian counter-intelligence
officers, who were part of the operation to uncover, as the President
put it, “spy network of Georgia’s occupant country” and said that
Tbilisi was ready for talks with Moscow if the latter demonstrated “good
will”.
“This operation was very important, important because our
country is obviously under permanent pressure and threat of permanent
destabilization attempts… We defend ourselves, and our
counter-intelligence agents are on the forefront of this self-defense,”
Saakashvili said at the meeting with the Interior Ministry leadership.
"A real monster is in struggle against us."
“I would like to thank
you and wish you further success in your attempts to stop the actions
and tricks of Georgia's enemy... We’ve managed to create small, but
efficient counter-intelligence service.”
“We do not want
confrontation with anyone; we defend ourselves. If Russia shows good
will and decides to launch negotiations with us, Georgia will always be
ready for that. If we are talked to as a sovereign state, which has its
democratically elected government, we will be ready for [talks] without
any preconditions like we have always been,” he added.
|
| 6 Nov. '10 | Zwischenfall auf der Vaziani-Militärbasis
Mehrere Soldaten leicht verletzt bei einem Faustkampf.
Several
soldiers were slightly hurt in a fist-fight that erupted in the
military unit based in Vaziani outside Tbilisi, according to the
official sources.
This official version of events, which has also
been backed by soldiers themselves, who met with Public Defender, was
questioned by whistleblowers and soldiers’ rights organization
suspecting that soldiers could have been harassed by their commanders.
The
news about the incident in the Vaziani-based 42nd battalion of the 4th
brigade first broke on the morning of November 5 when Nana Kakabadze of
human rights group Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights said she
had received an SMS from a soldiers saying that at least 15 servicemen
were physically harassed and verbally insulted by the commanders
overnight on November 5.
Several hours later the Ministry of Defense
confirmed the incident, but said it only involved a scuffle between
several corporals, which originated from a verbal argument between them
after it was found out that one assault rifle was missing from the unit.
It said that the incident had been resolved and the military police was
investigating the case.
The Georgian Public Defender, Giorgi
Tugushi, informed about the incident by human rights groups, was able to
visit the Vaziani military base and to meet with soldiers. After the
visit he convened a press conference on the evening of November 5 and
said that he had also met those soldiers, whose names were indicated in
the message.
Tugushi said several soldiers had minor bodily injures,
which were not serious. He said that one of the soldiers had
“self-inflicted wounds.” “This soldier said that he himself cut up his
hand,” the Public Defender said.
He said in overall the soldiers were
not enthusiastic to speak, but what he had learnt from them was in line
with the MoD’s official statement made before he met with soldiers. He
said the soldiers told him they scuffled between each other because of
missing assault rifle.
Irakli Sesiashvili of soldiers’ rights
Association Justice and Liberty said the official version was not
“convincing”. “Why would a soldier send a message requesting for
assistance if there is only a trivial quarrel between the soldiers
themselves? It seemed to be a more serious incident,” he told Maestro TV
on November 5.
|
| 6 Nov. '10 | TV-Dokumentation über 'russisches Agentennetzwerk' in Rustavi 2
Georgia's
most watched television station, Rustavi 2, aired during prime time on
November 5 a documentary about alleged Russian spy network, which the
Georgian Interior Ministry said, had operated in Georgia for years until
it was uncovered last month.
The first reports about the arrest of
individuals suspected of spying for Russia emerged last week. The first
official announcement came only a week later on November 5; meantime,
Rustavi 2 was airing a trailer of its planned documentary about, what it
called, "“total fiasco of the Russian intelligence”.
Rustavi 2 TV,
regarded as a pro-governmental nationwide broadcaster, was given an
exclusive access not only to case files but was also able to film arrest
of some alleged spies in Batumi on October 15.
The 30-minute
documentary centers on a double agent with a code name 'Enveri', who,
according to the Georgian Interior Ministry, played a key role in
obtaining the Russian military intelligence's encryption materials
through which, it said, it became possible to expose the alleged spy
network.
The double agent, interviewed in dark studio, so that to
hide his face, on a background of some Soviet symbols, was speaking in
Russian saying that in late 1980s he served for the Soviet military
intelligence in Georgia's port town of Poti.
According to the
Interior Ministry in 2006, when major spy row erupted between Russia and
Georgia after Tbilisi arrested four Russian military officers on
espionage charges, number of Georgian citizens turned themselves in
admitting having links with the Russian intelligence. At the time the
authorities promised amnesty for those who would have voluntarily
reported about links with the foreign intelligence.
According to the
documentary, the trend showed alarming scales of the Russian
intelligence operations in Georgia prompting the Georgian
counter-intelligence to find someone who could have been planted inside
the network. The former Soviet army officer was selected, according to
the documentary.
"I was hesitant initially, but eventually agreed as I
have always been in service of my homeland - if at first it was the
Soviet Union, then it was Georgia," the double agent with code name
'Enveri' says in the documentary.
He said, that under the pretext of
wanting to retrieve his pension as a former Soviet army officer, he
contacted his "old acquaintances" in the Russian military intelligence
and arranged a meeting in a Russian town close to the Ukrainian border.
According to the documentary there he met with three operatives from the
Russian military intelligence (GRU - Glavnoye Razvedovatelnoye
Upravlenie), including one with name Sergey Akimov. The operatives, he
said, trained him in how to use specially developed spy hardware and
special software for exchange of encrypted information.
After three
days of "extensive training", the double agent, before departure back to
Georgia, met with Yuri Zhilin, described in the documentary as chief
GRU operative in Russia's Krasnodar region.
After that, according to
the documentary, he was regularly exchanging messages with GRU in a form
of encrypted texts, image and music files mainly via e-mail. Encoding
of such files, according to the documentary, required multiple passwords
and software. In the process, according to the documentary, it also
became possible to identify dozens of other Georgian citizens working
for the Russian intelligence and in addition at least one GRU liaison
officer was also identified - the Russian citizen, Yuri Skrilnikov,
according to the Interior Ministry.
According to the documentary
Skrilnikov arrived in Georgia in May, 2010 for a meeting with the double
agent, but he was detained by the Georgian counter-intelligence. What
the documentary does not mention is that Skrilnikov was formally charged
with currency forgery; another Russian citizen and one Georgian citizen
were also arrested together with him - all of them worked for the
Russian military based in Batumi before it was finally closed down in
November, 2007.
It was reported in mid-October that court in Batumi
found him guilty of currency forgery and sentenced him on October 7 to
18 years in prison. At the time the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned
the verdict as "yet another provocation against the Russian citizen" who
in the past served in the Russian military base in Batumi. Skrilnikov
is among those 13 persons, who, the Georgian Interior Ministry said on
November 5, were arrested on spying charges.
The double agent says in
the documentary that his Russian minders were "very much interested" in
information related to western warships' port calls in Georgia,
training courses carried out by Georgia's western partners for the
Georgian forces, defense plan of the ports, structure of the Georgian
land forces and thier location. He said all the information he was
sending to his Russian handlers was approved by the Georgian
intelligence.
In the documentary a pilot of the Mi-8 army helicopter,
who is among six Georgian military pilots charged with spying, says
that during the August, 2008 war he informed his Russian handlers that
Georgian helicopters were probably hidden in the Borjomi gorge. He said
the wildfire, which erupted in the gorge, destroying over 200 hectares
of forest there during the war, was probably a result of the information
he provided to the Russian intelligence.
In the end of the
documentary narrator says that the operation against the Russian spy
networks, "which was unprecedented in our country's history, enters into
the new phase." It was then followed with an announcement made by
deputy head of the Interior Ministry's counter-intelligence unit
reiterating the authorities' promise guaranteeing amnesty for those who
will voluntarily report about thier links with the foreign intelligence
services.
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| 5 Nov. '10 | Russischer Abgeordneter: ‘Moskau wird seine Bürger nicht in Schwierigkeiten lassen’
A
senior Russian lawmaker said arrest of four Russian citizens by Georgia
on espionage charges was “a provocation” and “a serious situation.”
”This
is a very serious situation and those, who have started this
provocation in Georgia, should clearly understand and know that Russia
will not leave its citizens in trouble. People with no links to the
special services have been arrested,” Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of
the international affairs committee in the lower house of parliament,
State Duma, was quoted by the Russian news agencies.
“I would like to
recall words of the President of the Russian Federation, who has said
for number of times, that Russia will always protect its citizens
everywhere with all the available means,” he added.
Meanwhile, a
senior Georgian lawmaker said that uncovering of the Russian spy network
was a huge blow for the Russian intelligence and “a burst of a myth
about omnipotence of the Russian intelligence.”
“Uncovering of this
network also means that we have significantly strengthened our
security,” Akaki Minashvili, a ruling party lawmaker, who chairs
parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, said.
He said that Georgia could not turn a blind eye on Russia’s such operations in Georgia.
“Priority
is to uncover [agents] and to punish them,” he said. “As far as their
reaction is concerned of course they will deny [having links to alleged
spies].”
“I can imagine in what a condition they might be now – Putin
and his intelligence agencies. I am sure they will carry out purge in
their special agencies after such important information was exposed,” MP
Minashvili said.
|
| 5 Nov. '10 | Russisches Außenministerium: ‘Georgische Agenten-Manie ist eine Provokation’
Russian
Foreign Ministry said that Tbilisi’s “spy story” was “a provocation”
aimed at attracting attention ahead of NATO Lisbon and OSCE Astana
summits.
Georgia said on November 5 it arrested nine Georgian and
four Russian citizens on charges related to espionage for Russian
military intelligence.
“The Saakashvili’s regime suffers from chronic
spy-mania on the anti-Russian grounds. In the course of recent years,
the Georgian leadership has resorted for number of times to fabrication
of this kind of scandals with a cynical purpose of gaining internal
political and international dividends,” the Russian Foreign Ministry
said.
It said that the timing for “provocation” was deliberately
selected ahead of number of important international events, including
NATO Lisbon summit later this month and OSCE summit in Astana in
December.
“Upcoming NATO Lisbon summit is a possibility for the
Georgian leadership to attract attention through a scandal,” the Russian
Foreign Ministry said, adding that it reminds a similar case in April,
when Georgia said at the nuclear security summit in Washington that it
had foiled illicit trafficking of highly enriched uranium.
“It is
obvious that at the OSCE summit in Astana on December 1-2 Georgia is
preparing for voicing yet another dose of confrontational anti-Russian
rhetoric, trying to impose on the participants [of the upcoming summit]
its vision of situation in the Caucasus,” the Russian Foreign Ministry
said and added that Tbilisi’s such approach was meeting more skepticism
from the international community recently, especially after EU-funded
report on causes of the August, 2008 war was released.
“Another
obvious goal [of the arrest of alleged spies] is to use scarecrow of
‘Russian threat’ for maintaining anti-Russian hysteria in the country,”
it said and added that such “provocation” could hardly be effective.
|
| 4 Nov. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili trifft den iranischen Außenminister Mottaki
* Saakashvili 'concerned' over Sakineh Ashtiani's case;
* 'Studies of Persian language will deepen in Georgia';
* 'Iran's support to Georgia's territorial integrity important'
Iran's
Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, met with President Saakashvili on
November 4 before concluding his two-day visit to Georgia.
Saakashvili
and Mottaki "discussed bilateral and international issues. The sides
emphasized the importance of cooperation in the field of tourism,
people-to-people contacts and youth exchanges between the two
countries," the Georgian President's administration said in a statement
after the meeting.
"It was decided during the meeting that studies of Persian language and Iranian history and culture will deepen in Georgia."
"The
President of Georgia stressed the significance of the Iranian
government's support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Georgia."
"President Saakashvili expressed support for further
dialogue and official contacts and development of legal instruments
between Georgia and Iran," the President's administration said.
It
also said that Saakashvili stressed the importance of talks between P5+1
(Britain, China, France, Russia, the U.S. and Germany) and Iran over
the latter's nuclear program.
Saakashvili expressed "concern" over
the faith of an Iranian woman, who could be stoned to death for
adultery. The Iranian Foreign Minister said at a news conference in
Tbilisi on November 3, that no final decision had been made yet about
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's case.
Also on November 4 the Iranian Foreign Minister inaugurated Iran's consular office in Georgia's Black Sea resort of Batumi.
|
| 3 Nov. '10 | Iranischer Außenminister Mottaki auf ‘historischem’ Besuch in Georgien
# Visa-free travel agreement signed;
# Iran to open consular office in Batumi;
# Mottaki: ‘historic visit’ marked by milestone events;
# Vashadze: ‘there should be zero problems in relations’;
# Vashadze: ‘firm decision is to have bilateral cooperation’;
# Vashadze comments on Iran’s nuclear program
Tbilisi
and Tehran have “firmly” decided to have bilateral cooperation, which
will be good for the entire region, Georgian Foreign Minister, Grigol
Vashadze, said after meeting with his Iranian counterpart in Tbilisi on
November 3.
Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, who started
his two-day visit to Georgia on November 3, signed with his Georgian
counterpart visa-free travel agreement between the two countries.
Mottaki will travel to Georgia’s Black Sea resort of Batumi on November 4 to formally open Iran’s consular office.
Speaking
at a joint news conference with his Georgian counterpart on Wednesday
evening, Mottaki described his visit as “historic”, saying that
reopening of Iran’s consular office in Batumi, about 80 years after it
was closed down there, and signing of visa-free travel agreement were
milestone events in the bilateral relations, which will help to boost
economic cooperation and “traditional, histories” ties between the two
people. The agreement on visa-free travel will go into force after it is
ratified by the parliaments of the two countries.
“We had very
constructive and fruitful negotiations… We have discussed bilateral
relations, as well as regional and international issues,” Mottaki said.
“There
is a decision to broaden our economic cooperation and if we look at
statistics we will see, that these relations in various spheres have
been doubled against previous years,” he said.
Mottaki said that
close ties between Iran and Georgia would help “to link the Black Sea
with the Persian Gulf”, which would be beneficial for the economies of
the both countries.
“I want to stress, that both of the countries
firmly believe, that there should be zero problems in relations between
the neighboring countries. At the same time I want to note that
Georgia-Iran economic relations made a big jump recently,” Grigol
Vashadze, the Georgian Foreign Minister, said.
Iran is not in the
list of Georgia’s key trading partners. Trade turnover between Georgia
and Iran declined by 41.5% y/y in 2009 to USD 36.3 million. The figure
reached USD 41.4 million in the first nine months of 2010, according to
the Georgian state statistics office.
When asked about the political
aspects of bilateral cooperation, the Georgian Foreign Minister
responded: “Our firm decision is to have bilateral cooperation and this
cooperation is good for Georgia, is good for Iran, is good for region,
is good generally for political climate.”
The Iranian Foreign Minister said that developments in the Caucasus “are very important” for Tehran.
“Territorial
integrity is one of the principles on which cooperation between the
states should be based. We hope that problems in the region will be
resolved through peaceful means,” Mottaki said.
“Iran has always been expressing its readiness to play its role in resolving regional problems,” he added.
The
Georgian Foreign Minister said that he was “grateful to the Iranian
people and the Iranian government for their position about Georgia’s
sovereignty and its territorial integrity.”
On Iran’s nuclear program Vashadze said that Iran had a right to have a peaceful nuclear program, but it also had obligations.
“Iran
is a member state of the non-proliferation treaty and has all legal
rights to have a peaceful nuclear program and while having those rights
there are obligations too for each and every member state when it comes
to the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] and under those
procedures and norms all nuclear facilities, not only in this region,
but elsewhere in the world should be under firm control of this Agency,”
Vashadze said.
He said Tbilisi was “absolutely happy” about the
proposed talks between P5-plus-1 and Iran, because “it will be good for
Iran, for the international community, for IAEA and for this region
too.”
P5-plus-1 refers to five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Britain, China, France, Russia, the U.S. – plus Germany.
|
| 2 Nov. '10 | TV wird Film ausstrahlen über das ‘Fiasko des russischen Agentennetzwerkes’
Georgia’s
nationwide broadcaster, Rustavi 2, aired promotional video of an
upcoming documentary about, as it put it, “total fiasco of the Russian
intelligence”.
The 40-second promo, first aired on November 1,
provides some hints indicating that the documentary will apparently be
about reported arrest of a group of Georgian citizens allegedly working
for the Russian intelligence.
