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Übersicht >>Archiv - frühere Nachrichten >>Archiv - spätere Nachrichten| 23 Dec. '11 | Georgien's neues nationales Sicherheitskonzept
Parliament approve on December 23 with 111 votes to 3 Georgia’s new national security concept, replacing the one adopted in July 2005.
Major
changes in the new concept are mainly related to Russia, reflecting, as
deputy secretary of National Security Council Batu Kutelia told
lawmakers, “the changed realities” as a result of the August, 2008 war.
Kutelia
also said on December 23, that unlike the previous concept, the new one
was a result of broad discussions with political parties and civil
society; he said that feedbacks received from Georgia’s Western partners
were also taken into consideration while working on the new concept.
Russian
military “occupation of the Georgian territories” and “a risk of a new
military aggression” by Russia, as well as “terrorist acts organized by
Russia from the occupied territories” are identified among the major
threats and challenges Georgia is facing.
The previous concept, which
was adopted three years before the August, 2008 war, said there was
“little possibility of open military aggression against Georgia,” but
the threat of cross-border hostilities from state and non-state actors
was deemed “real.”
Initial draft of the new concept, which was first
unveiled earlier this year, did not contain a reference to “terrorist
acts organized by Russia from the occupied territories”. Late last year
Georgia said a Russian military officer based in breakaway Abkhazia was
behind series of terrorist acts in Tbilisi in autumn, 2010. This summer
the Georgian Interior Ministry said that it had foiled two terrorist
attempts with one of them allegedly plotted by a Russian security
officer based in Abkhazia and another one by Russian officer stationed
in South Ossetia.
The new national security concept says these cases
show that “after the occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region,
the Russian Federation uses these territories for recruiting and
training of terrorists with a purpose of carrying out terrorist acts on
the territory of Georgia.”
The concept says that Russia’s “main goal”
is to turn Georgia into “a failed state”, to derail Georgia from its
path of Euro-Atlantic integration and “to forcibly return Georgia back
on the Russian orbit.”
“The eventual goal of the military aggression
carried out in August, 2008 was not only to occupy Georgia’s territories
or/and to achieve international recognition of proxy regimes [in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia], but to change Georgia’s foreign policy
course or/and to forcibly replace democratically elected government [of
Georgia], because independent and democratic Georgia is perceived by
Russia’s ruling political elite as a significant threat,” the concept
reads.
Absence of international missions, including UN and OSCE, in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia’s continued military build-up in
those regions and non-fulfillment of August 12, 2008 ceasefire
commitments, combined with Moscow’s refusal to reciprocate Georgia’s
unilateral non-use of force pledge creates “a risk of potential new
aggression” by Russia, according to concept.
It, however, also adds,
that “international support” towards Georgia, as well as presence of EU
Monitoring Mission (EUMM) on the parts of the country controlled by
Tbilisi, “are significant deterrent factors of this risk.”
Georgia’s
relations with Russia are also discussed in a separate chapter of the
concept on “Major Directions of Georgia’s National Security Policy.” It
says that Tbilisi aspires relations with Russia based on “good
neighborly and equal principles.”
It, however, also says that “it
will not be possible without respect of Georgia’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity by Russia and [without] start of de-occupation
process.”
“Georgia supports Russian Federation’s transformation into stable democratic country,” the concept reads.
The
document mentions relations with North Caucasus in the portion where
ties with Russia are discussed and says that establishment of atmosphere
of “cooperation and peace in the North Caucasus is of special
importance for Georgia.”
“Georgia realizes necessity of deepening and
developing relations with people living in the North Caucasus, which
will help to increase awareness among the population living there about
Georgia’s goals and political course,” the document reads.
Securing
country's territorial integrity and further development of democratic
institutions are listed among the country's key national interests.
Other Threats, Risks and Challenges
Apart
of Russian factor, the document identifies potential spillover of
conflicts from neighboring countries as a “threat” Georgia is facing.
In this context the document mentions conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh as “a challenge”.
“Renewal
of armed conflict between these states will weaken security of all
three South Caucasus countries and increase political influence of the
Russian Federation in the entire region,” the concept reads.
In this
portion dealing with conflicts in the Caucasus, the document also says
that Russia tries to incite negative sentiments among the population of
the North Caucasus region.
The document says that “absence of
control” over the Abkhaz and South Ossetian portions of the
Russian-Georgian state border creates obstacles to efficiently tackle
the problem of transnational crime.
Violation of fundamental rights
of persons forcibly displaced from the occupied territories is described
as “a significant challenge”, saying that securing their return in
safety and dignity, as well as restoration of their property rights
represents one of the priorities of the Georgian state.
The document
also identifies sustainable economic development, terrorism, cyber
security, energy security, ecology, organized transnational crime,
demography, integration of ethnic minorities in the country’s political,
economic and social life through boosting knowledge of the Georgian
language and preservation of monuments of historic and cultural heritage
among the challenges for the national security.
While hailing the
document, lawmakers from the Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM) have
long been calling for including in the concept a wording to “stress on
the role” of the Georgian Orthodox Church in terms of the Georgian
identity and preservation of the Georgian historic and cultural
heritage; no such wording will be included in the document.
Euro-Atlantic Integration
The
concept has a separate chapter about Georgia’ integration into NATO and
the European Union, saying that this is country’s “one of the major”
foreign policy and national security priorities.
The concept says
that the August war has failed to undermine Georgia’s NATO aspiration
and the country has achieved “a huge progress” on this path since 2004.
It also says that “gradual integration” into the EU is Georgia’s “one of the most important directions”.
The
document also says that Georgia welcomes EU’s policy of engagement with
Russia, but also notes that “such policy will only be fruitful” if such
policy contributes to Russia having a foreign policy based on respect
of neighbors’ sovereignty. The concept also stresses on the importance
of the EU to effectively influence on Russia to fully comply with its
commitments undertaken under the EU-mediated August, 2008 ceasefire
agreement.
South Caucasus
Relations with Georgia’s neighbors in
South Caucasus have a separate sub-chapter in the section on “Major
Directions of Georgia’s National Security Policy.”
Like the previous one, the new concept also identifies relations with Azerbaijan as “strategic.”
Relations with Armenia are described in the new concept as “close partnership”.
“Georgia
is linked with Armenia and Azerbaijan with historically established
traditionally good-neighborly relations,” the concept reads. “Georgia
deems it of huge importance to elaborate joint approaches towards future
development of the region. Deepening cooperation in the region,
development of common economic space and common market will
significantly contribute to region’s stability and welfare.”
Strategic Partnership with U.S.
According
to the document Georgia “is deepening strategic partnership” with the
United States, which is reflected in the bilateral strategic partnership
charter signed in 2009.
It notes importance of the U.S. support in
“de-occupation” of the Georgian territories, as well as of the U.S.
assistance to the development of democratic institutions in Georgia.
“Georgia’s
defense capabilities have significantly increased through the U.S.
assistance programs,” the concept reads. “Georgia is interested in
further deepening of cooperation in this field.”
Other Partners and Neighbors
On Ukraine the document says that “Georgia aspires to maximally use possibilities of the strategic partnership” with Kiev.
The
concept describes Turkey as Georgia’s “leading regional partner.” The
document says, that deepening of economic ties with Turkey, which is
Georgia’s largest trading partner, and “successful implementation of
transport and energy projects is of strategic importance for the both
countries.”
“Turkey, as a member of NATO and one of the regional
leaders, is also an important military partner. Georgia pays a huge
importance to further development of relations in the sphere of security
and defense with Turkey,” the concept reads.
The concept notes
separately “active cooperation” with the Baltic States, “huge importance
of cooperation” with Eastern and Central European states, as well as
with the Scandinavian countries.
According to the document
cooperation with Moldova and Belarus is of “huge importance” and
welcomes these countries’ participation in the EU’s Eastern Partnership
initiative.
It says that Georgia “pays huge attention to the
development of close cooperation” with Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan,
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, especially in the field of
economy, transpiration and energy.
The concept says that Georgia also
pays “huge attention to broadening political dialogue and economic
cooperation” with China, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Persian Gulf
states, Canada, India, Brazil, Australia. The document notes importance
of continuation of establishment of diplomatic relations with Latin
American and Caribbean countries.
According to the concept UN
should play “a leading role” in resolving conflicts and for that purpose
Georgia deems necessary to increase UN’s effectiveness. It also notes
importance of OSCE and Council of Europe. The concept mentions GUAM –
organization made up of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova – in
the context of Georgia’s relations with Azerbaijan and Ukraine. In the
concept adopted in 2005 GUAM was mentioned in the context of cooperation
within the Black Sea region.
|
| 21 Dec. '11 | Präsident Saakashvili äußert sich zu den Wahlen im nächsten Jahr, der Regierungspartei und Opposition 
New regulations for party funding are ‘very good’;
‘Main opposition forces come from the past’;
‘I hope, new opposition forces will emerge’;
‘National Movement stands above my personality’;
Says to complete EU free trade talks before the end of his presidency;
President
Saakashvili said that “main” opposition forces in Georgia “come from
the past” and expressed hope that new ones would emerge to offer “better
vision” to the society.