The promo mentions “18 spies”, although
it was initially reported that 20 persons were arrested on suspicion of
spying for Russia.
“Rustavi 2 presents documentary film ‘Enveri’;
Russian intelligence taken by Georgia’s bait; methods through which the
Russian intelligence operates throughout the world; the largest spy
network has been exposed; total fiasco of the Russian intelligence; on
Rustavi 2 soon”, the promo says.
Rustavi 2 TV, usually used for leaking official information, was non-committal when contacted for comment on the upcoming film.
|
| 1 Nov. '10 | Einige Details über die berichtete Verhaftung von angeblichen Spionen
With
the officials sources remaining tight-lipped over reported arrest of 20
persons suspected of spying for Russia, few details started to emerged
in the Georgian media sources.
It was reported that at least three
suspects into the case were arrested in Georgia's Black Sea resort of
Batumi over two weeks ago. Their defense lawyers are not authorized to
speak about the details of the case, as investigation files are
classified and remain secret.
"This is confidential information and I
have no right to provide you with any information," Nana Tsuladze
defense lawyer of two detained suspects told Kavkasia TV on November 1.
"I am acting in defense of two detainees; I know some others have also
been arrested, but I do not know exact numbers."
She said that her
clients - Armen Gevorkian and Ruben Shikoian - were working for a
company inspecting oil products with Gevorkian acting as company
director and Shikoian as deputy director.
Third person, Ruslan
Galogre, was working as a manager in one of the hotels in Batumi. His
lawyer, Shalva Lebanidze, told Maestro TV on November 1, that Galogre
was charged with the article 311 of the criminal code involving working
for foreign intelligence. "He pleaded not guilty and uses his right to
silence," the lawyer said.
Lawyers said their clients were in pre-trial detention pending investigation.
News
about the arrest of alleged spies in Georgia was reported by Reuters on
Friday evening, citing unnamed Georgian security sources. The Georgian
Interior Ministry declines to confirm or deny the report and no official
comment on the matter is expected until late this week.
The Georgian
Foreign Ministry said on November 1 it had no detailed information
about the case as it was handled by the Interior Ministry.
”This
issue is totally under the Interior Ministry's [competence]... We have
no precise information yet about the issue,” Nino Kalandadze, the deputy
foreign minister, said.
|
| 30 Oct. '10 | Russisches Außenministerium: Moskau habe keine Kenntnisse zu Details bezüglich der Verhaftung von ‘Agenten’
Russia
is not aware of details of reported arrest by Georgia twenty of its
citizens on suspicion of spying for Moscow, Russia’s Foreign Minister,
Sergey Lavrov, said on October 30.
“As far as I know, we are talking
about the Georgian citizens. We do not know anything but that,” Lavrov,
who is Hanoi, was quoted by the Russian news agencies.
News about the
arrest of alleged spies in Georgia was reported by Reuters on Friday
evening, citing unnamed Georgian security sources. The Georgian Interior
Ministry declines to confirm or deny the report and no official comment
on the matter is expected until next week.
The Russian daily,
Kommersant, reported quoting a Russian Foreign Ministry representative:
“We have seen reports about alleged arrest of spies. But as far as there
are no diplomatic relations between the two countries because of
Tbilisi’s initiative, it is impossible for us to promptly find out what
has happened. What is important and to what we have paid our attention
is that the Georgian citizens are mentioned; so one should address the
Georgian authorities for clarification.”
According to the Reuter’s
report all the detainees are suspected of creating a spy network in
Georgia and delivering secret information to Russia. It was reported in
the Georgian media sources on October 30, that the detainees are also
suspected of gathering sensitive information about procurements by the
Interior Ministry and Ministry of Defense.
|
| 29 Oct. '10 | Nach Berichten sollen 20 russische Agenten festgenommen worden sein
Reuters
reported on Friday evening, citing unnamed Georgian security sources,
that 20 people have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia.
According
to the report detainees, all Georgian citizens, are suspected of
creating a spy network and delivering secret information to Russia.
Details remain sketchy and the Interior Ministry representative declined to comment.
“We
do not comment on the matter; I can neither confirm nor deny [the
report],” Shota Utiashvili, head of the information and analytical
department of the Georgian Interior Ministry, told Civil.ge
|
| 29 Oct. '10 | Regierungspartei antwortet den Aufrufen der Opposition nach Gesprächen zu einer Wahlreform
(The text is updated and adds background and a ruling party MP’s quote on format of possible talks)
Talks
on electoral system reform should start from the blank page without any
"pre-prepared" proposals, Davit Bakradze, the parliamentary chairman,
said on October 28.
The remarks were made in an apparent response to a
group of eight opposition parties, which on October 4 put forth a joint
package of proposals on election system reform.
The same group of
parties, which includes non-parliamentary opposition except of
Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM), on October 12 made a written appeal
to President Saakashvili and Parliamentary Chairman Bakradze,
requesting for launch of talks on the proposals put forth by them a week
earlier and also expressing readiness to discuss other election-related
proposals, which the authorities might deem necessary.
"I am ready
to meet all those political parties, which are ready to come to the
Parliament without any preconditions and ultimatums with readiness for
compromise. There is readiness for compromise and openness on our part;
we welcome any political party with similar stance and we are ready to
work with them," Bakradze told journalists on October 28.
"[The
process] of improving electoral environment should be based on mutual
confidence, negotiations and agreement between the parties and I do not
think that ultimatum or pre-prepared documents will contribute to the
process," he said.
Although the written appeal made by the eight
opposition parties does not contain any tough-worded formulation, in
public statements leaders of National Forum party, which was in
forefront of calls for election system reform in recent months, were
warning that the authorities refusal to agree on the opposition's
proposal might become a reason for launching street protest rallies.
Going
into negotiations with already prepared package of proposals has been
described by the ruling party lawmakers as an ultimatum.
"It's not a
cooperation when one comes with already prepared recipes," MP Giorgi
Gabashvili of the ruling party said on October 28.
"It seems our
opposition, mainly the non-parliamentary one, has not learnt that it
should not speak on the language of ultimatum," MP Petre Tsiskarishvili,
the leader of parliamentary majority, said on October 28.
Opposition
politicians say that after the joint appeal was made the authorities
appeared in unfavorable position, because on the one hand, they say, the
ruling party was unwilling to improve the election system, but on the
other hand it was also realizing that saying openly no to reasonable
proposals of the opposition would discredit the authorities.
"They
[the ruling party] try to anger us and make us say no to talks. But on
behalf of the Republican Party I can say that we will not say no and we
are ready for talks," Davit Usupashvili, leader of the Republican Party,
which is among the group of eight parties, told Kavkasia TV on October
28.
"They were criticizing us saying that we had no vision, but now
when we put concrete proposals they say it is an ultimatum," he added.
The
Parliamentary Chairman made his October 28 statement just after a
several parties from the parliamentary minority group called for talks
on the election system reform. Statements made by them were much in line
with those of the ruling party. Leader of National-Democratic Party,
which has one seat in the Parliament, said the legislative body should
be in the center of such talks and negotiations should be held without
"any preconditions and ultimatums."
MP Giorgi Targamadze, leader of
parliamentary minority and of Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM), said
that the initiative coming from the parliamentary minority was not not
in any way overlapping the one made by the eight opposition parties to
which CDM was also part.
On July 21, 2010 Parliamentary Chairman,
Davit Bakradze, called on the opposition for resumption of an
inter-party working group on electoral reform “to further improve the
electoral environment” before 2012 parliamentary elections. He was
referring to the inter-party group, which was holding talks hosted by
the U.S. National Democratic Institute (NDI) ahead of the May, 2010
local elections. Although the group developed amendments to the election
code, it became deadlocked on some key aspects and eventual agreement
failed within that group.
A group of seven opposition parties said in
a joint statement on July 29, 2010 that “fair” format of talks were
needed for resumption of election-related talks. The ruling party
lawmakers say that the opposition’s reluctance to engage in the same
format which was working ahead of local elections became a reason for
delaying the process.
“We are ready to meet the opposition and
jointly agree on a possible format of talks,” Akaki Minashvili, a senior
lawmaker from the ruling party told Civil.ge on October 29.
|
| 28 Oct. '10 | Tbilisi, Tskhinvali nehmen Treffen im Rahmen des "Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism" auf
Officials
from Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, as well as representatives of the Russian
armed forces in breakaway South Ossetia resumed on October 28 series of
meetings in frames of Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM)
to address routine security concerns and developments on the ground.
The
meeting, facilitated by EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and OSCE, was held
in the village of Ergneti on the administrative border and was the
first after an interruption of IPRM meetings over one year ago. IPRM
meetings are regularly held on the Abkhaz direction.
EUMM said after
the meeting that the agenda covered a number of issues, most of them
concerning the daily lives of the civilian population along the
administrative boundary line.
“An overview of the incidents since the
beginning of 2010 indicates a decrease of the general tension in the
region. The meeting passed in a businesslike and constructive
atmosphere,” EUMM said.
The next, eighth meeting in frames of the IPRM, is scheduled for December 10.
|
| 28 Oct. '10 | Führende parlamentarische Kommittees befürworten ‘Liberty Charter’
Parliament
passed with 75 votes to 1 package of proposals known under the name
Liberty Charter with its first reading on October 28.
The package,
sponsored by MP Gia Tortladze and supported by the ruling party,
includes measures to restrict public display of Soviet and Nazi symbols
and restrictions on former Soviet functionaries to hold public office.
The
draft also envisages, what the author calls, boosting “security and
anti-terrorism measures”, including through video surveillance systems,
which should cover all “the strategic facilities” – the measure, which
the Interior Ministry has already started to use.
Commercial banks
will have “to immediately submit information” to the Interior Ministry
in case of transfer of at least GEL 25,000 (instead of GEL 10,000 as it
was envisaged by initial draft) from abroad on accounts of organizations
or individual persons in Georgia, according to the draft passed with
the first reading.
In respect of restriction of public display of
Soviet and Nazi symbols the bill proposes to establish a state
commission, which will “gather information” about existence of symbols,
monuments, statues, inscriptions, names of streets or squares, which may
reflect or contain “elements of communist or fascist ideology and
propaganda.”
The state commission, composed by the President from
members nominated by each parliamentary faction, will then take decision
on applying ban in each individual case.
The same commission will be
in charge of implementing measures known as lustration - excluding
former Communist Party functionaries and officers of and collaborators
with the ex-Soviet secret service KGB from serving in the state
structures.
The package, however, envisaged a limited lustration,
meaning that the measure would not make the entire list of former KGB
agents publicly available. It should only be available for the state
commission, which will be in charge of preventing such persons from
taking senior or mid-level posts in the government. The restriction will
also apply to such positions like judges, members of the communications
and electricity regulatory commissions, employees of interior and
defense ministries with the rank of vice-colonel or above, as well as
rectors of and holders of other senior posts in the state universities.
Lawmaker
from the ruling party, Pavle Kublashvili, who chairs parliamentary
committee for legal affairs, said that the draft would require
improvements and some of its provisions might be amended before its
adoption with the second reading.
MP Gia Arsenishvili, the chairman
of the parliamentary committee for human rights, described the draft law
as “important,” though added that “some time” would be required in
order to further improve the draft before its discussion with the second
reading.
|
| 28 Oct. '10 | Gruppe schiebt ihr Paket eines Gesetzesentwurfes zu Medien an
Zu
dieser Gruppe gehören unter anderen Lasha Tugushi, Herausgeber der
Tageszeitung "Rezonansi"; Medienforscherin Nino Danelia, Gesetzesexperte
Giorgi Chkheidze and
Vakhtang Khmaladze.
A group of media and legal experts launched a
campaign to push forward package of media-related bill, which they have
elaborated in order to, as they say, improve media environment in the
country.
The package, which includes eight drafts of legislative
amendments, among other issues, also addresses need for full
transparency of media ownership and finances of media organizations.
The
group started developing the package of proposals long before
announcement by Parliamentary Chairman, Davit Bakradze, who said on
October 26 that the new law would be passed, which would secure
transparency of media ownership and finances. He said the draft law
would be elaborated within next two weeks.
The initiative was
overwhelmingly praised, but those who have long advocated for such
measures also say that they have yet to see what the actual wording of
the draft proposed by the authorities will be; media activists also say
that this measure will not be enough and additional steps are required
to improve media environment in the country and to fill legislative
loopholes in this regard.
The group, involving among others Lasha
Tugushi, an editor-in-chief of the Georgian daily Rezonansi; media
researcher Nino Danelia, as well as legal experts Giorgi Chkheidze and
Vakhtang Khmaladze, elaborated the package of proposals, which also
addresses such issues like easing access to public information – the
problem over which many journalists are increasingly complaining
recently.
The proposal also offers measures for reducing timeframe of
lengthy practice of court deliberations into the cases involving denial
by the state structures access to public information and waiving court
fees for such cases. It also addresses broadcasters’ licensing issues,
as well as problems related with conflict of interest in the broadcast
media and clear-cut regulations for media advertisement. The group said
it planned series of meeting with senior lawmakers to lobby for the
bill.
Georgian Public Defender, Giorgi Tugushi, to whom the package
was presented on October 27, praised the proposal as “perfect”. He said
that even his office encounters problems while trying to receive public
information from number of the state structures.
|
| 27 Oct. '10 | Tbilisi standfest in den Bedingungen zum russischen WTO-Beitritt
Georgia
will not back down from its position over Russia's WTO entry terms,
President Saakashvili said in an interview with Reuters on October 27.
"We will stick to our principles for as long as it takes," Saakashvili said.
The
Georgian president was speaking with Reuters on the sidelines of the
World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in the Moroccan
city of Marrakesh.
Georgia says that it is not against of Russia's
WTO entry, but under the condition that Moscow makes border crossing
points in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia "transparent".
"We
still do not see much will from Russia to reach out to us," Saakashvili
said. "We are ready for serious, meaningful talks about the issues but
we have certain issues that cannot be overlooked and cannot be overcome
by neglect."
|
| 27 Oct. '10 | Flüchtling aus Abchasien versucht sich selbst zu verbrennen vor dem Ministerium für intern Vertriebene
Die
46-jährige Nana Pipia, die bis 2000 in Zugdidi lebte und dann nach
Tbilisi kam, soll nach dem Ministerium die angebotene Unterkunft in
einer provinziellen Region abgelehnt haben. Sie gehörte nicht zu einer
Gruppe von Demonstranten, die seit Tagen vor dem Ministerium kampiert
und Unterkünfte in Tbilisi fordert. Vielmehr soll Nana Pipia vor der Tat
zu den Demonstranten gesagt haben, dass sie das gleiche Problem habe
und sich selbst "opfern" wolle, um das Problem zu lösen.
A
46-year-old woman set herself on fire outside the ministry in charge of
displaced persons on October 27, media sources and witnesses said.
Nana
Pipia, who is an internally displaced person from Abkhazia, was
hospitalized with burns to 32 percent of her body and her condition is
“grave”, a doctor said.
Witnesses said Pipia poured petrol on herself
and set herself ablaze in protest against the authorities’ refusal to
provide dwelling in the capital city.
A group of IDPs are camped
outside the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied
Territories, Accommodation and Refugees, demanding to provide them with
dwelling space in Tbilisi, instead of provincial regions. Several IDPs
protesting outside the ministry said although Nana Pipia was not
protesting with them throughout these days, she came and told them that
she had the similar problem and would “sacrifice” herself to resolving
this problem.
After the self-immolation incident, a representative
from of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied
Territories, Accommodation and Refugees said it was impossible to
resolve the problem through such “extreme measures.”
“It is
impossible to provide everyone with a dwelling in Tbilisi. We are
offering living space in ownership [to IDPs] in the provinces and those
who are willing to accept should use this opportunity. The problem can
not be resolved through this kind of extreme measures [referring to
self-immolation],” a spokesperson of the ministry told journalists.
According
to the ministry after fleeing Abkhazia in early 90s, Nana Pipia lived
in Zugdidi before moving to Tbilisi in 2000. The ministry said that it
had offered a dwelling to her in the provincial region, but she refused.
|
| 26 Oct. '10 | Visa-Erleichterungen
und Neuzulassungsabkommen zwischen der EU und Georgien sind bei dem
Komitee für Bürgerrechte des Europaparlaments bestätigt worden und
stehen im November zur Abstimmung an
EU-Georgia visa facilitation
and readmission treaties will be put to the vote at the plenary session
of the European Parliament in November.