“The main forces, which today oppose us, are
still those who come from the past, kind of a neo-Shevardnadze wing,
which is being created on the one hand and on the other hand those
people, who failed to find place in modern conditions. Of course I would
be happy if opposition forces – new ones not discredited by their past,
which I hope will emerge – will offer their better vision to the
society,” Saakashvili said without naming any specific party.
He was
speaking in an interview which he gave jointly with President of the
European People's Party Wilfried Martens to Imedi television station in
Batumi and which was aired on December 20.
Saakashvili said there
were all the conditions in order to go through “parliamentary elections
in October of next year normally” and to avoid “the worst” and “continue
building of institutions.”
He said that institutionally political
parties should be strong enough to be “above personalities”. Referring
to his ruling party Saakashvili said: “This party stands above my
personality” and added that the most important was to keep continuity of
“reformist, pro-European” vision focused on the future and “the
Georgian miracle.” He also added that the ruling party would require
“new blood”.
Saakashvili also hailed passing with its first reading
new regulations for party funding as a “very good system”, saying that
it was done based on recommendations from the Council of Europe’s Group
of States Against Corruption (GRECO). One of the key provisions of the
new regulations is banning legal entities, involving business
organizations, to fund political parties.
Saakashvili said that the
new regulations would prevent attempts to derail Georgia’s development
“with money, especially brought in by invaders.”
He also said that he
was “relieved” with the decision to drop plans about increasing number
of lawmakers in the next Parliament from current 150 to 190. He said he
was always against of increasing number of MPs.
In the same televised
interview Saakashvili also hailed launch of talks on deep and
comprehensive free trade agreement with the European Union and said it
was his plan to complete those negotiations before the end of his second
and final presidential term by in autumn, 2013.
|
| 19 Dec. '11 | Int. Gerichtshof befindet den kriegsbeogenen Fall Georgien's gegen Russland für zulässig
European
Court of Human Rights (ECHR) declared as admissible an inter-state
application lodged by Georgia against Russia in connection to the
August, 2008 war.
“The Court’s admissibility decision in no way
prejudges the merits of the Georgian government’s complaints. The Court
will deliver its judgment at a later date,” the Strasbourg-based court
said on December 19.
Georgia appealed ECHR on August 11, 2008, a day
before the ceasefire agreement was signed with Russia and the final,
formal inter-state application was filed in February, 2009 alleging that
Russian military forces and separatist forces under their control
carried out indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against
civilians and their property in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Georgia's Case vs. Russia Fails to Proceed on Merits in ICJ
Georgia
accuses Russia of breaching eight clauses of the European Convention on
Human Rights, involving right to life; prohibition of torture and of
inhuman or degrading treatment; right to liberty and security; right to
respect for private and family life; right to an effective remedy;
protection of property; right to education and freedom of movement.
Russia
dismisses allegations as unjustified and not confirmed by “admissible
evidence”. Russia claims that its military forces did not launch attacks
but defended the civilian population of South Ossetia against Georgian
offensive.
The Strasbourg-based human rights court held a hearing to
decide whether to consider Georgia’s case against Russia on merits on
September 22.
Apart of this inter-state case, ECHR has also received a
large number of individual applications in connection to the August
war. According to the court 1,712 individual applications are currently
pending against Georgia. Further 208 individual applications, involving
more than 900 applicants, have been lodged against Russia and in
addition, 20 individual applications are pending against both Georgia
and Russia.
Georgia also has a separate inter-state application
against Russia filed to the European Court of Human Rights; the
complaint was filed by Georgia in 2007 in connection to deportation of hundreds of ethnic Georgians by Russia
following a spy row between the two countries. The complaint has
already been found by ECHR as admission and the case is currently under
deliberation by the court on its merits.
|
| 17 Dec. '11 | DEFENSE COOPERATION WITH REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA - Volltext des Gesetzes zum US-Verteidigungshaushalt 2012
A section from the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012
(a) Plan for Normalization - Not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall develop and
submit to the congressional defense committees and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives a plan for the normalization of United
States defense cooperation with the Republic of Georgia, including the
sale of defensive arms.
(b) Objectives - The plan required under subsection (a) shall address the following objectives:
(1) To establish a normalized defense cooperation relationship
between the United States and the Republic of Georgia, taking into
consideration the progress of the Government of the Republic of Georgia
on democratic and economic reforms and the capacity of the Georgian
armed forces.
(2) To support the Government of the Republic of Georgia in providing
for the defense of its government, people, and sovereign territory,
consistent with the continuing commitment of the Government of the
Republic of Georgia to its nonuse-of-force pledge and consistent with
Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations.
(3) To provide for the sale by the United States of defense articles
and services in support of the efforts of the Government of the Republic
of Georgia to provide for its own self-defense consistent with
paragraphs (1) and (2).
(4) To continue to enhance the ability of the Government of the
Republic of Georgia to participate in coalition operations and meet NATO
partnership goals.
(5) To encourage NATO member and candidate countries to restore and
enhance their sales of defensive articles and services to the Republic
of Georgia as part of a broader NATO effort to deepen its defense
relationship and cooperation with the Republic of Georgia.
(6) To ensure maximum transparency in the United States-Georgia defense relationship.
(c) Included Information - The plan required under subsection (a) shall include the following information:
(1) A needs-based assessment, or an update to an existing needs-based
assessment, of the defense requirements of the Republic of Georgia,
which shall be prepared by the Department of Defense.
(2) A description of each of the requests by the Government of the
Republic of Georgia for purchase of defense articles and services during
the two-year period ending on the date of the report.
(3) A summary of the defense needs asserted by the Government of the
Republic of Georgia as justification for its requests for defensive arms
purchases.
(4) A description of the action taken on any defensive arms sale
request by the Government of the Republic of Georgia and an explanation
for such action.
(d) Form - The plan required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.
Source: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:h1540:
|
| 17 Dec. '11 | Georgien im Gesetz zum US-Verteidigungshaushalt 2012
The
U.S. defense authorization bill contains a section, which calls for
“normalization” of military cooperation with Georgia, including the sale
of defensive arms.
The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2012, a voluminous document authorizing appropriations for
military activities of the Department of Defense, has a section with
title “Defense cooperation with Republic of Georgia”. The Senate
approved the USD 662 billion defence bill on December 15, a day after
the bill was passed by the House of Representatives and it is now
expected to be signed by President Obama.
"Defense Cooperation with Republic of Georgia"
WikiLeaks: Two Views on U.S.-Georgia Military Cooperation
The
portion of the legislation dealing with Georgia calls on the U.S.
President to submit to the congressional committees for defense and
foreign affairs within three months after the bill is enacted a “plan
for normalization” with a purpose to support Georgia “in providing for
the defense of its government, people, and sovereign territory,
consistent with the continuing commitment of the Government of the
Republic of Georgia to its nonuse-of-force pledge.”
It calls for the
sale of the U.S. “defense articles and services” and also for
encouraging “NATO member and candidate countries to restore and enhance
their sales of defensive articles and services to the Republic of
Georgia as part of a broader NATO effort to deepen its defense
relationship and cooperation” with Georgia.
The plan should include
“a needs-based assessment” prepared by the U.S. Department of Defense
about Georgia’s defense requirements, as well as list of “each of the
requests” made by Georgia for purchase of defense arms during the last
two years. The plan should be submitted in unclassified form, although
may contain a classified annex, according to the document.
U.S.
Republican Sen. John McCain, who has previously called on the U.S.
administration for number of times “to resume” arms sale to Georgia,
highlighted this section of the bill dealing with Georgia in his remarks
on December 15.
“U.S. defense cooperation with the Republic of
Georgia has been stalled ever since Russia invaded that country three
years ago,” he said. “While there has been some slow and minor progress
to enable Georgia’s armed forces to deploy to Afghanistan – which they
have done in greater numbers than most of our NATO allies – precious
little has been done to strengthen Georgia’s ability to defend its
government, people, and territory.”
According to the U.S. officials
currently defense cooperation with Georgia focuses on two areas –
helping the country in its defense reforms and training and equipping
Georgian soldiers for the deployment in Afghanistan.
Georgian
officials, including President Saakashvili, have said for number of
times previously about Tbilisi’s willingness to purchase air defense and
anti-tank weapons. President Saakashvili said earlier this year that it
should become “the next stage of cooperation” with the U.S. in the
defense field.
|
| 16 Dec. '11 | Moskau weist Aufrufe der südosset. Opposition zurück
Moscow
has snubbed South Ossetian opposition’s calls for securing
implementation of the post-election deal with the breakaway region’s
authorities, saying it would be “legally and morally” wrong for Russia
“to exert pressure” on lawmakers in Tskhinvali.
Alla Jioyeva, an
opposition leader whose victory in the November 27 presidential run off
over Kremlin-backed candidate was annulled by the supreme court, called
on Russia to intervene and secure implementation of the December 9
agreement with Kokoity which was designed to end post-election crisis.