Meanwhile, the treaties were
endorsed by the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee on
October 26, according to the European Parliament’s press service.
The
visa facilitation, signed by Georgia and EU in June, will include,
among other things, issuing multiple-entry visas with a long period of
validity to certain categories of applicants including businesspeople,
journalists and family members of Georgian citizens residing in the EU.
The agreement cuts the current EUR 60 visa fee to EUR 35 and also
envisages waiving fees for specific categories such as children, family
members of Georgian citizens residing in the EU, representatives of
civil society organisations. The agreement will exempt holders of
diplomatic passports from the visa obligation.
The visa facilitation
agreement applies to all EU-member states, except of the UK and Denmark,
according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry. The readmission treaty
applies to the EU, with the exclusion of Ireland and Denmark, whereas
the UK has expressed its wish to be a party to the agreement, according
to the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.სიგნ
Readmission
agreements lays out obligations and procedures for the authorities of
EU member states and the third countries with whom the treaty is signed
as to when and how to take back people who are illegally residing on the
territories of the parties.
The agreement on visa facilitation will
go into force together with readmission treaty a month after these two
are ratified by both the European Parliament and the Georgian
legislative body.
|
| 26 Oct. '10 | Abgeordnete werden ein Paket von Vorschlägen, von seinem Gia Tortladze ‘Liberty Charter’ genannt, besprechen
Es
geht um Maßnahmen, die das Zeigen von Sowjet- und Nazi-Symbolen in der
Öffentlichkeit beschränken sollen, ebenso um Beschränkungen von früheren
Sowjet-Funktionären beim Führen öffentlicher Büros und auch um einen
Vorschlag, Sicherheitsmaßnahmen anzukurbeln.
Lawmakers from leading
parliamentary committees will discuss this week a package of proposals
involving measures to restrict public display of Soviet and Nazi
symbols, restrictions on former Soviet functionaries to hold public
office, as well as proposal to boost security measures.
The bill,
dubbed by its sponsor MP Gia Tortladze as Liberty Charter, calls for
boosting video surveillance systems to cover all “the strategic
facilities” – the measure, which the Interior Ministry has already
started to use.
Commercial banks will have “to immediately submit
information” to the Interior Ministry in case of transfer of at least
GEL 10,000 from abroad on accounts of organizations or individual
persons in Georgia, according to the proposal.
In respect of
restriction of public display of Soviet and Nazi symbols the bill
proposes to establish a state commission, which will “gather
information” about existence of symbols, monuments, statues,
inscriptions, names of streets or squares, which may reflect or contain
“elements of communist or fascist ideology and propaganda.”
The state
commission, composed by the President from members nominated by each
parliamentary faction, will then take decision on applying ban in each
individual case.
The same commission will be in charge of
implementing measures known as lustration - excluding former Communist
Party functionaries and officers of and collaborators with the ex-Soviet
secret service KGB from serving in the state structures.
According
to the proposal, persons who served for the Soviet secret and security
services, or held official posts in the Communist Party will be banned
from holding senior or mid-level posts in the government; the
restriction will also apply to judges, members of the communications and
electricity regulatory commissions, employees of interior and defense
ministries with the rank of vice-colonel or above, as well as rectors of
and holders of other senior posts in the state universities.
A
person, who cooperated with Soviet secret services or was a Communist
Party functionary, will be able to run for an elective post, but in that
case the person will have to publicize a full record of his or her past
links with the Soviet authorities, according to the proposal.
Draft
law on lustration was tabled in the previous Parliament by the
opposition, but it was voted down by the ruling party in February, 2007.
Even if adopted this time, the law may have limited effect in practice,
as many of the archive materials necessary for identifying former KGB
agents is kept in Moscow and is unlikely to become available for
Georgia.
The Liberty Charter was discussed by the parliamentary
committee for legal affairs in March, 2010, but the bill was shelved
since then. MP Tortladze, who chairs Democratic Party of Georgia, has
modified the bill by including measures on restricting public display of
Soviet and Nazi symbols. The bill will be discussed at a joint hearing
of parliamentary committees on legal affairs, human rights and defense
and security to decide whether to proceed with its consideration further
at the parliamentary session.
|
| 26 Oct. '10 | Georgien nur um zwei Plätze verschlechtert beim "Transparency International Corruption Index"
Georgia
has fallen from 66th place to 68th out of 178 countries on the
Transparency International’s (TI) 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index
released on October 26.
The index gave Georgia score of 3.8, against 4.1 in 2009 and 3.9 in 2008.
The
index scores countries on a scale from 0 - perceived to be highly
corrupt to 10 - perceived to have low levels of corruption.
Transparency
International Georgia said the decline in Georgia’s score was “not
substantial” and added that areas of concern remain “the urgent need for
judicial reform, protection of property rights, a lack of transparency
in public spending (including the Reserve Funds for the President, the
Mayor of Tbilisi and the Government), grand corruption among top-level
officials, opaque media ownership and financing, as well as a general
low level of civil society involvement in the planning and execution of
public policy.”
"Georgia’s score shows that corruption has not been
eradicated and continues to be an issue that needs to be addressed",
Mathias Huter, acting director of TI Georgia said.
Georgia is ranked
between Italy (67) and Brazil (69) and is ahead of other former Soviet
states, except of the Baltic States, as well as ahead of EU-member
Romania, Bulgaria and Greece.
|
| 25 Oct. '10 | Außenminister
Grigol Vashadze trifft neben dem EU-Außenministertreffen in Luxemburg
die Minister, die sich zu einer neuen Gruppe zusammengefunden haben,
bekannt als "New Group of Friends of Georgia"
* Vashadze: ‘Talks with Russia inevitable; but difficult to say when’
Georgian
Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze, met with counterparts from the Czech
Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania and Hungary, as well as
Romanian, Latvian, Polish, Danish, Swedish and Finnish diplomats on
sideline of EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg on October 25.
These
EU-member countries represent a grouping known as New Group of Friends
of Georgia and the meeting took place just before the EU foreign
ministers’ meeting, agenda of which, among other issues, also includes
situation in Georgia.
According to a press release issued by EU
foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s office, she was due to brief
ministers about her recent visit to Georgia in mid-July, when Georgia
and EU launched Association Agreement talks.
“Ministers will look at
the situation in Georgia and its relations with its neighbors as well as
with the EU,” according to the press release.
In an interview with
the Russian newspaper, Vremya Novostei, published on October 25, the
Georgian Foreign Minister reiterated that Tbilisi was ready to talks
with Moscow “without pre-conditions at any time and any place.”
He,
however, said it would be “an illusion” to think that Georgia would talk
with Russia on resumption of export of Georgian products on the Russian
market.
“Talks will be about withdrawal of Russian troops from
Georgia, restoration of territorial integrity of our country, as well as
about voluntary return of refugees [to Abkhazia and South Ossetia] in
safety and dignity. These are the foundations on which our relations
with Russia can be normalized. We, of course, understand that Russia’s
interests should also be taken into consideration in these talks,”
Vashadze said.
“Talks with Russia are inevitable; they will definitely be held, but it’s difficult to say when,” he added.
On
Russia’s WTO entry terms, Vashadze said Tbilisi was not thinking much
on the issue. “Let Moscow itself think about it. WTO has clear-cut rules
and procedures, which Russia is violating by its actions on border with
Georgia,” he said.
|
| 24 Oct. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili auf dem frankophonen Gipfel in Montreux, Schweiz
Eine
der neuen Resolutionen, die von den Gipfelteilnehmern verabschiedet
wurden, befaßte sich mit der territorialen Integrität Georgiens und
bezog sich auch auft die letzte UN-Resolution zu den intern Vertriebenen
aus Abchasien und Südossetien.
President Saakashvili participated in
the Francophone Summit in Montreux, Switzerland, the Georgian
President’s administration said on Sunday.
Among nine resolutions,
adopted by the participants of the summit, one deals with conflicts,
which reaffirms supports for Georgia’s territorial integrity and call
for full implementation of the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement, as
well as by referring to UN General Assembly’s recent resolution, calls
for return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia in safety and dignity.
|
| 23 Oct. '10 | Gerichtshof
von Tbilisi ordnet Untersuchungshaft für den Aktivisten Zaza
Chakvetadze vom oppositionellen "National Forum" an wegen Widerstands
gegen die Polizei
The Tbilisi City Court on October 23 sent an
activist from the opposition National Forum party, who is charged with
resisting police, to pre-trial detention pending investigation.
Police
arrested Zaza Chakvetadze on October 21, during the incident outside
the Lilo outdoor market in Tbilisi outskirts, when a group of vendors
and National Forum party activists scuffled with the market security
guard.
Chakvetadze denies charges. Gubaz Sanikidze, one of the
leaders of the National Forum party, said after the court order was
announced, that Chakvetadze was “a political prisoner.”
Chakvetadze faces either fine or up to five years in prison if convicted.
|
| 22 Oct. '10 | Tschetschenischer Pro-Kreml-Führer Ramzan Kadyrov wirft Tbilisi die Unterstützung von Militanten in Tschetschenien vor
Chechnya's
Kremlin-backed President, Ramzan Kadyrov, said that Georgia remained
"almost the only" external force helping militants in Chechnya. "There are few remaining sources of
serious support - moral and financial - to the militants. Previously
they had been receiving financial assistance and weapons via the
Georgian territory; whole groups of gangs were sent to Chechnya through
Georgia. Even today it can be said, that almost the only source from
where the militants are assisted, where the militants are trained, is
Georgia," Kadyrov was quoted by the Russian news agencies as saying in
Grozny on October 22.
|
| 22 Oct. '10 | Berufungsgericht hält Gerichtsurteil im Mukhrovani-Fall weitgehend aufrecht
The
Court of Appeals has largely upheld a verdict of lower court into the
case known as Mukhrovani mutiny, which took place in a tank battalion
outside Tbilisi on May 5, 2009.
On October 21 the three-judge panel
upheld prison sentence for all 17 defendants, some of them former
military commanders convicted to a lengthy jail terms, who have appealed
the January 11 verdict of the Tbilisi City Court.
The Court of
Appeals has also refused to accept prosecution’s appeal requesting to
re-qualify charges of seven civilian defendants into mutiny to overthrow
the government; this was the charge for which they were brought before
the lower court by the prosecution, but the Tbilisi City Court ruled
that the crime committed by these seven civilians’ should instead be
qualified as providing assistance to disobedience and not as a mutiny to
overthrow the government.
The three-judge panel, chaired by Tamar
Alania, announced the verdict just 50 minutes after hearing final
arguments of most of the defense lawyers and closing statements by the
defendants themselves at a hearing on October 21.
In their closing
statements two former military commanders, convicted for mutiny to
overthrow the government, Shota Gorgiashvili and Levan Amiridze,
reiterated their position that developments in Mukhrovani military unit
on May 5, 2009 was an expression of their protest against the military
command and a military parade, which was planned at the time, and that
they had never intended to stage a coup. The verdict can be appealed to
Supreme Court within a month.
|
| 21 Oct. '10 | Händler protestieren wegen 'empfindlicher Steuerstrafen'
Georgia's
one of the largest outdoor markets in Tbilisi outskirts was stalled on
October 20, when part of vendors there went on a brief strike
complaining against, what they call, complicated tax regulation and
strict tax enforcement resulting in severe penalties.
Traders at Lilo
bazaar complained that dozens of shops were closed down by the tax
authorities after finding alleged violations and for the purpose of
further inspection of financial papers.
The rally outside the
market was joined by a group of opposition politicians from the National
Forum party, whose leaders, present there, said they had arrived after
they were informed by traders about thier problems. When the opposition
politicians and traders, accompanied by journalists, decided to enter
inside the market to see closed shops, the personnel from the market
security service barred them from entry, leading to a scuffle. During
the incident police, which intervened later, arrested one activist from
the National Forum.
The tax authorities have denied that shops were
closed in the market and said that it was a routine tax inspection to
reveal cases of tax evasion through violation of accounting rules.
Earlier
in October dozens of vendors were rounded up at another market in
Tbilisi in connection to, what the authorities said was, a fake
importation document scheme. Twenty nine traders were released on bail
and five of them sent to a pre-trial detention.
|
| 21 Oct. '10 | Nino Burjanadze: Präsident Saakashvili provoziere Russland in der Nordkaukasus-Frage
Nino
Burjanadze, ex-parliamentary speaker and leader of opposition
Democratic Movement-United Georgia, said President Saakashvili was
playing “a dangerous game” by “poking” Russia over its troubled North
Caucasus region.
“Everyone is well aware of how painful and difficult
this issue is for Russia. What [happens] if you are get one more hit
from bear's paw as a result of permanently provoking Russia on this
issue? No one will blame [Russia] and we have already seen that no one
came here with their tanks to stop Russian tanks,” Burjanadze told
journalists on October 21.
|
| 21 Oct. '10 | Tskhinvali sagt, der Abzug aus dem Dorf Perevi sei 'voreilig'
It
was "premature" to remove the Russian checkpoint from the village of
Perevi, as construction of alternative road linking nearby South
Ossetian village with the rest of region is not yet completed, an
official from the breakaway region said.
"Although Perevi is outside
the border of former Autonomous District of South Ossetia, removal of
[Russian] outpost from there was premature," Boris Chochiev, the
breakaway region's envoy for post-conflict issues, said.
Russia,
which pulled its small military unit from Perevi on October 18, was
controlling in the village a small local road linking village of
Karzmani within the administrative borders of former Autonomous District
of South Ossetia with rest of the breakaway region. The Russian Foreign
Ministry said in a statement on October 19, which was released in
connection to withdrawal from Perevi, that "a 10-plus km bypass road had
been built in difficult mountain terrain to connect the Karzmanskoye
gorge to the rest of South Ossetia."
But in remarks posted on a
website of the breakaway region's authorities on October 20, Boris
Chochiev said that the new road was not yet completed.
"Construction
of the road, linking the South Ossetian village of Sinagur with Karzman,
should have been completed in 2008. We have been assured that residents
of Karzman would have been under the South Ossetian authorities'
control, but the road is not yet built. I was categorically against of
this move [removal of Russian checkpoint from Perevi]. Those structures
are to be blamed, which were in charge of construction of the road. They
have misinformed Moscow, as well as us," Chochiev said.
|
| 20 Oct. '10 | Georgien im Index der Pressefreihet RSF von den "Reportern ohne Grenzen" auf Platz 99 zurückgefallen
Georgia
has declined in an annual press freedom index released by the
Paris-based media rights group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on
October 20.
Georgia is ranked 99th in the table of 178 countries with
27 points in the survey covering the period between September 2009 and
September 2010. Georgia was ranked 81st with 18.83 points in last
year's similar survey. More points indicate on the worse media
situation.
RSF compiles its annual survey based on 43 criteria
measuring, among other violations, attacks and violence against
journalists, as well as censorship and impunity enjoyed by those
responsible for press freedom violation. RSF says that assessments based
on these criteria are made through questionnaire sent to its partner
organizations, or other independent sources in the countries which are
surveyed.
|
| 20 Oct. '10 | Moskau
in der Frage um die WTO-Mitgliedschaft: "sozusagen eine kreative
Lösung" müsse zum Einsatz kommen, um Georgiens Einwände zu beseitigen
USA
führen Gespräche mit Russland: Russland's Bewerbung um die
Mitgliedschaft könne noch in diesem Jahr erfolgreich abgearbeitet
werden. Die georgische Position in dieser Sache sei während der "enorm
konstruktiven" Gespräche angesprochen worden.
Moscow recognizes that
“some sort of creative solution” needs to be applied to remove Georgia’s
objection to Russia’s WTO membership, an economic adviser to U.S.
President Barack Obama said on October 20, without elaborating how the
issue can be resolved.
Lawrence Summers, an outgoing director of
President Obama’s National Economic Council, who held talks with Russian
officials in Moscow, said that Russia’s bid to join WTO may be
successfully completed within a year.
He also said that Georgia’s
position on the matter was raised during his “enormously constructive”
talks with Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Igor Shuvalov, Reuters
reported.
Georgian senior officials, including PM Nika Gilauri, have
reiterated for number of times recently, that Georgia supports Russia’s
WTO accession, but with one condition – Russia should follow WTO rules,
they said.
In particular, the Georgian officials say that they want
Russia to make customs checkpoints located in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, two breakaway regions which Russia has recognized as
independent states, "transparent".
Georgian State Minister for
Reintegration, Temur Iakobashvili, told journalists on October 20, that
Georgia was ready to consider any proposal on how to resolve dispute on
Russia’s WTO entry, provided that “the principles are observed.”
“Georgia
has reasonable position. We demand from Russia to follow the rules of
the organization, which it wants to join. We are ready to discuss any
proposals, which Russia or the United States may offer. The important
thing here is that the principle should be observed,” he said.
The
White House announced earlier this month that the U.S. and Russia made
the "substantial progress" in resolving bilateral issues and that Russia
had taken "significant steps" toward joining WTO.
"President Obama
pledged to support Russia's efforts to complete remaining steps in
multilateral negotiations so that Russia could join the WTO as soon as
possible," the White House said in a statement after a phone
conversation between the Russian and U.S. Presidents on October 1.
|
| 20 Oct. '10 | Georgien verurteilt Moskau's "zynische" Haltung zum Sechs-Punkte-Abkommen
* Sarkozy calls for non-use of force commitment;
Russia
said that with removal of its outpost from the village of Perevi the
issue of "alleged non-compliance" with EU-mediated ceasefire agreement
by Moscow had been "definitively closed."
“We hope that this move of
the Russian side, aimed at reducing tensions on the borders of Georgia
and South Ossetia, will receive adequate and constructive response from
the Georgian side and the international community,” the Russian Foreign
Ministry said in a statement on October 19.
Tbilisi said Russia’s
statement was “yet another cynical attempt” to avoid full implementation
of its commitments under the August 12, 2008 six-point ceasefire
agreement, which, among other issues, envisages pull back of the Russian
troops on the pre-August war positions.
Georgia says that withdrawal
from Perevi is only a tiny part of Russia’s commitments and, as
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, Giga Bokeria put it, Perevi was only
less than 1% of Georgia’s occupied territories.
Russia’s attempt to
portray withdrawal from Perevi as a full implementation of its
commitments “is doom for a failure,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said
and added that the international community had already made it clear
that Russia should fully comply with the agreement.
EU foreign policy
chief, Catherine Ashton, welcomed Russia’s withdrawal from Perevi and
said in a statement on October 18: “I look forward to further progress
towards the full implementation of the EU-brokered Six Point Agreement
of 12 August 2008 and its Implementing Measures of 8 September 2008.”
French
President, Nicolas Sarkozy, thanked his Russia counterpart, Dmitry
Medvedev, at a meeting in French seaside town of Deauville on October 19
for withdrawal from the village of Perevi and said it was “a
significant step” and “a significant progress.”
Speaking at a joint
news conference with the Russian President and German Chancellor, Angela
Merkel, in Deauville, Sarkozy also said that it would be good if Russia
agreed on allowing international monitors to enter Abkhazia and South
Ossetia.
At the same news conference Sarkozy, who mediated the August
12 six-point accord and its follow-up September 8, 2008 agreement,
called on Georgia to undertake non-use of force commitment. The French
President did not elaborate further on the issue.
Russia has long
been insisting that Tbilisi should sign non-use of treaties with Sokhumi
and Tskhinvali, or at least should make unilateral written declaration
on non-use of force. Georgia says that such commitment has already been
undertaken under the six-point ceasefire agreement and there is no need
for a separate treaty. Tbilisi is also against of signing such treaty
with Tskhinvali and Sokhumi and says that even if such agreement is
signed Russia should be part of the treaty and not, as Tbilisi puts it,
“Russia’s proxy regimes” in Tskhinvali and Sokhumi. Tbilisi also insists
that such treaty with Moscow should also envisage establishment of new
international security arrangement in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which
eventually should lead to “complete de-occupation” of these two regions.
The issue is part of and one of the most contentious points in the Geneva talks.
The
U.S. delegation in the Geneva talks mainly shares Tbilisi’s position
saying that the six-point ceasefire agreement already “establishes the
sides’ commitment to the non-use of force", which makes an additional,
separate agreement “unnecessary”. According to the U.S. position on the
matter, voiced after the eleventh round of Geneva talks in June 2010,
another non-use of force agreement has to be “among the relevant
parties, including the Russian Federation” and it should reflect
concerns of all parties.
|
| 19 Oct. '10 | EU begrüßt den russischen Abzug aus dem Dorf Perevi
EU
foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, welcomed removal of Russian
checkpoint from the village of Perevi just outside breakaway South
Ossetia as “a positive development on the ground.”
“I look forward to
further progress towards the full implementation of the EU-brokered Six
Point Agreement of 12 August 2008 and its Implementing Measures of 8
September 2008,” Ashton said in a statement on October 18.
She said
that EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) was in contact with the
Russian and Georgian authorities “to ensure that the withdrawal is
carried out in an orderly and peaceful manner.”
“I call on all
parties to make real efforts towards further normalisation on the ground
and to continue engaging in dialogue as the only means to address the
consequences of the conflict, including the humanitarian situation,"
Ashton said.
|
| 18 Oct. '10 | Russische Soldaten ziehen aus dem Dorf Perevi bei Südossetien ab
Georgien sagt, dass sei "ein Schritt in die richtige Richtung".
Russian
troops pulled back from a small village of Perevi at the western part
of administrative border of breakaway South Ossetian on Monday evening.
Georgia said the withdrawal was "a step made in the right direction."
"The
de-occupation of each village is of outmost importance for Georgia and
especially for the population residing in those villages," the Georgian
Foreign Ministry said in a statement on October 18.
"However, it
should be emphasized that the withdrawal of Russian occupational forces
from Perevi is just a miniscule step in comparison with commitments
envisaged by the ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008 which Russia
still has to comply with," it said.
Russian forces in the village
were controlling a small local road, which was linking a nearby South
Ossetian village to the rest of the breakaway region. Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister, Grigory Karasin, said on October 14, when the
announcement about the intention to pull out from Perevi was made, that
Russian border guard troops, had built a new route alternative to the
one running through Perevi and Russian forces were ready to withdraw.
The
village of Perevi administratively falls under the Sachkhere district
and was the only area outside the administrative borders of breakaway
South Ossetia, which remained under the Russian control following the
August, 2008 war. In December, 2008 Russian troops briefly pulled back
from the village, but re-entered and re-installed checkpoints there only
hours after the withdrawal. Russia cited a prompt deployment of the
Georgian Interior Ministry forces in Perevi as a reason behind the
decision to retake control over the village.
|
| 18 Oct. '10 | Venedig-Kommission veröffentlicht abschließende Meinung zur neuen Verfassung
Die
abschließende Meinung ist in der Linie der zweiten Vorabempfehlungen:
mehrere wichtige Verbesserungen und signifikante Schritte in die
richtige Richtung, wobei eine weitere Stärkung des Parlaments nochmals
betrachtet werden sollte
Council of Europe’s advisory body for legal affairs, Venice Commission, released on October 18, it final opinion on Georgia’s constitutional reform adopted by the Commission at its session on October 15-16.
The
final opinion is in line with the Commission’s second preliminary
recommendations, released on October 8, a week before the Georgian
Parliament passed the draft of constitutional amendments with its third
and final reading.
The Commission reiterates in its final opinion
that the new constitution system in Georgia, which will go into force
upon the inauguration of next president, elected in October 2013,
“provide for several important improvements and significant steps in the
right direction, which the Venice Commission welcomes.”
“The
Commission considers nevertheless that it would be desirable to further
strengthen the powers of parliament. In this respect, the provisions on
the formation of the government and especially those on the motion of
non-confidence, as well as those about the parliament’s powers in budget
matters, should be reconsidered,” the Venice Commission said.
|
| 17 Oct. '10 | Merabishvili
zur Visafreiheit für Nordkaukasier: dies werde der Integration
Georgiens und dieser Region helfen, die unter dem Terror der russischen
Streitkräfte leide
Georgia's decision to introduce 90-day
visa-free entry rules for Russian citizens residing in North Caucasus
will help integration between Georgia and in this region, suffering from
the Russian federal forces' "terror", Vano Merabishvili, the Georgian
interior minister, said.
"Those living in the North Caucasus are
under the [Russian] federal power-wielding structures' terror,"
Merabishvili said in an interview with the Rustavi 2 TV aired late on
October 16.
"It is beneficial for us from the political, economic, as
well as humanitarian point of view to have more integration with the
North Caucasus people and to give them possibility [residents of the
region] to be connected with the western world via Georgia and what is
also important I think the number of tourists will increase; they will
arrive here for business, holiday, medical treatment," Merabishvili
said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on October 14, that Georgia’s
unilateral decision to introduce visa-free rules for residents in seven
North Caucasus republics was “a provocation” and an attempt “to
destabilize” situation in the region. The decision was came under the
opposition's criticism in Georgia.
Extracts from Merabishvili's
interview were used in a story, which Georgia's most popular television
station Rustavi 2's weekly program Kurieri P.S. dedicated to defending
Georgia's decision.
"By the fact that Russia got angry one can guess that Georgia has done right thing," a journalist said in his report.
|
| 16 Oct. '10 | Zwei israelische Geschäftsmänner wurden festgehalten wegen Bestechung
An
Israeli businessman having a long-standing multi-million dispute with
Georgia was arrested together with an associate on charges related to an
attempted bribery of a senior Georgian official.
Ron Fuchs and his
associate, also an Israeli citizen Zeev Frenkiel, were arrested by the
Georgian law enforcement officers in Georgia’s Black Sea town of Batumi
on October 14, while meeting with Georgian Deputy Finance Minister
Avtandil Kharadze, whom the two men were offering USD 7 million in
bribe, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office said.
Tbilisi City Court on
October 16 denied bail to both Israeli citizens and kept them in
pre-trial detention. The same ruling applied in absentia to Fuchs’ Greek
partner, Ioannis Kardassopoulos, who is now wanted by the Georgian law
enforcement in connection to the same case, according to the Georgian
authorities.
According to the written statement released by the
Georgian chief prosecutor’s office, Ron Fuchs and his partner from
company, Tramex, Ioannis Kardassopoulos, with the assistance of Zeev
Frenkiel were trying to bribe Georgian Deputy Finance Minister, Avtandil
Kharadze, offering him USD 7 million in exchange for “convincing the
Georgian government” not to challenge a decision of an international
arbitration, which awarded Fuchs and Kardassopoulos to total of about
USD 98.1 million to be paid by the Georgian state.
The case with its
subsequent long-running arbitration proceedings originates back in 1991,
when Tramex, represented with its two shareholders Fuchs and
Kardassopoulos, started looking for investment opportunities in
Georgia’s energy sector. In 1992 Tramex established a joint venture with
the Georgian state oil company and obtained concession on oil pipeline
network development, which was revoked in 1996 when the Georgian
government established Georgian International Oil Corporation, which
eventually contracted with a major international consortium on
construction of east-west oil pipeline to transport Azerbaijani oil to
the western market via Georgia and Turkey.
After that Tramex and the
Georgian authorities were for years trying in vain to settle dispute,
involving possible compensation for the company.
In November, 2004
Fuchs and Kardassopoulos were notified by the Georgian government that
their claims were groundless, which led the two business partners to
file two separate, but related suits against Georgia in the
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), an
institution of the World Bank group.
On March 3, 2010 London-based
tribunal ruled that Georgia violated multilateral Energy Charter Treaty
and unlawfully expropriated investments made by Kardassopoulos in
Georgia and in respect of Fuchs, the tribunal ruled that Georgia
violated bilateral investment protection treaty between Israel and
Georgia.
According to the decision each investor should receive USD
15.1 million compensation for losses, plus interest totaling to USD 30
million for each investor – interest period covers from the start of
dispute in 1996 until the arbitration ruling in 2010. Georgia was also
ordered to cover the two investors’ arbitration cost of USD 7.9 million.
Iareporter.com,
a news website tracking international investment disputes, reported
that Georgia in July signaled that it planned to challenge the ruling
through post-arbitration review permitted in ICSID cases. According to
this report a hearing is scheduled on Monday when a three-member panel
will hear arguments as to whether temporary stay of enforcement should
remain in place while the post-arbitration review is underway. The
claimants are asking arbitrators to order Georgia to post some financial
security in case the award is not annulled and the claimants encounter
difficulties in collecting on the award, according to the
Iareporter.com.
The Georgian authorities through local television
stations released portions of covertly recorded footage showing a
meeting between Fuchs and the Georgian Deputy Finance Minister in
Istanbul in September. The meeting, according to the Georgian
authorities, was one among others, which aimed at finding settlement
between the sides and in which the Deputy Finance Minister was
authorized to represent the government. In the released footage, the
man, said to be Fuchs, tells the Georgian official that he wants to
receive USD 80 million and that he can kickback the sum on top of USD 80
million.
Fuchs and his associate deny the charges against him.
“Mr.
Fuchs, together with another person, won the USD 100 million worth case
against Georgia at the International Centre for Settlement of
Investment Disputes. We believe that his arrest is a persecution with a
goal to make him say no on the amount he has won against Georgia,”
Irakli Kbilashvili, a defense lawyer of Fuchs, said after the Tbilisi
City Court denied bail to his client on October 16. "Mr. Fuchs was not
arriving in Georgia. He arrived here only after receiving an official
invitation from the Georgian PM [Nika Gilauri]."
|
| 16 Oct. '10 | Präsident Saakashvili begrüßt die Verabschiedung der neuen Verfassung
President
Saakashvili welcomed revamp of constitution by the Parliament on
October 15 and said the authorities had taken into consideration
"actually all the recommendations" put forth by the Council of Europe's
advisory body for legal affairs Venice Commission.
Speaking with
reporters shortly after the amendments were voted by lawmakers,
Saakashvili hailed the Parliament for passing the draft after, as he put
it, "final conclusions" of the Venice Commission were tabled; he said
that by doing so, the Parliament deprived opponents possibility to
criticize authorities for not waiting for the European experts' final
recommendations.
"I want to say that actually all the recommendations
of the conclusion has been taken into consideration, except of one
minor element - according to the conclusion the Parliament should have
further reduced the presidential powers [in the new system], but the
Parliament said that in the current situation, when the country faces so
many challenges, it is ruled out to totally level the president's
role," Saakashvili said.
On October 8 the Venice Commission released
its second preliminary opinion on the draft of constitutional amendment
calling on the Georgian Parliament to wait for its final recommendations
before adoption of the new constitution. The Parliament, which
originally planned to pass the constitutional with final reading on
October 12, postponed the voting for October 15. The Venice Commission
discussed Georgia's constitutional reform at its session on October 15;
however, the text of its final opinion is not yet available on the
Commission's website. Text of opinions are public after the adoption and
are available on the Venice Commission’s website after the session. The
session ends on October 16.
During his remarks with reporters,
President Saakashvili said that he had "just received an SMS on my
mobile phone and I will translate it to you." Looking on his mobile
phone he then continued: "The Venice Commission's secretary [Thomas]
Markert said that after thorough analysis the Commission is ready to
state that the constitution is fully - and I emphasize on 'fully' - in
line with the European tradition'; that's the conclusion; now others can
speak whatever they want," Saakashvili said.
The new constitution,
which will go into force upon the inauguration of new president, elected
in October, 2013, will significantly reduce the presidential powers at
the expense of PM and the government. The President, however, will
retain an important role in case of non-confidence vote to the
government having the right to veto prime ministerial nomination by the
Parliament.
|
| 15 Oct. '10 | Schlüsselpunkte der neu verabschiedeten Verfassung
Parliament
passed on October 15 amendments to the constitution with its third and
final reading, which will significantly reduce powers of next president
in favor of PM and the government.
The new constitution will go into
force upon the inauguration of the next president, who is scheduled to
be elected in October, 2013.
As soon as the new constitution goes
into force in 2013, the government existing at the time will resign to
give way to the Parliament, elected in 2012, to compose the new
government.
Below are key points of Georgia's new constitution:
PM/Government
* The government becomes the supreme body of the executive branch,
which directs and executes the country’s foreign and domestic policy and
which is accountable before the Parliament;
* Prime Minister has
the right to appoint and dismisses other members of the government,
including defense and interior ministers (under the current constitution
dismissal of these two ministers is an exclusive right of President).