Russia acted as a guarantor of the deal, which was brokered by the
Kremlin official who was in Tskhinvali since November 30 negotiating
with the opposition representatives.
As part of the deal Kokoity, who
was intending to stay as the leader of the region till repeat
presidential election in March, resigned and also asked the Parliament
to sack two of his key allies – chief prosecutor and chairman of the
supreme court; in return Jioyeva suspended two-week long street protest
rallies of her supporters and agreed on holding repeat elections in
March in which she will be eligible to run, according to the agreement.
But the breakaway region’s Parliament, dominated by Kokoity’s ruling
Unity party, voted down on December 14 resignation of chief prosecutor
and supreme court chair.
After the Parliament’s refusal to sack Kokoity’s allies, Jioyeva called on Russia, as a guarantor of the deal, to intervene.
“We
think, that main goal of the agreement has been achieved. Everything
has been done in order to resolve difficult socio-political situation,
which emerged after the presidential elections in South Ossetia in
November. It is difficult to understand those, who are again trying to
exacerbate situation in the republic by misinterpreting for own benefit
existing agreement,” Russian news agencies reported, quoting a statement
released by the Russian embassy in Tskhinvali on December 16.
The
statement also says, that the Russian side indeed was a guarantor of the
agreement and suggested that the agreement had been fulfilled, because
Kokoity submitted to the legislative body a proposal on dismissal of
chief prosecutor and chairman of supreme court. “And it has been done,”
the statement reads.
“Being an independent branch of the government,
the Parliament of South Ossetia performs its duties based on freewill of
MPs… We deem it inadmissible to exert pressure on the South Ossetian
lawmakers with a purpose to adopt a decision in line with interests of
any party,” the Russian embassy said.
“It was only to be expected,”
Jioyeva said in a first reaction after reading the Russian embassy’s
statement, according to RFE/RL's Russian-language service, Ekho Kavkaza.
Jioyeva, however, declined to further comment, citing that she did not
want to be pushed into making “anti-Russian statements.”
The
opposition rallied in Tskhinvali for few hours on December 15 to protest
against violation of the post-election deal. The opposition vowed to
resume rallies later, but no details of their plan were reported. There
were no reports of protest rally in Tskhinvali on Friday.
|
| 14 Dec. '11 | Abgeordnete in Tskhinvali stimmen gegen Maßnahmen aus dem Abkommen zwischen Jioyeva und Kokoity
Contrary
to a deal between ex-South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity and
opposition leader Alla Jioyeva, Parliament in the breakaway region voted
down on December 14 a proposal on sacking chief prosecutor and chairman
of the supreme court.
Dismissal of these two senior officials, close
allies of Eduard Kokoity, together with the latter’s resignation, was
part of the agreement which also ended opposition’s two-week long street
rallies in Tskhinvali. Before resignation on December 10, Kokoity
dismissed chief prosecutor, Taimuraz Khugaev, and chairman of supreme
court Atsamaz Bichenov – but the move also required an approval from the
breakaway region’s legislative body, dominated by Kokoity’s ruling
Unity party.
In a secret ballot on December 14, the breakaway
region’s Parliament voted down with 22 to 8 a proposal on dismissal of
chairman of the supreme court. In case of chief prosecutor, votes were
evenly split between for and against 15 to 15 with one ballot paper
annulled, a local news agency, RES, reported.
Alla Jioyeva condemned
the Parliament’s refusal to follow provisions of the agreement, which
was signed late on December 9 between her and Kokoity in presence of
Kremlin official, Sergey Vinokurov. According to the agreement Russia is
“a guarantor” of the deal.
“Some lawmakers do not want stability in
the republic and they spare no efforts to stir tensions,” Jioyeva was
quoted by the RES.
She said that Russia, as a guarantor of the deal,
should now intervene and react on violation of one of the provisions of
the agreement. Jioyeva also said that she would now meet with her key
allies to discuss future steps.
|
| 14 Dec. '11 | Chef des russ. nationalen Sicherheitsrates Nikolai Patrushev zu Georgien
Secretary
of Russia’s National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, has accused
Georgia of preparing on its soil “individuals for carrying out terrorist
acts in Russia”.
Russian officials are time after time accusing
Georgia of assisting Islamist insurgents in North Caucasus. Last time
such allegation came in August from National Counter-Terrorism Committee
(NAK), which is Russia's government body operating under the Federal
Security Service (FSB).
In an interview with Russia’s Argumenty i
Fakty newspaper, published on December 14, Patrushev said Georgia’s
leadership should be differentiated from the Georgian people.
“Multi-ethnic
peoples of Russia and Georgia are inextricably tied to each other.
Saakashvili is carrying out a policy, which is far from the interests of
the Georgian people. More and more Georgian soldiers are being sent to
take part in combat operations abroad [reference to Georgia’s
participation in the Afghan operation]. Training of individuals for
carrying out terrorist acts in Russia is conducted on the territory of
Georgia. Negative processes are taking place in the country’s economy.
[Georgia’s] external debt is increasing, inflation is going up. Local
population is misinformed, including about the August, 2008 war; number
of foreign media outlets is also helping them in this,” said Patrushev,
who was chief of FSB for nine years before becoming chief of National
Security Council in 2008.
|
| 8 Dec. '11 | Saakashvili:
'Russland hat keine Resourcen, um die besetzten Gebiete zu behaupten
... die Methoden und die Sprache der Vergangenheit funktionieren nicht
mehr ...'
President Saakashvili said that “firmly established”
terms “occupied” and “ethnic cleansing” in respect of Georgia’s
breakaway regions, represents “the biggest headache” for Moscow, which
has “no resources to maintain occupied territories.”
“It is very
important that the terms occupation and ethnic cleansing have been
firmly established in the European terminology, because the term ethnic
cleansing means that no one will ever be able to legitimize [ownership]
on our seized houses, yards, villages and the property of people who
have been expelled, that means that this property will be returned and
the term occupation means that occupation always ends with
de-occupation,” Saakashvili said.
He made the televised remarks after addressing a congress of the European People’s Party Marseille, France on December 7.
“Today’s
Russia has no resources to maintain occupied territories; these days we
are all watching in what a condition Russia is; it is actually very
shaken,” he said.
In separate remarks, during his address to the EPP
congress in Marseille, Saakashvili said that recent events in
Tskhinvali, where post-election crisis continues after a Kremlin-backed
candidate lost the race, as well as events in Moscow, involving
post-election protests, “have shown to us that the methods and the
language of the past simply do not work anymore.”
“I travel a lot to
Post-Soviet countries and I can tell you: there is no way they will
accept the new Soviet Union in any form, under any name or any pretext,”
Saakashvili said.
|
| 8 Dec. '11 | Georg.
Botschafter in Schweden, Zurab Tchiaberashvili, ehemals EU-Botschafter
in Straßburg, äußert sich zum WTO-Abkommen mit Russland
Article
by Zurab Tchiaberashvili, Ambassador of Georgia to the Swiss
Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein, Permanent
Representative of Georgia to the UN Office and other International
Organisations in Geneva
An agreement signed by the Governments of
Georgia and the Russian Federation as a result of bilateral negotiations
on Russia’s membership to the World Trade Organization (WTO) should be
deemed a serious success for the Georgian side.
Georgia has
demonstrated that it is a full-fledged, responsible member of the
international community, which wisely makes use of its rights and
responsibilities available through membership in various international
and regional organizations.
Georgia’s demands were fully legitimate
and in line with WTO’s basic principles and regulations. In particular,
based on the principles of transparency and uniform application of
national policies and regulations, Georgia was pushing for the
establishment of mechanisms to monitor all trade across the Abkhaz
(Gantiadi-Adleri) and Tskhinvali region (Roki-Nizhny Zaramag) sections
of the Georgian-Russian border.
Although Georgia’s demand was fully
legitimate, before resumption of the Georgia-Russia talks on Russian
accession to the WTO with Swiss mediation in March 2011, no tangible
solution was in sight as to how Russia could accommodate this demand of
Georgia.
At the same time, there was sizeable international interest,
especially on the part of Georgia’s friends and partners, in Russia’s
WTO accession. Such interest emanated, in part, from the expectation
that its accession to the WTO would significantly increase bilateral
trade with Russia and, further from the expectation that Russia, as a
member of the WTO, would abide by internationally-recognized trade
rules, a point Georgia itself has always emphasized. It will be much
easier for Georgia to deal with a rule-abiding and predictable Russia,
acting based on international norms, than with a Russia, that does not
shy away from blatantly violating international norms. (Of course there
are skeptics who argue that WTO accession will not make Russia change
its ways in defying international norms and that it will try to misuse
WTO regulations for its own benefit; that, however, is a matter of
separate discussion).
WTO accession procedures (written regulations
and practice) give a member state (in this case, Georgia) a right to
veto an acceding state’s bid for membership (in this case, Russia).
However, in practice, using this right of veto irresponsibly, without a
well-founded justification, can become very damaging for the reputation
of any WTO-member state.
Coincidentally, from the very resumption of
negotiation in March 2011, through their conclusion, Russia was
permanently trying to portray Georgia as a capricious country, seeking
to block Russia’s WTO entry by pushing for politically-motivated demands
not related with WTO principles and norms. In parallel, in its public
statements, Russian officials stressed that it would be possible for
Russia to join the WTO without reaching a bilateral agreement with
Georgia and in fact, even demanded other WTO members to adopt this line.
Among
the reasons behind Georgia’s success in the Swiss-mediated bilateral
negotiations on Russia’s WTO membership were: (a) articulating its
demands in line with WTO principles and rules; and (b) explaining these
demands correctly and clearly to its key partners.
As a result, in
the process of negotiations, Georgia delegitimized Russia’s key
arguments that (a) Georgia was acting emotionally upon
politically-motivated interests, and (b) for that reason, Russia should
become a WTO member through bypassing Georgia. The reasoning behind this
positioning was a realization on the part of Russia that the signature
of any reasonable deal with Georgia in the framework of the
Swiss-mediated negotiations would bring a serious blow to its general
policy in respect of Georgia.
The role of the neutral party,
Switzerland, widely recognized as a reliable mediator in such complex
negotiations, is worth mentioning here. Russia would have had easily
succeeded with its destructive tactics if talks between Russia and
Georgia on Russia’s WTO membership had been conducted without Swiss
mediation; it was quite difficult for Russia to do that in the presence
of Switzerland.
The signed agreement and the negotiating process
itself have also disempowered the arguments of those, who try to simply
tailor their policies and actions to Russia’s imperial approaches. It
appears, that with the right approach, Russia is amenable to making
concessions, especially when it has something tangible to lose. The
stakes in this case, through WTO membership, were better trading terms
with its major trading partners, something Russia felt compelled not to
forego.
A very important factor was the repeated emphasis by both the
United States and the EU that Russia had to find a mutually acceptable
agreement with Georgia and that there was no way for Russia to join the
WTO without Georgia’s consent.
This created a serious problem for
Russia then and is even more problematic for Russia now. It became
obvious, that Russia completely disregards the positions of Tskhinvali
and Sokhumi and that Russia uses them as hostages for its own benefits.
As a result of the agreement, Russia has indirectly recognized that
Georgia has the right to: (a) receive information about Russia’s trade
with Georgia’s occupied territories; (b) demand transparency of trade in
three trade corridors, involving three border-crossing points on the
border between the territories of the two countries.
Although the
topic of this article is to analyze international aspects of the
negotiations and the reached agreement without discussing details of
basic principles for a mechanism of customs administration and
monitoring of trade in goods envisaged by the deal, one legal aspect
definitely deserves attention: the agreed mechanism covers not only
Gantiadi-Adleri and Roki-Nizhny Zaramag border crossing points, but also
Larsi border-crossing point; with this Russia has lost an argument to
support its claim about having separate trade regimes – one with
Georgia, when movement of goods takes place via Larsi border-crossing
point and another one, when movement of goods occurs via so called
‘third countries’ (via Gantiadi-Adleri and Roki-Nizhny Zaramag
border-crossing points).
The agreement reached in the framework of
the Swiss-mediated Georgia-Russia talks on Russia’s WTO membership has
demonstrated that contrary to Russia’s claims that it will not talk with
the Georgian government on any issue, Russia can, in fact, negotiate
with Georgia. Moreover, given this agreement, Russian unwillingness to
show similar pragmatism as in the WTO talks on other issues with Georgia
will be even more blatantly irrational in the eyes of the international
community and will raise further legitimate questions as to why other
problematic issues cannot be resolved through bilateral dialogue. No one
expects an immediate change in Russia’s imperialistic policies and a
show of goodwill, but the WTO deal has created a certain opportunity to
gradually overcome a deadlock in the bilateral relations.
The
agreement itself creates one more inconvenience for Russia: the
component of international monitoring in the process of implementation
and oversight over the mechanisms envisaged by the deal. The damage
inflicted to Russia’s imperialistic policy is not limited to the fact
that Russia had to sign an agreement with Georgia, but further that
international monitors will monitor/oversee the implementation of the
agreement. Allowing international monitors on its soil is a serious
compromise by a state with imperial ambitions.
Those, who were
skeptical about the possibility of reaching agreement in the
Swiss-mediated Georgia-Russia talks on Russia’s WTO membership, now say
that Russia will not live up to its commitments. Judging from Russia’s
policies (and not only in respect of Georgia) and from past experience,
it is difficult to counter these doubts of skeptics. We have living
examples of violations by Russia of agreements of even higher
significance than the current one - the EU-brokered August 12, 2008
ceasefire agreement with Georgia.
By not implementing the WTO
agreement with Georgia, Russia will not only seek to undermine Georgia
once again; by doing so, Russia will trample on the momentous efforts
put in the negotiating process by Switzerland, the European Union and
the United States, and will put their respective reputations in
question. Whether this is worth it for Russia or not, depends neither
only on the provisions of the signed agreement and WTO rules, nor on
trade matters exclusively.
|
| 7 Dec. '11 | Alla Jioyeva beobachtet zum ersten Mal Fortschritte in den Gesprächen mit dem Kreml-Vertreter
...
Eduard Kokoity unter Druck, da seine offizielle Amtszeit am 7.12.
abgelaufen ist ... Premierminister Brovtsev soll vorübergehend das Amt
übernehmen ...
Alla Jioyeva, an opposition candidate whose victory in
the presidential runoff in breakaway South Ossetia was annulled, said
after talks with a Kremlin official in Tskhinvali that “for the first
time” since the launch of consultations on November 30 she had left the
negotiating table “with positive” stance.
“We have listened and we
have been heard,” she said after the talks on December 7, as her
supporters continued rallying in Tskhinvali center for the eight day.
“We very much hope that the next round will be more fruitful.”
Sergey
Vinokurov, who is in charge of inter-regional and cultural relations
with foreign countries at the Russian President's administration, is in
Tskhinvali since November 30. Supporters of Jioyeva have previously
openly accused him of siding with the authorities instead of mediating.
Jioyeva
hailed a decision by the incumbent leader of breakaway region, Eduard
Kokoity, to sack several senior officials. Citing “public discontent”,
Kokoity fired on December 7 education minister; healthcare minister;
head of the information and communications committee; Tskhinvali mayor;
head of the Znauri district and mayor of Kvaisi. The opposition has been
calling for resignation of Kokoity, as well as of chief prosecutor
Taimuraz Khugaev.
In another important development on December 7, one
of the vice-speakers of the breakaway region’s Parliament, Yuri
Dzitsoiti, said in a written statement that Eduard Kokoity’s term in
office had expired and PM of the breakaway region Vadim Brovtsev should
now become an acting president.
Dzitsoiti, who is a member of ruling
Unity party which backed in the elections Jioyeva’s rival candidate
Anatoly Bibilov, said that although the Parliament set March 25, 2012 as
the date for repeat elections, Kokoity can not stay in power till that
date because his constitutional term in office expired on December 7.
“He
must resign and the presidential duties should be assumed temporarily
by PM Brovtsev,” Dzitsoiti said, adding that Brovtsev, “as a person not
involved” in the post-election crisis “can prepare necessary conditions
for holding of repeat election.”
Brovtsev, who is not a native of
South Ossetia, was running a construction firm in Chelyabinsk, a city
1,600 km east of Moscow, before he became PM in breakaway South Ossetia
in August, 2009.
“This option [Brovtsev as acting president] is normal; that’s acceptable for us,” Jioyeva was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency.
|
| 7 Dec. '11 | Alexander Ankvab äußert sich zu dem georgia-russ. WTO-Abkommen
Abkhaz
leader, Alexander Ankvab, has downplayed concerns of opposition groups
in the breakaway region about Russia-Georgia WTO deal, saying that the
agreement carries no risk for Sokhumi, Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress,
reported on December 7.
“Joining the World Trade Organization is
important for Russia, which is our strategic ally. And what should we do
in this case? Wear a sackcloth and ashes? There is no reason for that.
Fears are needless here, even more so phobias. And believe me, we will
not do anything that will harm Abkhazia,” Ankvab said.
He said that
there were issues which required to be addressed quietly without much
publicity. “We always defend Abkhazia’s interests. Maybe someone wants
us to speak out loudly and noisily against something, but that would not
be right. There are no risks for Abkhazia,” Ankvab said.
He said
data about volume of trade between Russia and Abkhazia was publicly
available and it “does not represent any strategic interest for anyone.”
“If
we are concerned about the fact that on the Russian side of the border
electronic seals will be attached to cargo, who said that this will also
work on the Abkhaz side of the border? No one has agreed it with us.
And who said that cargo will move somewhere else via [Abkhazia]? It has
not been either agreed with us. No observers, who will be monitoring
there [on the Russian side of the border and on the Georgian side of the
administrative border with Abkhazia] can not accompany cargo on our
territory. We will not allow them in and no cargo will go anywhere
without agreement with us,” Ankvab said.
He said the fact that the
Georgia-Russia bilateral agreement makes no mentioning of Abkhazia,
defining “trade corridors” with their geographic coordinates, would not
change a reality on the ground.