PM's resignation will automatically lead to the resignation of the
government;
* Government’s powers are suspended as soon the
mandate of newly-elected Parliament is approved, and not upon electing a
new President, as it is envisaged by the current constitution;
* PM's candidacy is named by a political party, which will garner most of the votes in parliamentary elections;
* Government members are named by PM-designate;
* Government needs support of majority of MPs to win confidence vote;
* If government's powers are suspended for reasons other than
parliamentary elections, President nominates PM's candidate proposed by a
parliamentary majority. In case of absence of parliamentary majority, a
candidate should be proposed by a largest parliamentary faction;
* If Parliament fails to give confidence vote to government twice,
President will nominate PM's candidacy named by two-fifth of lawmakers;
but if even in that case the Parliament fails to give confidence vote,
President will have the right to dissolve Parliament and call early
elections;
* It is only up to government to submit state budget
to Parliament for consideration making these two responsible for entire
budgetary matters, leaving out President; government will have a lead
role and the Parliament's role will be limited in the budgetary matters;
* Gov't has right to request the Parliament ratification or
denunciation of int'l treaties; President also enjoys with this right in
some cases, but with the government's consent;
* President will
not have the right to appoint or dismiss ambassadors without
government's approval (it will no longer be up to the Parliament to
approve ambassadorial nominations);
* The government (and not PM
unilaterally, as it was envisaged by the initial draft) appoints and
dismisses provincial governors, instead of the President as it is under
the current constitution;
* PM will have the right of
“counterassignation” of presidential decrees, which means that most of
the presidential decrees will require confirmation by PM's signature.
However, this right of PM will not apply to presidential acts issued
during war; as well as acts concerning a decision to dissolve the
Parliament; calling elections; signing drafts into law; appointing
judges; in the initial draft no PM's counterassignation was required for
the presidential acts on appointment of top military brass, but in the
final text PM and the government will have a say in this process too;
* Gov't will have the right to request President to call for a referendum;
* President requires government's consent on holding international talks or in case of signing international treaties.
Non-Confidence Vote
* No less than 2/5 of the total members of the Parliament, e.i. at
least 60 lawmakers will have the right to request for launching of
non-confidence vote;
* The process will be deemed as started if
more than half of MPs support it; this vote can only take place not
earlier than 20 days and no later than 25 days;
* If as a result
of this vote the process is endorsed, the Parliament shall, not earlier
than 20 days and no later than 25 days, hold a separate vote on a
nomination of new prime ministerial candidate, selected by at least 2/5
of MPs;
* If a new candidate is supported, then the President comes into play;
* The President should, within 5 days, either endorse the nomination or reject;
* In case of presidential veto on a new prime ministerial candidate,
the Parliament will have the right to vote for nomination of a same
candidate no earlier than 15 and no later than 20 days;
* But to
override the presidential veto, the Parliament will need at least
three-fifth of its members’ support, which is 90 MPs; while in other
cases, such as vetoed laws (except of constitutional amendments), the
Parliament will need only absolute majority (76 votes);
* If the
Parliament fails to override the veto, president will have the right,
within three days, to dissolve the legislative body and call for early
elections.
President
* President will remain the head of
state, a commander-in-chief and will represent the country (and not be a
supreme representative as it is under the current constitution) in
foreign relations;
* President will no longer direct and exercise
domestic and foreign policy of the state - as the current constitution
says. This authority will be delegated to PM and the government;
*
A citizen of Georgia (and not natural born citizen as it was initially
envisaged), who is at least 35 years old and has lived in Georgia for at
least 5 years (instead of initial version of 15 years) and lived
permanently in Georgia for last three years at the time of elections
will be eligible to run for presidency;
* President will have no
right to hold a decision-making post in a political party, although will
retain the right to be a member of a party;
* President will
have the right to appoint or dismiss chief of staff of the armed forces
and other top military commanders only with agreement of the government;
* President will not have the right to initiate draft laws;
* President will not have the right to convene an emergency session of the Parliament;
* President will not have the right to call for a referendum;
* President will have the right to nominate members of
telecommunications and energy regulatory commissions but only with an
agreement of gov't;
* President will have the right to nominate
head of government of Adjara Autonomous Republic, but only after
consultations with political parties and with an agreement of central
gov't;
* Issue of President's impeachment can be initiated by at
least 1/3 of lawmakers. The issue will then be passed to the
Constitutional Court. If the latter concludes that President's action
contained signs of crime or violation of constitution, Parliament will
have to vote whether to impeach or not President within 15 days. Votes
of at least 2/3 of lawmakers will be required to impeach President.
Parliament
* PM will have the right to raise before the Parliament the question of
confidence of gov't in relation to initiated draft law; the Parliament
has to vote on the draft law within 14 days with one hearing (and not
with three hearing as usually) or vote non-confidence to gov't;
*
If the Parliament fails with vote of non-confidence it will not result
into dissolving of the legislative body; it will mean that the draft law
is adopted;
* Although the Parliament will have the right to
raise a question of responsibility of an individual cabinet member, the
constitution does not specify what follows next and what might be the
result of such demand by the Parliament;
* Appointment of ambassadors will no longer require parliamentary approval;
* One fifth of lawmakers, instead of current one fourth, will be able
to initiate setting up of parliamentary investigative commission or
other type of ad hoc commission; but setting up of such commission will
still require Parliament's resolution, which has to be passed with
majority vote of lawmakers present at a session;
* Parliament
will be able to overrule a presidential veto with majority vote of
lawmakers, instead of currently needed support of two-third of
Parliament members. However, this provision will not apply
constitutional draft laws, when support of two-third of lawmakers will
be required;
* Parliament's role in respect of budgetary issues becomes limited;
* Parliament will have the right to monitor budgetary spending through
Chamber of Control - the main state audit agency; under the current
constitution the legislative body can monitor state spending directly
and in case of violations can demand suspension of such spending; the
Parliament will be deprived of this right under the new constitution;
Other Provisions
* President, PM and Parliamentary Chairperson's post can not be held by
a person with double citizenship (in the initial draft, the provision
also applied to all senior governmental posts);
* Age requirement of judges will increase from current 28 to 30;
* Term in office of judges of lower courts will expire after reaching a
retirement age; the provision does not apply to judges of Supreme
Court;
* A probationary period of not more than 3 years will be introduced for judges;
* Revision of the constitution will become more complicated as a
proposed amendment will have to be adopted by two-third of all MPs in
two subsequent sessions with a three-month interval.
|
| 15 Oct. '10 | Neue Verfassung wurde verabschiedet
Parliament
passed on October 15 with 112 votes to five amendments to the
constitution with its third and final reading, which will significantly
reduce powers of next president in favor of PM and the government.
This
is the second time in last six years when the constitutional system has
been revamped; the existing system, which was introduced in 2004,
concentrated most of the powers in the hands of the President.
The
new constitution will go into force upon the inauguration of the next
president, who will be elected in the elections in October, 2013. The
initial draft envisaged new constitution's enforcement from December 1,
2013, but the provision was amended and it now says that the new system
will go into force as soon as the new president is sworn.
The final version of the text, passed on October 15, includes some other important amendments as well.
One
involves provision dealing with eligibility for presidential candidacy.
According to the adopted text a citizen of Georgia - and not natural
born citizen as it was initially envisaged in the text adopted with
second reading - who is at least 35 years old and has lived in Georgia
for at least 5 years - instead of initial version of 15 years - and
lived permanently in Georgia for last three years at the time of
elections will be eligible to run for presidency.
Another change
involves reducing by 5 days timeframe of last stage of non-confidence
vote – the stage which comes in case of the presidential veto on prime
ministerial nomination. The process of non-confidence may take 45 or 55
days, or in case of the presidential veto on prime ministerial nominee
77 days or it even take maximum 92 days. In the very initial draft this
process could have taken maximum of 127 days.
Lawmakers from the
Christian-Democratic Movement, which is a leading party in the
parliamentary minority group, voted in favor of the new constitution. A
handful of remaining opposition lawmakers, who are not members of any
parliamentary group, was against.
|
| 15 Oct. '10 | Außenminister Grigol Vashadze zur Visafreiheit für Nordkaukasier
Die
Entscheidung rühre von den humanitären Nöten dieser Bevölkerung her und
sei Georgiens Versuch, Moskaus anti-georgische Propaganda anzufechten.
Er führte weitere Gründe an und verwies auch auf die unilateralen
Visaregelungen Moskaus für Georgier.
* Georgia says it will be “a bridge connecting the North Caucasus with the civilized world”
Georgian
Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze, said on October 15, that Georgia’s
decision to introduce 90-day visa free entry for the Russian citizens
residing in the North Caucasus “is deriving from the humanitarian needs
of this population” and also is Tbilisi’s attempt to challenge Moscow’s
anti-Georgian propaganda.
“They [the residents of North Caucasus] are
in the position when the Kremlin regime is dictating to them where to
go, what to do, how to act, with whom to be friends and with whom not to
be friends; they [the Russian authorities] are trying to make
propaganda image of Georgia as a failed state, as a state where nothing
is going on and as a state, which is constantly threatening neighbors,”
Vashadze said.
“So when we are opening borders, we want these people
to come to Georgia and to see themselves what our achievements are,” he
said while responding a question asked during his joint news conference
with visiting Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov.
“Second – we
have ethnic Georgians residing, for example in Vladikavkaz [Russia’s
North Ossetian Republic]; we have 100,000 Georgian citizens of Ossetian
origin residing in Georgia and they have relatives in the North
Caucasus, of course they need to see each other,” Vashadze said.
“The
third point – nobody [in North Caucasus] can afford sending their
children to Moscow institutes and universities and here [in Georgia] we
have world-class, European-class universities, why not to send them to
Georgia? We have been receiving letters from the North Caucasus
residents asking the question how they can send their kids to the
Georgian universities,” he said and added that these arguments were
“quite enough” in favor of Tbilisi’s decision.
Responding to the
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks that decision of this
kind should be taken based on bilateral agreements and not unilaterally,
Vashadze said that when Russia “unilaterally introduced visa regime for
the Georgian citizens, we have not been consulted.”
“So never ask for something, which you are not ready to provide,” Vashadze added.
Russia
introduced visa rules with Georgia in December, 2000; the decision,
however, did not apply to residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which
at the time were formally recognized by Moscow as part of Georgia.
In
December, 2003, Russia unilaterally simplified visa rules for only
residents of Georgia’s Adjara Autonomous Republic, a move described by
Moscow at the time as “a temporary measure,” which triggered protest in
Tbilisi.
In a written statement released on October 12, the Georgian
Interior Ministry said that the visa-free entry decision aimed “at
supporting the restoration of traditional brotherly relations between
Georgian and North Caucasian peoples.”
It also said that by this
decision the residents of the North Caucasus would be able “to take
advantage of all the benefits that Georgian citizens and visitors of our
country enjoy in the result of the reforms and the achievements
accomplished in recent years.”
“The residents of the North Caucasus
will have the opportunity to travel to Georgia, to do business, to
receive education, to rest and to enjoy all the privileges, which they
lack under the corrupted and repressive federal regime in their home
country. Georgia will be a bridge connecting the North Caucasus with the
civilized world,” the Georgian Interior Ministry said.
|
| 15 Oct. '10 | Russ. Außenministerium: Russische Truppen werden aus dem Dorf Perevi in ‘naher Zukunft’ abzuiehen
Russian
Deputy Foreign Minister, Grigory Karasin, said after thirteenth round
of Geneva talks on October 14 that Russia would withdraw its troops from
the village of Perevi in the “nearest future” as “an act of good will.
“The
Russian Federation has prepared and will withdraw the Russian border
guard troops in the nearest future from the village of Perevi, which is
located on geographically disputed territory,” Itar-Tass news agency
reported quoting Karasin said.
The village of Perevi administratively
falls under the Sachkhere district and is the only area outside the
administrative borders of breakaway South Ossetia, which remains under
the Russian control following the August, 2008 war. In December, 2008
Russian troops briefly pulled back from the village, but re-entered and
re-installed checkpoints there only hours after the withdrawal. Russia
cited a prompt deployment of the Georgian Interior Ministry forces in
Perevi as a reason behind the decision to retake control over the
village.
“This is an act of responsibility, an act of good will and
at the same time a test for our Georgian partners in restraint,” he
said.
“When our border guard troops pull back, the territory of South
Ossetia will be fully defined and borders of the republic will be fully
under the Russian border guard troops’ control on the basis of
bilateral agreement [between Tskhinvali and Moscow] and at the same time
no one will be able to reprove border guard troops for presence
somewhere on the Georgian territory,” Karasin said.
Georgian Deputy
Foreign Minister, Giga Bokeria, who leads the Georgian delegation in
Geneva talks, said “de-occupation of any territory or a village is a
positive development,” but he also indicated that Russia’s announcement
should not be overestimated.
"They [Russia] will try to ‘sell’ this
move as a constructive step, but I want to emphasis, that it is only a
slightest part of those commitments, which they have undertaken" under
the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement, Bokeria said.
He said that
this move by Russia should be viewed "in a right context" and possible
withdrawal from Perevi should not lead to easing international pressure
on Russia over its unfulfilled commitments. "And it won't happen,"
Bokeria added.
|
| 15 Oct. '10 | Mediatoren sagen, Russland habe versprochen, aus dem Dorf Perevi abzuziehen
Russia
will pull its troops out of Perevi, a small village outside breakaway
South Ossetia's administrative borders, it emerged after thirteenth
round of talks in Geneva on October 14.
"The co-chairs welcomed
today’s announcement in the session of the imminent removal of the
Russian checkpoint in Perevi as a positive development on the ground,"
co-mediators of the Geneva talks from EU, OSCE and UN said in a joint
statement after the talks.
Members of the Georgian delegation said
that the announcement on the matter was made during the talks by Deputy
Foreign Minister, Girgory Karasin, who leads the Russian delegation at
the Geneva talks.
The village of Perevi administratively falls under
the Sachkhere district and is the only area outside the administrative
borders of breakaway South Ossetia, which remains under the Russian
control following the August, 2008 war. In December, 2008 Russian troops
briefly pulled back from the village, but re-entered and re-installed
checkpoints there only hours after the withdrawal. Russia cited a prompt
deployment of the Georgian Interior Ministry forces in Perevi as a
reason behind the decision to retake control over the village.
"De-occupation
of any territory or a village is a positive development," First Deputy
Foreign Minister, Giga Bokeria, who leads the Georgian delegation at the
Geneva talks, said.
He, however, also indicated that the Russian delegation's announcement should not be overestimated.
"There
were statements of this kind in the past as well; we hope that this
time it will not be only a statement and real de-occupation of the
village will occur," Bokeria said in a phone interview with RFE/RL
Georgian service after the talks.
"They [Russia] will try to sell
this move as a constructive step, but I want to emphasis, that it is
only a slightest part of those commitments, which they have undertaken"
under the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement, Bokeria said.
He said
that this move by Russia should be viewed "in a right context" and
possible withdrawal from Perevi should not lead to easing international
pressure on Russia over its unfulfilled commitments. "And it won't
happen," Bokeria added.
Speaking on the Geneva talks in overall and
particularly on its thirteenth round, Bokeria said, that despite
co-mediators' efforts there had not been any significant progress on
"fundamental issues", involving withdrawal of Russian troops, new
international security arrangement in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and
return of displaced persons.
"It will be premature, to say the least,
to speak about any progress on fundamental issues. It, however, does
not mean that the Geneva talks should not continue. We will spare no
efforts to maintain this process," he said.
Participants from
Georgia, Russia and the United States, as well as from breakaway
Abkhazia and South Ossetia gathered in Geneva for thirteenth round of
talks on October 14 in frames of the format launched after the August
war in October, 2008.
"The overall situation was assessed as
relatively calm, but fragile," three co-chairs of the talks, Pierre
Morel of the EU, Bolat Nurgaliyev of the OSCE and Antti Turunen of the
UN, said in the joint statement after the talks.
They said that a
report on monitoring of investigations into cases of missing persons by
the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas
Hammarberg, "received particular attention" of the participants.
"The
need for all involved participants to comply with all its [the
report's] recommendations was emphasized by the co-chairs, as well as
the need to pursue the work on detained persons," the statement reads.