“Abkhazia will not stop being
Abkhazia only because our country was called ‘a corridor’; our
constitution and our independence have not gone anywhere. No matter
whether the agreement is signed or not, our task is to ensure that no
international document violates our sovereignty and infringes our
independence. We will not definitely allow it to happen,” he said.
In
separate report on December 7, Apsnipress quoted Ankvab saying that
Abkhazia should “legalize trade with Georgia.” He said he was in favor
of customs administration of trade across the border on Enguri river.
“It’s
not a secret that there are a lot of fruits and vegetables in stores
and markets [in Abkhazia] imported illegally across the Georgian-Abkhaz
border; but the state has no income from this trade turnover,” Ankvab
was quoted.
|
| 6 Dec. '11 | Gerichtshof in Tskhinvali hält die Entscheidung zur Annullierung der Stichwahlergebnisse aufrecht
Inzwischen
wurde in der Morgendämmerung eine Panzerabwehrrakete auf das Haus des
Generalstaatsanwaltes von der abtrünnigen Region gefeuert. Der
Generalstaatsanwalt Taimuraz Khugaev ist ein enger Verbündeter von
Eduard Kokoity. Eduard Kokoity: ... eine geplante Provokation, um die
Situation zu sprengen ... ; Alla Jioyeva: ... Provokation von Behörden
selbst aufgeführt, um die Opposition zu diskreditieren ...
Supreme Court in breakaway South Ossetia upheld on Tuesday its earlier ruling annulling November 27 presidential runoff results.
An opposition candidate, Alla Jioyeva, who won the runoff, was requesting the Supreme Court to annul its earlier decision.
Meanwhile,
at dawn on Tuesday an anti-tank rocket was fired at a home of the
breakaway region’s chief prosecutor Taimuraz Khugaev, a close ally of
incumbent South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity. The rocket, reportedly
fired from RPG-26 rocket launcher, hit a second floor of a five-storey
apartment building in Tskhinvali; no one was injured.
The breakaway region’s authorities linked the incident to ongoing events in Tskhinvali, involving opposition’s protest rallies.
“It was a well-planned provocation aimed at blowing up situation in South Ossetia,” Kokoity said.
Alla Jioyeva suggested that this “provocation” was staged by the authorities with a purpose “to discredit” the opposition.
|
| 5 Dec. '11 | Proteste in Tskhinvali dauern an
Demonstrationen
gehen in den 6.Tag, nachdem am Sonntag die Gespräche zwischen Alla
Jioyeva und dem Kreml-Vertreter Alan Pliev ohne Ergebnisse endeten. ...
Opposition's
protest rally goes into sixth day on Monday as yet another day of
negotiations between Alla Jioyeva's allies and a Kremlin official failed
to bring about any breakthrough on Sunday.
Alan Pliev, who is one of
the four allies of Jioyeva taking part in the talks, said that the
Sunday's meetings yielded no results.
Sergey Vinokurov, who is in
charge of inter-regional and cultural relations with foreign countries
at the Russian President's administration, described his role as "a
mediator" between the opposition and the authorities.
"My role as a
mediator is to defuse tensions and facilitate the sides to sit down at
the negotiating table; so far we are succeeding in this," Interfax news
agency reported, quoting Vinokurov as saying after the Sunday's meeting.
The Kremlin official is in Tskhinvali since November 30.
Jioyeva's
allies said that the Russian official told them to wait for the Supreme
Court's decision into the appeal by Jioyeva, who is requesting annulment
of the court's earlier decision through which results of the November
27 presidential runoff, won by Jioyeva, were invalidated. The
opposition, however, fears that the court will try to drag out the
hearings, which have yet to be launched.
Incumbent leader of
breakaway South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, whose immediate resignation is
among the demands of the opposition, said the authorities would not
yield to the opposition's ultimatums.
On Sunday, in an appeal to the
international community, read out at the rally, protesters called for
assistance in resolving the crisis.
"The people of South Ossetia
appeal to you with a request to immediately intervene in current
developments with a purpose to stabilize situation and to restore
constitutional order... In case of a delay of the international
community's reaction one more tragedy may take place. The right of free
choice of the entire people and of an individual represents an
invariable value, which can not be subjected to manipulation," the local
and Russian news agencies reported quoting the text of appeal. It also
says that the post-election crisis "can provoke destabilization of the
entire Caucasus."
Also on December 4, the voters in the breakaway
region, majority of whom hold the Russian citizenship, cast ballot in
the elections of State Duma, Russai's lower house of the Parliament. A
day earlier opposition called on the supporters to turn out at the
polling stations and to voter for Russia's ruling party United Russia in
order to demonstrate that the protesters "stand beside Russia."
It
was announced by speakers at the rally on December 4, that they plan to
hold "presidential inauguration" of Alla Jioyeva on December 10.
Protesters
in Tskhinvali center brave freezing winter nights by warming themselves
up at fire barrels. Camped outside the government building in
Tskhinvali's central square, protesters vow to keep rallying before
thier demands are are met.
|
| 4 Dec. '11 | Georgien gewinnt Juniorenwettbewerb des Eurovision Song Contest
Georgia
won Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the second time, keeping
domination of former Soviet states in this song contest, modeled under
its grown-up version and launched eight years ago.
CANDY, a group of
five girls from Georgia, won the contest for 10-15 year olds held in
capital of Georgia's neighboring Armenia, Yerevan, on Saturday. The
group won the contest with thier song Candy Music scoring 108 points in
televoting beating Netherlands by five points, followed by Belarus and
Russia with 99 points each. Georgia first won the contest in 2008.
Unlike
grown-up version of Eurovision, hosting of the event in following year
does not go to a winning nation; the host is selected through bidding
process and next year it will be the Netherlands.
|
| 1 Dec. '11 | Jioyeva stellt Kokoity ein Ultimatum
An
opposition candidate Alla Jioyeva, whose victory in the November 27
presidential runoff was annulled by the breakaway region’s Supreme
Court, has set an ultimatum to the outgoing South Ossetian leader Eduard
Kokoity to recognize her as elected leader of the breakaway region
before 6pm local time on Thursday.
In a written letter submitted to
the Kokoity’s office, Jioyeva says that Kokoity should overturn the
decision of the Supreme Court annulling the runoff results, as well as
the decision of the Parliament setting March 25, 2012 as the date of
repeat election. She has also demanded from Kokoity to publish a final
vote tally of the November 27 runoff’s results giving her victory over
Kremlin-backed candidate Anatoly Bibilov.
“In case the above
mentioned points are not fulfilled before 6pm on December 1, 2011, the
President [Eduard Kokoity], Acting Chairman of the Parliament [Zurab
Kokoev] and Chairman of the Supreme Court [Atsamaz Bichenov] will be
responsible for the further developments,” Jioyeva’s letter reads.
Meanwhile,
supporters of Jioyeva are gathering on Tskhinvali’s main square,
according to the reports from the breakaway region’s capital.
According
to a reporter blogging live from Tskhinvali for Russian news website,
Kavkazsky Uzel, the security forces blocked the access roads towards the
government building with trucks. He is reporting that on Thursday
troops from the interior ministry’s special task force are in larger
numbers at the government building then it was on November 30.
|
| 1 Dec. '11 | Tskhinvali ist ruhig, während Alia Jioyeva Gespräche abhält mit einem Kreml-Vertreter
It
was quiet in Tskhinvali on Thursday morning with supporters of an
opposition candidate Alla Jioyeva, whose victory in the November 27
presidential runoff was annulled by the breakaway region’s Supreme
Court, are expected to reconvene for a protest rally today, according to
reports from the breakaway region’s capital.
After midnight
Jioyeva’s supporters, who were gathered outside the government’s
building in Tskhinvali, heeded her calls and dispersed. During the rally
on November 30 security forces fired warning shots into the air,
reportedly in an attempt to prevent protesters from breaking into the
government building.
Jioyeva was meeting last night with Kremlin’s
deputy chief of staff Sergey Vinakurov, who was sent to Tskhinvali by
Moscow to try to settle post-election dispute in the breakaway region.
Anatoly Bibilov, a presidential candidate backed by Moscow who lost the
race to Jioyeva in now annulled runoff, has kept low profile since the
second round of election.
Jioyeva said that “constructive dialogue” with the Kremlin official would continue later on Thursday.
According
to Itar-Tass news agency, Jioyeva said that she had no intention to
make any compromise and to back off from protecting her victory in the
November 27 runoff even if she was allowed to run in the repeat election
set for March 25, 2012. She has formally requested the Supreme Court to
overturn its earlier decision annulling the runoff results. The Supreme
Court confirmed receiving an appeal from Jioyeva but failed to specify
when it would launch its consideration.
Rumors were circulating in
Tskhinvali, that the authorities were intending to impose emergency
situation, but acting chairman of the breakaway region’s Parliament,
Zurab Kokoev, denied it, according to Res, a news agency run by the
breakaway region’s government.
|
| 30 Nov. '11 | Südossetien: Präsidentschaftskandidatin Alla Jioyeva standfest in der 'Verteidigung ihres Wahlsiegs'
Sie
soll in einem Gesapräch mit Eduard Kokoity daraufbestanden haben, dass
an diesem Tag eine Entscheidung getroffen wird zu ihrer Forderung, das
Urteil des Gerichtshofs "Annulierung der Wahl" aufzuheben ...
Reporter: blogging live from Tskhinvali
lla
Jioyeva, an opposition candidate for the breakaway region’s leadership,
told supporters on Wednesday that she told outgoing South Ossetian
leader Eduard Kokoity to overturn a ruling by the Supreme Court which
annulled the Sunday’s presidential runoff in which Jioyeva was leading.
According
to a reporter blogging live from Tskhinvali for Russian news website,
Kavkazsky Uzel, Jioyeva said she told Kokoity during a meeting in the
government residence in the center of Tskhinvali that he should take a
decision today and there was no time for thinking over it for few days.
According
to the reports from Tskhinvali few thousand supporters of Jioyeva are
gathered on the city’s main square outside the government building.
Reports
say that the security guard of the government building had to fire
warning shots into the air to prevent the crowed from breaking into the
building.
Earlier on Wednesday Jioyeva and one of her key supporters,
Anatoly Barankevich, the breakaway region’s former secretary of
national security council, who split with Kokoity after the August, 2008
war, met with Russian diplomats in the embassy of Russia in Tskhinvali.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on November 30 that the political
forces should respect a ruling by the Supreme Court annulling the
Sunday’s runoff results in which the Kremlin-backed candidate, Anatoly
Bibilov, lost the race with Jioyeva.
“We had a serious conversation,”
Jioyeva said after the meeting with the Russian diplomats. “We have
requested to help us in protecting the people’s choice. We have been
promised that our demands would be conveyed to the Russian leadership.”
|
| 29 Nov. '11 | Jioyeva schwört, 'den Wahlsieg zu verteidigen'
"...
Ich bin etwas aufgebracht über Russland ... gewisse Leute mit
Beziehungen zu Kokoity kätten Russland falsch informiert ... Kokoity
will meinen Sieg stehlen .."
... In Tskhinvali geboren, Jioyeva, 62,
war eine Lehrerin für zwei Jahrzehnte in einer Schule in Tskhinvali; Sie
war dann auch mehrere Jahre Direktor dieser Schule, ehe sie 2002 zur
Erziehungsministerin der abtrünnigen Region ernannt wurde. 2008 war sie
entlassen und des Amtsmissbrauchs angeklagt worden, weshalb sie 2010 zu
einer zweijährigen Haftstrafe verurteilt wurde. Jioyeva hat die Anklagen
gegen sie als politisch motiviert zurückgewiesen. ...
|
| 28 Nov. '11 | Bibilov fechtet das Ergebnis der Stichwahl an
... Südosset. Wahlkommission: Jioyeva 56.74%
(14,828 votes); Bibilov 40% (10,462 votes). ...
Anatoly Bibilov,
breakaway South Ossetia’s emergency situations minister, disputes early
results of the presidential runoff according to which he is losing the
race to Alla Jioyeva.
With most of the votes already counted the
breakaway region’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said Jioyeva was
leading the race with 56.74% (14,828 votes) with Bibilov having 40%
(10,462 votes).
“We have absolutely different information about the
voting. We will submit all the information we have, as well as those
violations which we have observed during the elections, to the court,”
Bibilov said on Monday. “We will accept any ruling by the Supreme Court
even if [the verdict] is against us.”
Before the noon on Monday the
breakaway region’s Supreme Court said that a complaint had been filed
from the Unity party, which backs Bibilov, about the alleged electoral
violations. The court chairman, Atsamaz Bichenov, said that the
allegations involve bribing and pressuring voters from Jioyeva’s
campaign team. He called on the Central Election Commission not to
announce any results of the runoff pending the court hearing, which was
scheduled to start by the noon on Monday. The hearing, however, was
postponed for Tuesday after the Unity party requested more time to
provide additional information to the court in connection to its
complaints.
The breakaway region’s CEC chairperson, Bela Plieva, said
that no complaint had been filed to the electoral commission about
alleged violations and she had learnt about the complaint filed to the
Supreme Court from the media sources.
|
| 22 Nov. '11 | Präsident Saakashvili: Spott für Putin bedeutet 'Beginn des Endes für die authoritäre Herrschaft in Russland'
Putin
war in den Ring gestiegen im "Olympiysky Stadium in Moscow" nach einem
Kampfsportkampf und von Buhrufen und Pfiffen begleitet worden. ...
- ‘I am sure their days are numbered’;
- Russia ‘wants Georgia to be its slave’;
- ‘Some Georgian politicians miss licking Russian soldiers’ dirty underwear’;
- ‘Russian Church declared a crusade for restoration of Soviet Union’;
... “For Georgia today it is very important to keep the pace of development,
because in Russia there also are a lot of well-disposed people – not in
the Kremlin or its satellite organizations – who are delighted with our
reforms,” he said. ...
Standard & Poor's hob Georgiens Bewertung auf BB-.
|
| 22 Nov. '11 | Saakashvili's Sprecher zu Medvedev's Bemerkungen zum Georgienkrieg und zur NATO
Medvedev’s Erklärung, dass der Georgienkrieg die NATO-Ausdehnung
gestoppt hat, ist “noch eine andere Bestätigung darüber, wer und weshalb
der Georgienkriek begann” drei Jahre danach. ...
“The reasons of the
military aggression against Georgia were once again stated in a cynical
way – yet another sign [showing] the international community what
aggressive goals Russia was guided by in respect of not only Georgia,
but of other neighbors too,” spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze said.
“Yet
another mockery of international law, international norms and rules is
behind this aggressive rhetoric. Regrettably this is a real face of the
regime, which currently rules Russia. This is yet another confirmation
of what we and the entire international community knew about who started
the 2008 August war and why,” she added.
|
| 21 Nov. '11 | Russ. Präsident Medvedev: Georgienkrieg hat NATO-Pläne der weiteren Ausdehnung in den postsowjetischen Raum durchkreuzt
Russia's
President Dmitry Medvedev said twice on Monday on two separate
occasions, that the August, 2008 war with Georgia thwarted NATO's plans
to expand further on the post-Soviet space.
Speaking at the
headquarters of the Russian 58th army during a meeting with officers
from the Southern Military District in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetian
Republic, Medvedev said, that "the peace-enforcement operation" against
Georgia was "absolutely necessary".
“Time goes by fast – more than
three years have already passed, but what is the most important our
approaches towards and our assessments of those events have not changed.
We of course consider that it was absolutely necessary action by our
army to save large number of our citizens and, if not to remove totally,
to curb the threat which was coming at the time from the territory of
Georgia,” Medvedev said.
“If we had faltered in 2008, geopolitical
arrangement would be different now and number of countries in respect of
which attempts were made to artificially drag them into the North
Atlantic Alliance, would have probably been there [in NATO] now,” he
added.
Russia's NATO envoy, Dmitry Rogozin, who was also present at
the meeting with the army officers, said that Russia's response to the
developments in South Ossetia in August, 2008 came as a surprise for
NATO.
Medvedev responded: "They were really expecting absolutely
different sort of response." He then added that NATO "miscalculated"
Moscow's response.
Later on the same day, on November 21, Medvedev
met in Rostov-on-Don with a group of journalists from Russia's North
Caucasus and Southern federal districts. He started the meeting by
telling the journalists that earlier on Monday he visited the 58th army
headquarters in Vladikavkaz, which he said, was "a special place"
because of its role in the August, 2008 war.
"Today I already spoke
with the army officers and I will tell it to you too, that it was of
course a very difficult page in our recent history, but, unfortunately,
it was absolutely necessary [decision]. And the fact that Russia's
actions at the time were so tough has eventually secured a situation for
us, which, despite of all the difficulties, is now quieter than it
was," Medvedev said.
"We have simply calmed some of our neighbors
down by showing them that they should behave correctly in respect of
Russia and in respect of neighboring small states. And for some of our
partners, including for the North Atlantic Alliance, it was a signal
that before taking a decision about expansion of the Alliance, one
should at first think about the geopolitical stability. I deem these
[issues] to be the major lessons of those developments in 2008,"
Medvedev added.
|
| 20 Nov. '11 | Patriarch Ilia II trifft russ. Patriarch Kirill in Moskau
Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, met with Russian Patriarch Kirill in Moscow on November 19.
The Georgian Patriarch is in Moscow to participate in celebration of Russian Orthodox Church leader's 65th birthday.
"Conversations
with you are always a pleasure for us - no matter whether they take
place in Moscow or in Kiev, as it happened this year, because... any
opportunity to communicate with you definitely brings good results,"
Patriarch Kirill said.
One of "the good results" that the
communication between the two Churches should bring, Patriarch Kirill
said, was improvement of relations between Georgia and Russia and people
of the two countries.