Unresolved
issue of missing persons was among the reasons cited by Tskhinvali
behind its refusal to participate in meetings of Incident Prevention and
Response Mechanism (IPRM) - a framework established by the Geneva talks
to address routine security issues on the ground. Only several such
meetings were held with participation of officials from Tbilisi and
Tskhinvali, as well as representatives of the Russian troops in South
Ossetia, in presence of EU monitors.
The co-chairs said after the
thirteenth round of the talks that they had "registered the agreement on
the resumption" IPRM meetings by the end of October. IPRM meetings are
regularly held in respect of Abkhazia.
Co-chairs noted with "regret" a
decision of representatives from Tskhinvali not to attend a meeting of
the second working group, which deals with humanitarian issues and
return of displaced persons and refugees. Tskhinvali was protesting
against discussion of UN General Assembly resolution, which calls for
return of IDPs and refugees to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"Full
contribution by all participants and resumption of usual format of
Working Group II is essential for confidence building and resolution of
immediate humanitarian problems," the co-chairs said.
Another working
group in frames of the Geneva talks deals with security issues. Non-use
of force treaty, one of the most contentious issues, and international
security arrangement was again discussed in this working group, but no
progress was reported.
Bolat Nurgaliyev, the special envoy of the
Kazakh OSCE chairmanship, said after the talks that OSCE was ready to
start working on repairing the Zonkari dam in breakaway South Ossetia,
which will be funded by EU. He said that repair of this dam would
improve its safety and restore its potential to provide irrigation
water.
Participants agreed to hold the next round of talks on December 16.
|
| 14 Oct. '10 | Russisches Außenministerium nennt Georgien`s Visafreiheit für Nordkaukasier eine ‘Provokation’
Georgia’s
unilateral decision to introduce visa-free rules for Russian citizens
residing in seven North Caucasus republics is “a provocation” and an
attempt “to destabilize” situation in the region, the Russian Foreign
Ministry said in a statement on October 14.
President Saakashvili’s
decree, according to which residents of North Caucasus republics can
enter into Georgia and stay in the country without visa for 90 days,
went into force from October 13.
“An attempt to divide population of
Russia on various categories contradicts norms of civilized inter-state
communication. It is also clearly visible a link [of this decision] to
Tbilisi’s drive to destabilize situation in North Caucasus and to
distract attention from destructive policy of the Georgian leadership
towards South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“Russia
is consistently advocating for friendly relations in the Caucasus, for
securing normal, calm life, which Saakashvili tried to undermine by
waging war in August, 2008. He cut diplomatic relations between Georgia
and the Russian Federation and by doing so created obstacles in
communication between our citizens. It was the Georgian side which was
dragging out reopening of Kazbegi-Zemo Larsi border crossing point. And
now, when it is reopened, the Georgian leadership has decided to find
means to use this channel of communication for its unscrupulous goals.”
Georgia
said that visa-free entry rules for North Caucasus residents was part
of its policy of “united Caucasus”, outlined by President Saakashvili in
his UN speech in September. Officials in Tbilisi also say that the
decision is motivated by purely humanitarian purposes and aims at easing
residents of the North Caucasus to easily access Georgia through
Kazbegi-Zemo Larsi border crossing point, which was reopened in March
but Georgian visas are not issued there. Visas are only available either
in the Georgian interest section at the Swiss embassy in Moscow or upon
arrival in Tbilisi airport.
“Russia has no problems with Georgia,
with the Georgian people,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in the same
statement. “We have problems with Saakashvili’s regime, which fails to
calm down.”
“It is clear that these convulsive actions [of Tbilisi]
are aimed at searching new and new irritants, which are not in the
interests of the Georgian people and which may only lead to additional
problems for the Georgian people,” it said.
|
| 13 Oct. '10 | Bagapsh: Russlands Öl-Gigant Rosneft wird bald mit der Erkundung der abchasischenSchwarzmeerküste beginnen
Im
September 2008 hatte US-Außenministerin Condoleezza Rice Russland
aufgerufen, nicht mit der Erkundung von Ressourcen in Abchasien zu
beginnen.
Rosneft, Russia's state oil giant, will soon launch oil
exploration works off Abkhazia's Black Sea coast, Abkhaz leader, Sergey
Bagapsh, said.
“They are actually already starting it,” Bagapsh said
in an interview with the Russian daily, Kommersant, published on October
13, adding that Russia's largest oil producer was now delivering
equipment necessary for the works.
Rosneft and Sokhumi signed an
agreement in 2009 according to which the Russian state company obtained
the rights for offshore explorations and for development of oil and gas
fields there.
At the time the deal was condemned by Tbilisi as “a
clear and gross violation of the norms of the international law as well
as the Georgian legislation.”
Abkhaz opposition was criticizing the
plans, citing environmental concerns. Bagapsh, however, said in the
interview with the Kommersant that all the Black Sea countries were
working on exploration of their offshore areas and Abkhazia would not be
an exception.
He said that according to Soviet-old exploration data
offshore oil deposits were mainly located in area between Sokhumi and
Gagra.
In September, 2008, then U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice called on Russia not to “start exploring for resources” in
Abkhazia.
|
| 12 Oct. '10 | Neue Oppositionspartei gegründet: Georgische Partei
Mitbegründer sind Sozar Subari, Irakli Okruashvili, Levan Gachechiladze und Erosi Kitsmarishvili.
A
new political party was launched on October 12 - a result of recent
regrouping on the opposition front, which led to teaming up of several
high-profile opposition figures.
The Georgian Party was founded by
former public defender Sozar Subari; exiled ex-defense minister Irakli
Okruashvili; Levan Gachechiladze, an opposition presidential candidate
in 2008 elections and Erosi Kitsmarishvili, Georgia’s former ambassador
to Russia and founder of Maestro TV’s managing company.
Founders of
the party laid out their priorities at a presentation on October 12.
Irakli Okruashvili was absent for obvious reasons; Okruashvili, who was
granted asylum by France, was sentenced to 11-year prison term in
Georgia in absentia in March, 2008.
“Georgia is in deep crisis,”
Erosi Kitsmarishvili said. “Instead of tackling the crisis, the
government is guided with only goal to maintain power.”
“These people
[who established the new party] and which have different background and
some of them even were in conflict with each other in the past, have
realized that establishment of a well-organized political movement is
required to help overcome this crisis,” he added.
Unlike other
founders of the new party, Kitsmarishvili, with track record of
political insider, has not been formally a member of any political party
before. Kitsmarishvili, described at the presentation of the party by
Levan Gachechiladze as an important figure and experienced
communications specialist, served as Georgia’s ambassador to Russia for
less than six months in 2008. He was President Saakashvili’s one of the
strategists ahead of the January, 2008 early presidential election, but
broke ranks with him, accusing the President of causing the August war.
In November, 2009 owners of the Tbilisi-based Maestro TV handed over
management rights to Erosi Kitsmarishvili; later he appointed a new
director in charge of day-to-day management of the TV station and
Kitsmarishvili now says that he has nothing to do with the Maestro TV
any more.
The new party said in a written statement that among its
foreign policy priority would be Georgia’s EU integration and
normalization of relations with Russia.
“We should face the bitter
truth – Georgia will not be successful without normalization of
relations with Russia,” the statement reads. “The main foreign policy
priority will be integration into European institutions.”
On NATO,
the statement says that because of the Georgian authorities “reckless
and unpredictable policies, the NATO at this stage has not become
guarantor of Georgia’s security and territorial integrity.”
In his
speech at the presentation Levan Gachechiladze said on the matter: “I do
not believe, that the key for security is in any military alliance.”
Gachechiladze
also said that the new party “will take responsibility for change of
this regime and for the future of the country.”
Sozar Subari said that the party’s main goal would be “to stop ongoing process of collapse of the country.”
In
September, 2009, after his term in office of public defender expired,
Sozar Subari joined now collapsed opposition Alliance for Georgia, at
the time uniting New Rights, Republican and Irakli Alasania’s Our
Georgia-Free Democrats parties. He, however, quit the alliance after the
May, 2010 local elections.
Among the founders of the new party is
Koka Guntsadze, who was most recently member of the Our Georgia-Free
Democrats party, which he quit after the local elections. In the past he
was also a member of former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili’s party
Movement for United Georgia. Okruashvili himself quit the Movement for
United Georgia, which he founded in 2007, few days before the
establishment of the new Georgian Party.
The new party plans its inaugural congress in late November during which its leader and governing body will be elected.
|
| 12 Oct. '10 | ‘Auswärtige Kräfte möglicherweise verbunden mit dem Angriff bei einer abchasischen Moschee’
Investigation
into Gudauta mosque attack in breakaway Abkhazia is pursuing several
potential lines of inquiry, including possible involvement of foreign
radical Islamist groups or foreign intelligence services, prosecutor's
office of the breakaway region said on October 11.
One man was killed
and two others wounded when a group of prayers was attacked by unknown
gunmen outside house-turned-mosque in the center of the town of Gudauta,
less than 40km northwest to Sokhumi on October 8.
The attack came
less than three months after a member of the Spiritual Board of Muslims
of Abkhazia, Emik Chakmach-Ogly, was killed in his house in the town of
Gagra. Also in July imam at the mosque in Sokhumi claimed that he
survived an assassination attempt after he had found an explosive device
placed in his vehicle.
Among the possible motives behind all these
cases, the investigation is considering "involvement of radical
representatives of Islam from foreign states, who failed to find support
on the ground in spreading radical Islam in Abkhazia," Abkhaz news
agency, Apsnipress, reported quoting the prosecutor's office statement.
"The
investigation is also considering possibility of involvement of special
services of foreign states, which aim at triggering inter-confessional
conflict in Abkhazia and at destabilizing friendly relations with the
Russian Federation," it said without elaborating further details.
The
statement was released after the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Abkhazia
issued a statement on October 11 calling on the authorities to disclose
details of investigation into recent cases of attacks.
It said that the Board considered these attacks as an attempt "to intimidate" the Muslin community of Abkhazia.
"We
strongly condemn any act of violence... In case of absence of adequate
security guarantees, we reserve the right to protect ourselves and our
families with all the available means without going beyond limits of
law," Apsnipress reported quoting the statement of the Spiritual Board
of Muslims of Abkhazia.
In August, 2007 an imam at the Gudauta
mosque, Khamzat Gitsba, was shot dead in Gudauta. Two men - Rustam and
Raul Gitsba - who were wounded in October 8 shooting in Gudauta, are
brothers of murdered Khamzat Gitsba, a former militant, who turned into
Muslim cleric after serving four years in the Turkish jail for seizing
ferry, Avrasya, in Turkey’s Black Sea port of Trabzon in 1996 in a move
to express support for Chechen rebels.
|
| 11 Oct. '10 | Georgien hat eine neue Regelung für visafreie Einreise für Nordkaukasier eingeführt
Russian
citizens registered as residents of Russia’s republics in the North
Caucasus will be able to enter into Georgia and stay in the country
without visa for 90 days starting from October 13.
President Saakashvili signed a relevant decree on October 11.
The
rule will apply to residents of Chechnya; Ingushetia; North Ossetia;
Dagestan; Kabardino-Balkaria; Karachay-Cherkessia and Republic of
Adygea, the Georgian Interior Ministry said on October 11.
Georgian
Deputy Foreign Minister, Nino Kalandadze, said on October 11, that the
reason behind the decision was to make travel of residents of those
republics into Georgia easer through the only legally operating land
border between Georgia and Russia.
Kazbegi-Zemo Larsi border crossing
point was reopened in March, 2010, but no Georgian visas are being
issued at the checkpoint there; the border reopening was mainly aimed at
Armenia to give the country land access to the Russian Federation via
Georgia.
Georgia has unilaterally simplified visa rules for all the
Russian citizens, meaning that they can obtain entry visas upon arrival
in the airport.
“It is our desire to restore our traditional
relations with our neighboring peoples,” Nino Kalandadze said. “At the
same time we know that there are many people having interest to travel
into Georgia for commercial purposes, as well as there are interest of
enrolling into Georgian high education institutions; so it would have
been inappropriate to have some additional barriers in this regard.”
|
| 9 Oct. '10 | Venedig-Kommission über die überarbeitete Verfassungsänderung
Die
Kommission ruft die georg. Behörden auf, die abschließenden
Empfehlungen abzuwarten und diese sorgfältig in Betracht zu ziehen,
bevor die Verfassungsänderungen beschlossen werden.
* ‘Wait for final recommendations before approval’;
* ‘Reduced timeframe of non-confidence vote insufficient’;
* Commission welcomes some changes in the draft;
* Concerns remain over president/gov’t foreign policy roles;
* ‘Further strengthening of Parliament’s role desirable’
Council
of Europe’s advisory body for legal affairs, Venice Commission, has
called on the Georgian authorities to wait for its final recommendations
and to take them “into careful consideration” before finalizing
adoption of constitutional amendments.
The Parliament is scheduled to
vote with third and final reading the draft amendment, which will
significantly cut next president’s powers in favor of PM and government,
at a session on October 12 – just few days before the Venice Commission
is expected to adopt its final opinion on the draft.
Meanwhile, the
commission released its second preliminary opinion (the first one was
released on the very initial draft of constitutional amendments in July)
on the draft on October 8, which is based on changes the draft
underwent when it was approved by the Parliament with its second reading
on October 1.
“Although several preliminary recommendations made by
Venice Commission have been taken into account by the Georgian
authorities, the Georgian parliament should await the final opinion of
the Venice Commission and take it into careful consideration before
proceeding with the final adoption of the constitutional amendments
under consideration,” the Venice Commission said in its second
preliminary opinion.
It welcomed some of those changes, which were
made during the second reading, including stripping the president of the
right of legislative initiative, need for PM’s agreement on appointment
of chief of staff of the armed forces and other military commanders by
president, as well as in cases of declaring or revocation of the state
of emergency. The Commission also welcomed the change through which
president will lose the power to call for a referendum on his own
initiative.
One of the changes, made during the second reading,
involved a provision under which president will require the government’s
consent to hold international talks and to conclude international
agreements. This amendment was made by the lawmakers in an attempt to
further reduce the presidential powers in the foreign policy affairs so
that to avoid conflict between president and the government. The Venice
Commission said in its first preliminary opinion that such risk existed
under the initial draft.
In its second preliminary opinion the
commission said that this amendment, made during the second reading,
does not eliminate concerns.
“The need for the Government’s consent
will not eliminate, and instead is likely to increase the risk of
conflicts between the government and the President, if the latter has a
say in the matter,” the Commission said.
Major source of criticism
still remains the rule of initiation of motion of non-confidence and
consequent process through which this motion is implemented. The
Commission said that this rule should be “reconsidered and revised.”
One
source of criticism is related to the fact that the entire process of
constructive non-confidence vote (a method when two-fifth of lawmakers
pick a candidate for new PM’s post and vote the incumbent out and his
successor) is “lengthy and complex”.
The process may take 50-60 days, or in case of the presidential veto on prime ministerial nominee, even 70-80 days.
This
timeframe was even longer, but during the second reading it was reduced
by 20 days, which the Venice Commission said was “a positive
development although an insufficient one.”
Another source of criticism is related to president’s role in this process.
According
to the draft, president will have the right to intervene in the process
by refusing to appoint new PM approved by the Parliament. In case of
veto, the Parliament will require at least three-fifth of its members’
support, which is 90 MPs, to override the presidential veto; while in
other cases, such as vetoed laws (except of constitutional amendments),
the Parliament will need only absolute majority (76 votes) and not
three-fifth to override the presidential veto.
“This gives too much
power to the President and diminishes not only the power of parliament,
but also the political responsibility of the Prime Minister that should
be a corner stone in the new system,” the Venice Commission said.
In
other recommendations, the Venice Commission welcomed provision on
appointing judges of lower courts, but called on the Georgian
authorities to extend this provision on judges of Supreme Court as well.
The Commission also called to remove a provision, which introduces a
probationary period of not more than three years to newly appointed
judges in lower courts.
The Venice Commission also said that it
considered that the level of interference of the central government in
the choice of the executive of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara “is
excessive.” Under the current draft, the president, with the agreement
of the government, will nominate candidate for head of Adjara government
and the candidate will require approval from the local legislative body
of the Autonomous Republic.
In its second preliminary opinion the
Venice Commission also addresses the issue of allegations voiced by the
opponents of the Georgian authorities that the proposed constitutional
reform is motivated by desire of President Saakashvili to remain in
power in a role of PM after his second and final term in office expires
in autumn, 2013.