"These are the two nations with the same
faith; they are neighbors, who have lived together for centuries. Even
when they lived in different political systems and in separate
countries, as well as in the times when they lived in the same state,
Orthodox Russians and Orthodox Georgians were invariably tied with warm
friendly feelings. We are praying and we are working to return this
love, because we believe that no external difficulties can destroy
foundation of our relations, because the foundation is that they belong
to the Holy Orthodox Church," the Russian Patriarch said.
Georgian
Patriarch Ilia II said that close relations between the Russian and
Georgian Orthodox Churches represent "firm foundation for our states,
governments - they should follow example of our Churches." He also said:
"We deeply respect Russian history, literature, art, philosophy."
According
to a press release by the Russian Orthodox Church, the Georgian
Patriarch expressed confidence during the meeting that
"misunderstanding, which occurred between our states, are possible to
overcome."
"We - the Patriarchs and Churches - should spare no
efforts to help peace and well-being to prevail. Conflicts between our
states remain open wounds; they should be healed. I think we will be
able to do that," the Georgian Patriarch said.
On November 20 Russian
President met with heads and delegations of the Orthodox Churches,
among them the Georgian Patriarch, visiting Moscow for the Russian
Patriarch’s 65th birthday celebration.
“Unity of the Orthodox
[Christian] world is very important component of international
development… Despite the fact that there might be difficulties between
the states, despite global problems, including of economic and
ideological nature, the Church can serve as the only institution, which
binds communication between the peoples and helps in difficult times.”
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| 17 Nov. '11 | Resolution des europäischen Parlaments zu Georgien
- Ivanishvili-related amendment rejected;
- Calls on EU to recognize Abkhazia, S.Ossetia as ‘occupied territories’;
- ‘Enter more extensively into constructive dialogue with opposition’;
- ‘Georgia - one of the best-performing partners in Eastern Partnership’;
- ‘Further improvement needed in justice system, labor reforms’
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| 14 Nov. '11 | 19 Mio. EUR Hilfe von der EU zur Entwicklung der Regionen in Georgien
EU
has pledged to provide in next three years EUR 19 million to help
reduce regional disparities and stimulate economic growth in Georgia's
regions.
The funds will be transferred directly to Georgia's state
budget in three tranches, "provided the conditions, agreed in advance,
are met by the government," according to EU delegation in Tbilisi.
"The
mechanism of transferring funds only when agreed conditions are met
allows the Georgian authorities to choose the speed of reforms and
achieve jointly agreed milestones," it said. "Each year, based on an
independent evaluation, the EU assesses progress achieved as well as
compliance with the programme's requirements."
Infrastructure
development in the regions, involving hospitals, local roads, gas and
water connection, as well as improving regional strategic planning
capacities, including the reinforcement of human resources and
statistics are among the goals of the programme, according to the EU
delegation.
Agreement on EUR 19 million assistance was signed on
November 14 by Ambassador Philip Dimitrov, head of the EU delegation to
Georgia and Giorgi Baramidze, Georgia's state minister for Euro-Atlantic
integration issues.
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| 14 Nov. '11 | Kokoity: Sieg der Gegenkandidatin Alla Jioyeva in Präsidentenwahl ausgeschlossen
Outgoing
leader of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, ruled out the possibility of
winning second round of presidential election in the breakaway region by
his opponent, a female candidate Alla Jioyeva.
Asked whether he
thought it was possible for the woman to become a new leader of the
region, Kokoity responded in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda
radio on Monday: “This is ruled out.”
“No one infringes women’s
[rights] here. In our society woman are treated very well and they are
respected. But anyway, Caucasus is the Caucasus,” said Kokoity, who
himself was not eligible to run because he has already served two
five-year presidential terms.
In a tight race Jioyeva, a long-time
school teacher and former education minister of the breakaway region,
won 25.37% of votes in the Sunday’s elections, only few votes short of
Anatoly Bibilov, the emergency situations minister, who garnered 25.44%
of votes. The two will face each other in the runoff set for November
27.
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| 9 Nov. '11 | Georgien und Russland unterzeichnen WTO-Abkommen
Russia and Georgia signed on November 9 a bilateral agreement, completing WTO talks, Georgian negotiator, Sergi Kapanadze, said.
“We
are very glad that after hesitation, Russia accepted the Swiss
proposal; that is very important for us, because this is the first time
when an international monitoring will be carried out on movement of
cargo between Russia and Georgia, which also involves [cargo going in
and from] Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region,” Kapanadze told Georgian
TV station, Rustavi 2, via phone from Geneva on November 9.
The
package of documents includes bilateral agreement between the Russian
and Georgian governments on customs administration and trade monitoring,
he said. The package also includes documents related to the mandate of
third, neutral party, Switzerland, which will hire a private company in
charge of monitoring of trade. Kapanadze also said that the sides have
also exchanged notes on terms of operation of a company, which will be
monitoring the trade; these terms, he said, include provisions
guaranteeing the company’s neutral operations.
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| 8 Nov. '11 | Abgeordnete der Regierungspartei sprechen von 'neuem pro-russ. Zentrum' um Ivanishvili
Ruling
party lawmakers said on November 8, that the Kremlin-orchestrated
attempts were underway in Georgia to create “a new pro-Russian political
center” around billionaire-turned-politician Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Speaking
at Parliament session on November 8 the parliamentary majority leader,
Petre Tsiskarishvili, said Ivanishvili was Russia’s “last hope”, who was
trying to throw Georgia back into the past.
Ruling Party Links Ivanishvili with Russia
Debates
on Ivanishvili in the Parliament were triggered after an opposition
lawmaker, Jondi Bagaturia, said sort of sarcastically that he “managed
to find Putin’s agent”; he was saying it waving a printed photo showing
Georgia’s ex-economy minister and former state minister in charge of
reforms Kakha Bendukidze shaking hand with Vladimir Putin. Bendukidze,
who now runs Tbilisi-based Free University and who like Ivanishvili
amassed wealth in Russia in 1990s, has recently often been reminded to
the authorities by the opponents after the ruling party launched
accusing Ivanishvili of being “the Kremlin’s project.”
“Don’t call
people with dissent opinion Russia’s agents; look for the agents among
you,” MP Bagaturia told ruling party lawmakers.
“It’s not about
agents and spies; it’s about ideological” differences between
Ivanishvili and Bendukidze, MP Petre Tsiskarishvili responded. “These
two men are diametrically opposed – Bendukidze who serves the Georgian
deed and [Ivanishvili], who has been sent to Georgia by Moscow with big
bag of money as a last hope to somehow change situation in Georgia and
to turn Georgia’s foreign priorities towards North.”
He said that
after multiple failed attempts - among them economic embargo, street
protest rallies and the August war - to undermine the Georgian state
Russia was now pinning its “last hope” on Ivanishvili.
“Just imagine a
Jewish man running his businesses in any of the Israel’s adversary
state… returning [to Israel], demanding to rule the political processes…
Do you think he could have stayed in Israel after making such
statements?.. Would he still have [the Israeli] citizenship? Would he be
able to freely operate in the political and public life?” MP
Tsiskarishvili said.
“Our country is very democratic, allowing this
person [referring to Ivanishvili] everything. The law has deprived him
his Georgian citizenship and not the authorities, otherwise he is free
in his activities. He has [access] to the media, freedom of movement,”
he said.
Another ruling party lawmaker, Rati Samkurashvili, said
during the same session that the archive photo, shown by MP Bagaturia,
was from the pre-August war period, when “Georgia was ready for
cooperation with Putin, until Russia launched open aggression against
Georgia.”
Saakashvili: Always Ready for Talks with Putin
Bidzina
Ivanishvili, responding to the allegations about his Russian ties, said
at a news conference on November 1, that accusing him of being the
Kremlin stooge was the only thing the authorities could do because “they
simply have nothing else” to say. “That’s because of one simple reason –
I have never done anything illegal,” Ivanishvili said.
Ruling party
lawmakers argued that Ivanishvili’s pro-Russian sentiments were
demonstrated while blaming Georgia for triggering off war with Russia in
August, 2008 and accusing Georgia of provoking Russia in imposing
economic embargo in 2006. The ruling party MPs also argued that
Ivanishvili was trying to please Putin by avoiding any tough remarks
against him, even expressing hope that Russia’s next government will
launch democratic reforms and rapprochement with the West.
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| 4 Nov. '11 | Georgischer Unterhändler Sergi Kapanadze: 'Wir haben ein WTO-Abkommen mit Russland'
Georgian
negotiator in the Swiss-mediated WTO talks with Moscow, Sergi
Kapanadze, said on November 4, that an agreement had been reached with
Russia and only technical issues are remaining, which should be settled
in next five days.
“We have an agreement with Russia,” Sergi
Kapanadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister, said after talks in
Geneva. “We are glad that they [the Russian side] finally were able to
accept the final Swiss proposal. Initialing of the agreement will happen
tomorrow in Geneva.”
He said that the text of the agreement “is the same”, which Georgia had accepted last week.
“We
will have technical work remaining next week, but hopefully there will
be no complications as we have agreement over the text now,” Kapanadze
said.
He also said that next week the Swiss mediators would provide
the text of the mandate that it would confer to a neutral private
company.