“It is not the task of the Venice Commission to
speculate on the motivation for these changes. In its view, at any rate,
in the light of the developments in the process of constitutional
reform, it would seem unjustified to dismiss the draft as a mere attempt
to circumvent the limitations of power under the present Constitution,”
the Commission said.
The Commission also reiterated its position
voiced in the first preliminary opinion that the proposed draft provides
for “several important improvements and significant steps in the right
direction” compared to the existing system, which was introduced in
2004.
“The Commission considers nevertheless that it would be
desirable to further strengthen the powers of parliament. In this
respect, the provisions on the formation of the government and
especially those on the motion of non-confidence, as well as those about
the parliament’s powers in budget matters, should be reconsidered,” the
Commission said.
The issue of constitutional reform in Georgia was
raised by U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in he opening
remarks at a session of U.S.-Georgia strategic partnership commission in
Washington on October 6.
She said that it was “the most important
reform challenge facing Georgia today” and added that the U.S. “supports
the recommendations of the Venice Commission as put forward for
strengthening Georgia’s system of checks and balances.”
|
| 9 Oct. '10 | Shamba
sagte zu dem Vorfall an einer Moschee: ‘Gewiße Kräfte’ versuchen die
Spannungen im Nordkaukasus nach Abchsien überschwappen zu lassen
Sergey
Shamba, PM of breakaway Abkhazia, said that an attack outside mosque in
Gudauta on October 8, which killed one man and injured two others, was
yet another attempt to spill North Caucasus tensions into Abkhazia.
“Like
the previous cases, the recent one can also be assessed as an attempt
of certain forces to bring events taking place in the North Caucasus
into Abkhazia. Someone wants to purposefully drug us into this conflict.
Our enemies are doing it, those who want us to confront with Russia,”
Shamba told the local television station without specifying who those
“certain forces” were.
Shamba said that there was no
“inter-confessional conflict” in Abkhazia and “outrageous” attack of
October 8 had nothing to do with that.
Mentioning previous cases,
Shamba was apparently referring to murder of a member of the Spiritual
Board of Muslims of Abkhazia, Emik Chakmach-Ogly, who was killed in his
house in the town of Gagra on July 17, 2010. Also in July imam at the
mosque in Sokhumi claimed that he survived an assassination attempt
after he had found an explosive device placed in his vehicle. Khamzat
Gitsba, an imam at the mosque in Gudauta, was shot dead in Gudauta in
August, 2007.
Although Shamba said that the authorities would spare
no efforts to investigate this recent attack, he also added: “It is a
very difficult process to resolve crimes like this.”
|
| 8 Oct. '10 | Anfänglicher Gesetzesentwurf zum Staatshaushalt für 2011 vorgelegt
5.9 Mrd. GEL Einnahmen und 5.7 Mrd. GEL Ausgaben sind geplant.
The
government has submitted to the Parliament for consideration initial
draft of 2011 state budget, which is subject to further revision before
its finally approval by lawmakers in December.
According to the
draft, revenues for the next year are set at GEL 5.9 billion (GEL 5.4 in
2010), including GEL 5.3 billion of tax revenues and expenditures - at
GEL 5.7 billion (GEL 5.69 billion in 2010).
Defense funding,
according to the draft, will be further cut next year, while ministries
of interior, regional development, energy, justice and agriculture will
received increased funding next year against 2010.
Breakdown of spending in the draft for 2011 per ministry is as follows:
* Ministry of Labor, Healthcare and Social Protection – GEL 1.6 billion, almost the same figure as for 2010;
* Defense Ministry – GEL 660 million (GEL 744.5 million in 2010; 2009 - GEL 897 million; 2008 - GEL 1.547 billion);
* Interior Ministry – GEL 566 million (2010 - GEL 548 million; 2009 - GEL 573 million; 2008 - GEL 739 million);
* Finance Ministry – GEL 273 million (2010 – GEL 348.6 million);
* Economy Ministry – GEL 21.3 million (2010 – GEL 55.6 million);
* Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure – GEL 971.3 million (2010 - GEL 782.3 million);
* Energy Ministry – GEL 74.9 million (2010 - GEL 23.8 million);
* Justice Ministry – GEL 68.7 million (2010 - GEL 45.3 million);
* Ministry for Penitentiary System and Probation – GEL 99.5 million (2010 - GEL 122.8 million);
* Foreign Ministry – GEL 73.1 million (2010 - GEL 69.2 million);
* Ministry of Education and Science – GEL 554 million (2010 - GEL 554.8);
* Ministry of Culture and Protection of Monument - GEL 51 million; (2010 – GEL 54.9 million);
* Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs – GEL 30.9 million (the ministry
was established in 2010 after a relevant department was separated from
the ministry of culture and its funding for 2010 is GEL 29.2 million);
* Ministry of Agriculture – GEL 69.1 million (2010 – 40.2 million);
* Ministry of Environment Protection - GEL 27.2 million (2010 - GEL 29 million);
* Minister of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees– GEL 30.3 million (2010 - GEL 40.3 million);
* Office of the State Minister for Reintegration Issues – GEL 1 million, same as in 2010;
* Office of the State Minister for Integration into European and
Euro-Atlantic Structures – GEL 1.78 million (2010 - GEL 2.2 million);
* Office of the State Minister for Diaspora Issues – GEL 923,000 (2010 - GEL 950,000).
According
to the draft, the president’s and government’s reserve funds will
receive GEL 50 million each, instead of GEL 55 million this year.
Funding of the president’s administration, as well as the one of
government will be slightly reduced to GEL 14.1 million and GEL 8.5
million, respectively.
The Parliament will keep the same funding next
year and receive GEL 33.9 million, plus about GEL 6.2 million for
funding of various institutions or agencies affiliated with, or
operating at the legislative body.
The Central Election Commission
will receive reduced funding next year, as no elections are scheduled –
GEL 12.4 million of which GEL 4.7 million is envisaged for state funding
of political parties.
The Public Defender’s Office will receive GEL
2.1 million next year, instead of this year’s GEL 2 million, according
to the initial draft.
GEL 25 million is allocated for the Georgian Public Broadcaster next year.
The
Georgian Orthodox Church will keep its current annual funding from the
state of GEL 25 million next year, according to the draft.
The
government plans to spend GEL 10 million on program Teach and Learn with
Georgia, involving bringing of 1,000 native English-speakers to teach
English in the Georgian schools.
|
| 8 Oct. '10 | Premierminister Nika Gilauri zur Pressefreiheit in Georgien
Er
wies zurück, dass es Probleme mit der Transparenz bei den
Eigentumsverhältnissen von Medien gibt und sagte, dass das Land eine
mannigfaltige Medienlaschaft habe - mit regierungskritischen und die
Regierung stützenden Medien.
PM Nika Gilauri rejected there were
problems with transparency of media ownership in Georgia and said the
country had diverse media landscape with some outlets “saying some good
things about the government” and others strongly critical of the
authorities.
He told an audience at the Atlantic Council in
Washington on October 7, that like everywhere else in Georgia too
various TV stations were giving different interpretation of current
events.
“I’ve seen it everywhere absolutely… Even in the U.S. during
the elections there was one TV company, which was saying completely
different reality and another saying completely different, which is
normal to democratic society,” said PM Gilauri, who was speaking in
English.
Asked particularly about transparency of media ownership,
the Georgian PM responded briefly: “It is very important; I do not know
any media that could have this problem.”
EU said in its recent report
on implementation of Georgia’s commitments undertaken under the
EU-Georgia European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan, that problems
remained with lack of transparency of broadcast media ownership.
|
| 8 Oct. '10 | Premierminister Nika Gilauri: 'Georgien unterstützt Russland's WTO-Mitgliedschaft, aber mit einer Bedingung.'
Georgian
PM Nika Gilauri reiterated on October 7 Tbilisi's position that it
would support Russia's WTO membership if Moscow allows to make customs
checkpoints located in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two breakaway regions
which Russia has recognized as independent states, "transparent".
"We
support Russia's membership to WTO, but with one condition, that all
the rules of WTO should be followed and part of the rules of WTO is that
customs checkpoints between two countries must be transparent.
Unfortunately, right now because of occupied territories of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia these two customs checkpoints [one in Abkhazia and
another one in South Ossetia] are not transparent and we are requesting
only one thing and this [condition] is to follow WTO rules," PM Gilauri,
who is visiting Washington, said in an interview with CNBC.
In
separate remarks made while speaking to an audience at the Atlantic
Council in Washington, Gilauri said that Tbilisi was not linking its
demand to Russia to withdraw troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia to
WTO membership. He said it was “a separate issue” and it had “nothing to
do” with WTO. He retreated that in respect of WTO, Tbilisi wanted
Russia to make customs checkpoints transparent.
The White House
announced last week that the U.S. and Russia made the "substantial
progress" in resolving bilateral issues and that Russia had taken
"significant steps" toward joining WTO.
"President Obama pledged to
support Russia's efforts to complete remaining steps in multilateral
negotiations so that Russia could join the WTO as soon as possible," the
White House said in a statement after a phone conversation between the
Russian and U.S. Presidents on October 1.
PM Gilauri, who leads the
Georgian delegation of senior officials in Washington for the meeting of
U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission, met with Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton on October 6. The Georgian PM told CNBC that
Secretary Clinton's remarks at the meeting held in frames of the
strategic partnership charter between the two countries on October 6,
was "excellent."
"All the right points were made about occupied
territories - these are not breakaway regions, these are occupied
territories - she demanded Russian troops to leave Georgian territory
and actually she promised additional support - political, as well as
economic," he said.
Speaking on Georgia's economy, PM Gilauri said
that after "difficult year" of 2009, which saw 3.9% contraction, economy
was expected to grow 5 to 6% this year.
Georgia's real GDP grew 6.6%
in the first half of 2010 year-on-year to nominal GEL 9.201 billion,
according to preliminary figures, released by the state statistic office
last month.
He said that foreign direct investment was also
increasing and Georgia was becoming "kind of investment hub" with
investors basing thier businesses in the country to then expand into the
Caucasus, Central Asia, Ukraine and Turkey.
Although FDI inflow grew
11% year-on-year in second quarter of 2010 to USD 196.9 million, an
overall FDI in the first half was still down by 6.38% year-on-year,
according to the preliminary figures released by the Georgian state
statistics office.
Georgian Finance Minister, Kakha Baindurashvili, said this week that the government expected USD 1 billion FDI in 2010.
"Next
year won't be an absolute breakthrough, of course, in attracting
investment, but I think it will be a turn towards real growth," he told
Reuters.
|
| 7 Oct. '10 | EU-Kommissar für Menschenrechte Thomas Hammarberg ruft zur Freilassung in Tskhinvali gefangen gehaltener Georgier auf
Council
of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, called on
Tskhinvali to release all Georgians held in detention since the August,
2008 war.
“These persons should be released and immediate steps
should be taken to allow them to join their families,” Hammarberg said
in a report released on October 7, addressing implementation of six
principles for ensuring human rights and humanitarian protection in
war-affected areas.
Hammarberg, who has helped secure release of
number of detained persons from the both sides, submitted in March, 2010
to Tbilisi and Tskhinvali a memorandum calling for the release of all
detainees without delay and “without step-by-step conditionality or
‘bargaining’ based on head-counting.”
In late March the Georgian side
released all six persons remaining in detention in Tbilisi – those who
were arrested after the August war, in particular in a period between
October 2008 and January 2010.
The move was followed in May by
Tskhinvali’s release of six, out of thirteen Georgians, held by the
South Ossetian side after the August war.
The CoE Human Rights
Commissioner welcomed these steps by the sides, as well as the fact that
“hardly any prolonged detentions have occurred since the memorandum was
submitted to the sides.”
“However, the Commissioner notes with
concern that a number of persons remain deprived of their liberty in
Tskhinvali,” Hammarberg said in the report. “The Commissioner is
particularly concerned that some of the detainees in Tskhinvali are in
bad health, and urges the relevant decision-makers to treat these cases
as a matter of priority on humanitarian grounds.”
In the same report,
the Commissioner called once again on the sides “to demonstrate that
they have taken every possible step to clarify the fate of the missing
persons and the circumstances of each disappearance.”
A separate
report detailing several cases of missing persons was released by the
Commissioner on September 29. In one case, involving disappearance of
three young ethnic Ossetians in October, 2008, the report suggests that
the three persons disappeared after being detained by the Georgian
police.
The report was criticized by the Georgian Interior Ministry
official as “biased”. Shota Utiashvili, head of the information and
analytical department of the Interior Ministry told RFE/RL’s
Russian-language service, Ekho Kavkaza, that it was disappointing that
the report fails to shed a light on fate of missing Georgians. He also
said that Tbilisi was disappointed that the Commissioner’s efforts did
not result in release of all Georgians held in Tskhinvali.
|
| 6 Oct. '10 | US-Außenministerin Clinton zu den Prioritäten in der Kooperation USA-Georgien
- Die Verfassungsänderung ist vorerst die herausforderndste Reform.
- Die USA unterstützen die Empfehlungen der Venedig-Kommission.
- In den Wahlen 2012, 2013 internationale Standards übertreffen.
* ‘Constitution is most challenging reform for now’;
* ‘U.S. supports Venice Commission recommendations’;
* ‘Exceed international standards in 2012, 2013 elections’
U.S.
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, reiterated Washington’s unwavering
support to Georgia’s territorial integrity, NATO aspiration and
democratic reforms and called on Tbilisi to showcase in its next
elections that it not only meets, but exceeds international standards.
She
was speaking during her opening remarks at the U.S.-Georgia Strategic
Partnership Commission meeting in Washington in presence of Georgian PM
Nika Gilauri and other Georgian senior officials.
The charter on
strategic partnership, signed between Georgia and the United States in
January, 2009 set a framework of cooperation between the two countries,
covering four priority areas, involving defense and security; trade and
economy; democracy and people-to-people contacts and cultural
exchanges.
In her opening remarks the U.S. Secretary of State, who
visited Tbilisi in July, 2010, reiterated Washington’s commitment “to
advance Georgia’s security and democracy.”
“The United States will
not waver in its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity,” she said, adding that support was “core principle” of
bilateral partnership.
She also reiterated U.S. support for Georgia’s
NATO aspiration and in this context she said Washington was committed
to helping Georgia in improving its defense capabilities, including in
terms of NATO interoperability and Georgia’s contribution to coalition
forces in Afghanistan. She expressed condolences over death of five
Georgian soldiers, killed in combat in two separate incidents in the
province of Helmand in early and late September.
“We call on Russia
to end its occupation of Georgian territories,” Clinton said and added
that Russia should follow its commitments under the August 12, 2008
six-point ceasefire agreement.
“Georgia has taken a constructive
approach in our common efforts to address this challenge to the talks in
Geneva,” she said and expressed support to Georgia’s state strategy on
occupied territories, saying that Washington was ready to contribute to
“important objectives” laid out in the strategy and in its action plan.
In
her opening remarks, Clinton also reiterated the U.S. commitment to
continue supporting Georgia’s democracy, saying that fair elections,
solid institutions and vibrant civil society “are prerequisites for
long-term stability.”
She said that the May 30, 2010 local elections
showed “a real tangible progress”, but lot remained to be done to
address issues of political competition, fundraising, accountability,
including investigation of any alleged irregularities in the elections.
Clinton
said that parliamentary elections of 2012 and then president elections
of 2013 “should showcase, that the Georgian democracy not only meets,
but exceeds international standards”.
“It will be important for
Georgia’s people and for the international community,” she said and
added that success made by Georgia in fight against corruption already
serves as “a role model” for other countries.
Clinton said that ongoing constitutional reform was “the most important reform challenge facing Georgia today.”
“It
represents the opportunity for Georgians to build on everything you
have accomplished since the Rose Revolution and I hope the Parliament
will recognize that opportunity as it concludes its consideration of the
constitutional reform package,” she said.
“The United States
supports the recommendations of the Venice Commission as put forward for
strengthening Georgia’s system of checks and balances and we stand
ready to assist in this process,” Clinton said.
The Venice
Commission, which is Council of Europe’s advisory body for legal
affairs, laid out its preliminary recommendations over Georgia’s
constitutional reform in late July; it said in September, that it would
produce its final opinion in mid-October.
The Georgian Parliament
passed constitutional amendments with it second reading on October 1.
The draft still requires Parliament’s approval with third and final
reading before it becomes law; but this final stage will be more a
technical formality and no significant changes will be made in the
draft.
|
| 6 Oct. '10 | Georgien und USA besprechen in Washington die Kooperation im Rahmen des "Strategischen Partnerschaftsabkommens"
Georgian
and U.S. senior officials will hold a meeting of Strategic Partnership
Commission in Washington on October 6 to review cooperation in frames of
Charter on Strategic Partnership signed between the two countries in
January, 2009.
Georgian PM Nika Gilauri and U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton will make opening remarks at the beginning of the
U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership Omnibus Meeting. Bilateral
talks between PM Gilauri and Secretary Clinton is also planned.
Charter
on Strategic Partnership covers four areas of cooperation involving
defense and security; trade and economy; democracy and people-to-people
contacts and cultural exchange. Respective four working groups have been
set up to address these four areas of cooperation and meetings of those
working groups were held in course of 2009 and early 2010.
PM
Gilauri, who leads the Georgian delegation, said that during the visit
to Washington he would also meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy
Geithner, as well as with senior executives of the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund.
|
| 4 Oct. '10 | Außenminister Grigol Vashadze besucht Armenien
Georgian
Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze, said after meeting with his Armenian
counterpart, Edward Nalbandian, in Yerevan on October 4, that relations
between the two countries “have not been better than they are today”,
RFE/RL Armenian service reported.
“As close friends and neighboring
countries, we will always have some issues to discuss, but we are trying
not to transform those issues into problems,” he was quoted as saying
at a joint news conference with the Armenian counterpart. “I should say
that we are finding understanding regarding each and every matter.”
Meanwhile
in Tbilisi, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, Nino Kalandadze, said,
while commenting on Vashadze's visit to Yerevan, that despite Russia
attempts to spoil relations between Georgia and Armenia, the two
countries were developing active cooperation.
"As you are aware we
have quite active relations with our neighbor [Armenia] and frequent
high-level visits confirm that our relations are developing well,"
Kalandadze said at a news conference.
"Although our northern neighbor
tries to make cracks in our relationship [with Armenia], it will not be
reflected negatively on our relations," she added.
Also on October 4, Grigol Vashadze met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
"President
Sargsyan underlined importance of mutual visits on various levels,
which foster further improvement and deepening of bilateral relations,"
the Armenian President's administration said in a statement after the
meeting. It also said that implementation of agreements reached during
the Armenian President's recent visit to Georgia in February would help
to further promote cooperation between the two countries.
Vashadze's
remarks on Russian military base in Armenia made at the news conference
with his counterpart was in the focus of Armenian newswires while
reporting on this visit. The reason is Vashadze's previous comments on
the same issue made in an interview with the Azeri-Press Agency (APA) on
September 7. At the time he was quoted as saying that "presence of
Russian military base in South Caucasus is dangerous for Georgia, as
well as for Azerbaijan and even more [dangerous] for sovereignty and
independence of Armenia." In the same interview he also said that
extending Moscow’s lease on Gyumri military base in Armenia to 2044 was
"a huge, huge threat for Georgia." (APA posted on its website audio file
of part of that interview where Vashadze makes these remarks after it
has been suggested that Vashadze's comments were distorted).
Commenting
on the Georgian Foreign Minister's reported remarks, the Armenian
Foreign Ministry at that time suggested that Vashadze could have been
misquoted. “In any case, no foreign official has the right to meddle in
our affairs and make comments on our security issues,” Armenian Foreign
Ministry spokesperson said at the time.
Asked about the issue at the
new conference in Yerevan on October 4, Vashadze said that as a
sovereign state "Armenia has the right to decide what kind of a security
arrangement is good for this nation," RFE/RL Armenian service reported.
It also reported that Vashadze said his statements were “sometimes not
described quite accurately” by media.
On August 20, when
Armenian-Russian military deal on Gyumri base lease extension was
signed, Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister, said
Tbilisi had no reason to suspect that Armenia would endanger regional
security.
"For us it is important, that Armenia fully acknowledged
and is acknowledging threat coming from Russia in respect of Georgia,
including in the regional context. It is important for us that this
awareness exists. We have good relations with Armenia and we have no
reason to suspect that Armenia will in any form put regional security in
danger," she said.
On the same issue, President Saakashvili said on
September 3, that he was not at all concerned by Russia's agreements
with Armenia and Ukraine under which Moscow prolonged presence of its
military base and Black Sea fleet, respectively, in these countries.
"I
am not nervous at all about it," he told lawmakers from his ruling
party. "It may be a source of concern as it may be a threat in a
short-term perspective, but in a long-term it won't do anything [to
Georgia]. Like they [Russia] withdrew their rusty military bases from
Georgia, even sooner they will pull thier bases from those countries,
not even speaking about our territories [referring to Russian bases in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia]."
|
| 4 Oct. '10 | Oppositionsgruppen legen Vorschlag zur Wahlreform aus
Eight
opposition parties laid out on October 4 a joint proposal on electoral
system reform and called on the authorities to launch talks on the
blueprint.
National Forum, Conservative Party, Republican Party, Our
Georgia-Free Democrats, Georgia’s Way, New Rights, Christian-Democratic
Movement and Party of People held a conference on October 4 to discuss
the proposal and to call on the international organizations to support
the electoral system reform.
“Stability and democratic development of the country” depends on success of this process, the parties said in a joint statement.
The
proposal focuses on five directions of electoral system reform,
involving rule of electing the Parliament; rule of composition of
election administrations; voter lists; election day procedures and
handling of electoral complaints.
Parliament
The proposal
envisages election of 75 lawmakers in 150-seat Parliament through
party-list, proportional system (as it is currently, no changes in this
respect) and other half of lawmakers through so called
“regional-proportional system”, instead of current practice of electing
75 lawmakers through winner-takes-all system in country’s 75
single-mandate constituencies.
Electing majoritarian MPs through
“regional-proportional system” means that parties or election blocs will
nominate several candidates in each constituency. In this case instead
of currently existing single-mandate constituencies, multi-mandate
constituencies will be introduced and number of seats available in each
constituency will depend on their size. Seats in the parliament, under
this system, will be allocated proportionally, based on the votes
received by parties in a particular constituency. Under this system
those parties, which clear 5% electoral threshold in that particular
constituency, will be able to endorse majoritarian MPs to the Parliament
from that constituency.
This rule, if implemented, will increase
opposition parties’ chances to take more majoritarian seats in the
Parliament. Under the current system, the ruling National Movement Party
won 71 out of 75 majoritarian seats in the May, 2008 elections.
Election Administration
The
proposal offers to cut number of seats in Central Election Commission
(CEC) from current 13 to 7 and to compose CEC on a parity bases by each
representative from those seven parties, which are currently holding
seats in CEC, based on results of the May, 2010 local and May, 2008
parliamentary elections.
These seven parties now having seats in
13-member CEC are: the ruling National Movement party;
Christian-Democratic Movement; a small party On Our Own; little-known
Christian-Democratic People’s Party (these three latter parties ran
jointly in a same bloc during the local elections under CDM’s umbrella
and were able to gain seats in CEC); Industrialist Party, Conservative
Party and Labor Party.
The change, what the opposition parties’
proposal involves, is to scrap those five seats in CEC, which are
currently occupied by those persons who formally are not members of any
political party, but are believed to be affiliated with the ruling
party.
According to the proposal, seven members of CEC will name
three candidates for the post of CEC chairman; it will be up to the
President to choose one out of three candidates.
The proposal
envisages maintaining current rule of composition of lower level
election administrations in precincts and districts, meaning that, if
implemented, each precinct and district election commission will still
be composed of 13 members, wherein seven are representatives of
political parties and others non-party members.
Biometric Voting System
The
proposal calls for introduction of biometric technologies to identify
voters through means of a fingerprint and from a photographic database
in order to tackle problem of voter lists and potential double-voting –
the problems, which are debated ahead of each elections in Georgia.
The
opposition National Forum party has been leading a campaign for
introduction of the system for months already. The party has even
drafted a law and presented it to the Parliament for consideration.
Elections Day
The
fourth proposal concerns number of election day procedures and offers
installation of CCTV cameras at all polling stations, as well as
electronic scanning of cast ballot papers during the vote tabulation.
Election Complaints
The
eight opposition parties’ proposal also offers new system of handling
electoral complaints under which Tbilisi Court of Appeals should become
body of last instance to hear electoral complaints.
The complaints,
according to the proposal, will be heard by a panel of one judge from
the Court of Appeals and four lay judges. Lay judges will be selected by
‘qualified’ political parties (those which won at least 4% of the vote
in the last parliamentary elections and at least 3% of the vote in the
last local elections). According to the proposal parties should have the
right to recuse a judge. The 5-member panel will take decisions with
majority vote, according to the proposal.
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| 4 Oct. '10 | Medvedev verurteilt den weißrussischen Präsidenten Lukashenko wegen seiner Äußerungen zu Abchasien und Südossetien
Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev said that actions and statements of his
counterpart from Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, including over the issue
of recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was “dishonorable”.
Medvedev
slammed Lukashenko in a video blog posted on the Kremlin website on
October 3, following Lukashenko’s statement a day earlier, that Minsk
refused to recognize Georgia’s two breakaway regions because Moscow
refused to share negative consequences, expected for Belarus from the
West in case of such decision.
“This issue has turned into subject of
permanent political horse-trading. But Russia does not trade with its
principles,” Medvedev said in his video blog.
“This is dishonorable
behavior and partners do not act like this. Of course, we will take it
into consideration while building our relations with the current
President of Belarus.”
“I have stated for number of times:
recognition or non-recognition of these two new states is a sovereign
right of any country and we have never pressed on anybody to do so.
Though, we are not indifferent towards this issue,” Medvedev said.
He
said Russia was providing huge assistance to Belarus. He said Minsk was
able to save USD 2 billion only this year through purchase of Russian
oil under discount price. Medvedev said it was “strange” that the
Belarus leadership started “anti-Russian rhetoric.”
Medvedev also
said that creating image of external enemy by the Belarus leadership was
not a new development, but if previously the West was used for this
purpose, “now it is Russia, which is declared as main enemy.”
“In his
remarks President Lukashenko goes beyond not only of diplomatic rules,
but of elementary human politeness,” Medvedev said.
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| 2 Oct. '10 | Lukashenko äußert sich über die Gründe, warum sich weigerte, Weißrussland Abchasien und Südossetien anzuerkennen
Russland wollte die Konsequenzen, die Weißrussland in seinen Beziehungen zu Europa erleiden würde, nicht mittragen.
Belarus
President, Alexander Lukashenko, said Minsk was ready to recognize
Georgia’s two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but did
not do so because Moscow refused “to share” negative consequences,
expected for Belarus from the West in case of such decision.
“Taking
into consideration our relations – between Belarus and Russia – of
course we should have recognized [South] Ossetia and Abkhazia; no matter
what it [Russia] is our ally,” Lukashenko said at a news conference
held for the Russian journalists on October 2.
“From this point of
view, we should have done that. Frankly speaking, we were ready to do
that,” he was quoted by the Belarus and Russian media sources.
“I was
meeting with one western politician and he told me: ‘Do you really want
to recognize Ossetia and Abkhazia?’ I responded: ‘And why does it make
you so uneasy? We are allies [with Russia]’ and then he laid out those
relations, which we would have had with Europe and the United States [in
case of recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia]… You should know
that we have slightly more trade [turnover] with the European Union,
than with Russia; it’s billions of dollars. When Russia pushed us out
from market, Europe did not dare to do that... So with the long list of
possible disasters, which could have embraced Belarus, I met with your
President [Dmitry Medvedev] in Sochi and we discussed this problem,
during which he was citing my solemn pledge
[to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia]. I am not rejecting [making
such pledge]. But I told him: ‘There will be consequences [for Belarus
from the West in case of recognition]; are you ready Mr. President, dear
friend, to share these consequences together with us? Are you ready to
put your shoulder?’ I quote [Medvedev’s response]: ‘Let’s stop this
horse-trading. This is one issue and that’s another’. So I told him:
‘Thanks, the issue is now closed, there is no continuation to this
conversation’,” Lukashenko said.
It was reported
in February, 2009, that then EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana,
had warned the Belarus President against recognizing Abkhazia and South
Ossetia.
On August 3, 2010, Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, said
that at one of the summits of CIS leaders, following the August, 2008
war with Georgia, Lukashenko promised in presence of other leaders of
CIS to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
At the news conference
on October 2, Lukashenko said that he was the only President present at
the meeting, who “supported Russia”. “Let him [Medvedev] publish
transcript of my speech and those of others as well. You should have
looked at that expression on his face,” Lukashenko said.
“Maybe
Russia does not want us at all to recognize Ossetia and Abkhazia? Maybe
[Russia uses the issue] just as a pretext to bow us down?” he said.
In his remarks Lukashenko also mentioned President Saakashvili’s interview, which was aired by the Belarus state television in July, 2010 and which was described in Russia as “an unfriendly step” of Minsk towards Moscow.
Lukashenko
said that he had an impression from that interview that the Georgian
leader was sending a message to the Russian leadership about the need to
build relations. “That’s the first time I see this kind of
Saakashvili,” Lukashenko said. “He gave 7-minute long interview; so
what?”
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| 2 Oct. '10 | EU wird von 2011-13 mit 30 Mio. GEL den Ausbau von staatlichen Büros und Dienststellen unterstützen
EU
will allocate EUR 30.86 million in 2011-2013 to help institutional
strengthening of number of Georgian state agencies, the Georgian
government said on Saturday.
State Minister for Euro-Atlantic
Integration Giorgi Baramidze and head of EU delegation to Georgia Per
Eklund signed a memorandum of understanding on this EU-funded
Comprehensive Institutional Building Programme on October 1.
According
to the EU delegation, the project will target those state agencies,
which play “a key role” in negotiations on Association Agreement between
EU and Georgia, including the National Service for Food Safety,
Veterinary and Plant Protection, the Education Accreditation Centre and
the National Agency for Standards, Technical Regulations and Metrology.
The project also targets Chamber of Control, Parliament and Public
Defender’s Office.
Georgia and EU launched Association Agreement
talks in mid-July, 2010, when EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton,
visited Georgia.
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| 1 Oct. '10 | NATO wiederholt die Unterstützung für Georgien
During
his visit in Tbilisi on October 1, NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh
Rasmussen, said he expected upcoming summit of NATO leaders in Lisbon
would reiterate the decision of the 2008 Bucharest summit that Georgia
will one day become member of the alliance once Georgian fulfills
necessary criteria.
While reiterating NATO’s support to
non-recognition policy of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and calling on
Russia to implement its commitments under the August 12, 2008 six-point
cease-fire agreement, Rasmussen also said that it was his “clear
intention” to improve ties between Moscow and NATO, “leading, hopefully,
to true strategic partnership”.
“I do believe that’s in our mutual
interests and it is also in the interests of Georgia,” Rasmussen said
while speaking at a joint news conference with President Saakashvili
just before departure from Tbilisi.
“If we succeed in developing true
strategic partnership between NATO and Russia, then it will also
improve Georgia’s security situation.”
Saakashvili, who described the
Secretary General’s visit as “extremely important”, said “of course”
NATO membership “stays a priority for the Georgian government.”
“There
is one thing Georgia can never compromise on – that’s the issue of
freedom and for us and right now NATO stands for the idea of freedom and
that’s why it has strong support of the Georgian nation and in overall
of political spectrum in Georgia,” Saakashvili said.
He said that
there were number of other issues where Georgia was “flexible” and “very
open”, including in respect of engagement with Russia.
During the
press conference, the NATO Secretary General expressed condolences over
death of four Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan on September 30 and said:
“Their sacrifice will not be in vain.”
We are making progress in
Afghanistan and I can assure that we will stay as long as it takes to
finish our job to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe
haven for terrorists,” Rasmussen said.
“I can assure you that NATO also stands firm in our commitment to Georgia,” he added.
Saakashvili said that Georgia would remain committed member of NATO-led coalition forces in Afghanistan.
“You
should count on our support and we count on your further political
support to our territorial integrity, our independence and to future
development of my country,” Saakashvili told the NATO Secretary General.
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