According to the deal observers from a private company will
be stationed at the both ends of so called "trade corridors", but not
inside of these corridors, meaning that they will not be stationed
inside the breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian officials said
last week, that trade corridors, which will be defined by their
geographic coordinates not by names, lie through breakaway Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. The monitoring will also involve Zemo Larsi-Kazbegi
border crossing point, which is on the undisputed section of the
Georgian-Russian border, outside the breakaway regions.
“We will also
have to agree to the text of the contract that Georgia and Russia will
sign with the monitors,” Sergi Kapanadze said.
He said that the
agreement should be signed before November 10, when the formal meeting
of the WTO working party on Russia’s accession is scheduled.
Negotiations
on the accession of a new member to WTO are held within a working
party, uniting countries that have unsettled trade issues with a
candidate country. The meeting is expected to approve the Russia’s draft
accession document, a voluminous report detailing conditions for
joining the organization.
“We have also agreed to the text of the
working party report on Russia’s accession, which relates its WTO
related commitments to Georgia,” Kapanadze said.
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| 4 Nov. '11 | EU zu den georgisch-russ. WTO-Gesprächen
European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on November 3, that EU
welcomes “the announcement that an agreement has been reached” in the
Swiss-mediated talks between Tbilisi and Moscow on Russia’s WTO
accession.
“The EU in this regard, appreciates the flexibility shown
by both Georgia and Russia to find a compromise on a highly complex
issue and encourages both parties to overcome the very last technical
hurdles in order to formalize the deal,” Barroso said in a statement.
He also said that Russia’s WTO accession would be “to everyone’s advantage.”
“We
will also continue our important work towards political association and
economic integration with Georgia, including to form a Deep and
Comprehensive Free Trade Area,” Barroso said.
EU has yet to announce
when it will launch talks on deep and comprehensive free trade agreement
with Georgia. The Georgian officials were hoping the talks to be
launched before the end of this year.
The EU has also praised “the
hard work, persistence and creativity of Switzerland in their mediation
effort between the parties.”
“The EU stands ready to contribute to the implementation of the agreement if requested to do so by the parties,” Barroso said.
“The
EU now looks forward to seeing Russia’s WTO accession finalised with a
view to reaching a consensus decision at the WTO Ministerial Council
meeting on 15-17 December in Geneva,” he added.
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| 4 Nov. '11 | Medvedev zu den georgisch-russ. WTO-Gesprächen
Russia’s
President, Dmitri Medvedev, said on November 3, that Russia “is ready
to accept some of the compromise ideas” proposed by Switzerland, which
mediated WTO talks between Russia and Georgia.
Asked directly what
terms, in particular on trade monitoring, had Russia agreed on, Medvedev
told journalists on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 in
Cannes: “These are technological issues. The only thing I can say is
that what has been said by our representative Medvedkov, I, being
Medvedev, fully confirm.”
Russia’s chief WTO negotiator Maxim
Medvedkov said earlier that Moscow agreed on the Swiss proposal, which
was accepted by Georgia last week.
Asked if his response meant that
Russia had agreed on the Swiss proposal, the Russian President
responded: “We are ready to accept some of the compromise ideas, which
have been recently developed with the participation of Switzerland.”
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| 4 Nov. '11 | NATO-Chef zu dem anstehenden Besuch in Georgien
Visit
of the NATO's senior decision-making body, North Atlantic Council, to
Georgia next week is "a very significant event that stresses the very
special partnership between Georgia and NATO," Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
the alliance's secretary general, said on November 3.
Speaking at a
news conference in Brussels, he said that since NAC's first visit to
Georgia three years ago, there had been "significant progress" in
NATO-Georgia relations, as well as in "reforms of the Georgian defense
and the Georgian society in general."
"The purpose of our visit to
Georgia will be to discuss with the political leaders in Georgia how we
can make further progress when it comes to reforms, and further progress
in the relationship between Georgia and NATO," Rasmussen said.
He
reiterated NATO's gratitude for Georgia's significant contribution to
the Afghan operation. "Georgia belongs to the largest contributors to
our operation in Afghanistan and it is a testament to the very strong
Georgian commitment to our Alliance," he added.
The NATO Secretary
General and NAC, involving ambassadors from the member states, will
visit Tbilisi and Batumi on November 9-10.
On 9 November, the
Secretary General will chair a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission in
Tbilisi, with the participation of Georgian Prime Minister Nika
Gilauri.
The Secretary General and NATO ambassadors will meet with
Parliamentary Chairman Davit Bakradze and a group of Georgian lawmakers,
as well as Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze in Tbilisi on November 10.
Also in Tbilisi NATO officials will meet with opposition, media and
civil society representatives.
Also on November 10the Secretary
General and NATO ambassadors will meet with President Saakashvili in
Georgia's Black Sea resort town of Batumi. During the visit the NATO
Secretary General will also hold bilateral meetings with President
Saakashvili, parliamentary speaker and the prime minister. Andres Fogh
Rasmussen also plans to deliver a speech at the Tbilisi State University
and to greet Georgian troops which have served in Afghanistan.
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| 3 Nov. '11 | Präsident Saakashvili: WTO-Abkommen mit Russland 'diplomatischer Sieg'
President
Saakashvili said on November 3, that WTO deal with Russia was “a
diplomatic victory”, because for the first time after losing control
over Abkhazia and South Ossetia in early 1990s, Tbilisi would be able to
gain access to information about movement of cargo at those sections of
border.
According to the Swiss-mediated deal between Russia and
Georgia, a private company hired by Switzerland will monitor trade at
the three border crossing points – two of them in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia and third one in Zemo Larsi-Kazbegi border crossing point at
undisputed section of Russian-Georgian border.
Saakashvili said that
initially Russia was strongly against of any kind of international
monitoring of trade; later Russia offered monitoring only on undisputed
sections of the border, outside Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he said,
adding that Tbilisi had immediately rejected both of these proposals.
Saakashvili said that at the later stage of talks Russia agreed to
subject to international monitoring only the cargo moving from Russia
into Georgia via the breakaway regions, but not the cargo whose final
destination was inside the breakaway regions.
“There were five or six
variations of this proposal, but we have rejected all of them in recent
months. In overall there were total of about ten proposals, rejected by
the Georgian side,” Saakashvili said.
Eventually, he continued, the
sides agreed on a proposal developed with the help of the Swiss
mediators. According to this proposal, Saakashvili said, the Swiss side,
“which acts on behalf of the international community”, would hire
“internationally certified monitors” from a private company, who will
report before the Swiss side and the latter will share the information
with Georgia.
“For the first time since 1992-1993 we have achieved a
situation wherein we will receive with the facilitation of international
monitors in permanent regime information about all the cargo entering
into the Georgian sovereign territory,” Saakashvili said, adding that
these observers “will be accountable before the third party and this
third party [Switzerland] will be obliged to provide this information to
us.”
“I believe that this is our diplomatic victory. Of course our
eventual diplomatic and any other kind of victory will be when our
customs service will be deployed on this side of the border [referring
to Abkhaz and South Ossetian sections of border with Russia]… We will
all achieve this,” Saakashvili said.
“But what we achieved today is the first important affirmation what represents Georgia’s customs borders,” he said.
He
said that Georgia would not have resolved the issue of territorial
integrity through these WTO-related talks; he also said that the
eventual deal was also important from the security point of view.
“We
will know what kind of cargo is moving there and it has not only
economic, but also a huge security importance,” Saakashvili said.
He also said that international monitoring was something on which Georgia would not have compromised in talks with Russia.
“I
think that our [Western] partners have also realized it very well, that
Georgia was not going to make even one step back from this very
principle position regardless of whatever one might have said,”
Saakashvili added.
He made the remarks standing in front of Georgia’s
map in the yard of his house in Kvareli. On the map he was explaining
where the monitors from a private company would be stationed to monitor
trade.
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| 3 Nov. '11 | Ivanishvili plant, am 25.11. seine öffentliche Bewegung Georgian Dream zu starten
...
The planned movement is likely meant to be a grassroots movement to
serve as a platform for Ivanishvili’s political activities.
During
his first-ever press conference on November 1, Ivanishvili said that he
would try to rely mainly on “new faces” while building his political
party.
“There will be new faces, maximally as possible,” he said.
Ivanishvili
also said that he would manage to regain his Georgian passport with the
help from the Georgian people and international community.
“I want
to assure you that the Georgian population together with the
international community will manage to force Saakashvili to restore my
Georgian citizenship. But if it fails to happen we have parallel plans,
but the result will be the same in both ways – we will come into power
through elections and change Saakashvili’s government through
elections,” he said without going into details of “parallel plan”.
He
also reiterated desire to cooperate closely with Irakli Alasania's Our
Georgia-Free Democrats (OGFD) and Republican Party, led by Davit
Usupashvili.
Ivanishvili, who in his one of the written statements
last month slammed several political parties as “pseudo opposition”,
also said on November 1, that he wanted to cooperate with parties other
than Republican and OGFD; he did not name any specific political party.
He, however, also made it clear that cooperation did not mean forming a
joint political party or electoral bloc.
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