Почему Марина Салье молчала о Путине 10 лет?

2010 год начался со знаменательных дат. 10 лет назад приступил к исполнению обязанностей президента РФ Владимир Путин. 10 лет прошло со дня смерти первого мэра Санкт-Петербурга Анатолия Собчака. И еще одна дата – ровно 10 лет с тех пор, как в глухую деревню Псковской области переехала Марина Салье, бывший народный депутат России, депутат Питерского горсовета. С тех пор она ни разу не встречалась с журналистами.

“Уроки русского” в Париже: Андрей Некрасов о реакциях слушателей

В понедельник в престижной Высшей школе политических наук (Sciences-Po) в Париже состоялся показ фильма Андрея Некрасова и Ольги Конской «Уроки русского» с последующей дискуссией в присутствии режиссера, Андрея Некрасова. Большой амфитеатр был полон, а завершился показ трагического фильма бурными аплодисментами. http://www.rfi.fr/acturu/articles/123/article_5634.asp

Russian dirty Media Manipulation- clip from ” Russian Lessons”

New Year in Tbilisi

Russian journalist discusses situation in Georgia

Russian journalist Yulia Latynina talked about Georgia in her program the Access Code on Echo of Moscow radio station on Saturday. The journalist accented another accusation by the Russian Security Services, according to which Georgia is trainings terrorists for purpose of attacking energy objects of Russia. Yulia Latynina said Moscow needs similar accusations to justify recently intensified terrorist acts. The journalist also stressed the tragedy occurred in the town of Kutaisi of Georgia, when two people died during demolition of the Memorial of Glory. Latynina emphasized, that the Georgian government has detained ten persons and dismissed Governor of Imereti Region in consequence of the tragedy. `As for Russia, when the Nevskiy Express train exploded due to negligence of representatives of special services, the government did not dismiss anyone. Same thing happened during the explosion occurred in the night club. The Russian government has much to explain to the people. Therefore it is easier to blame Georgia for all`, Latynina said. http://echo.msk.ru/programs/code/644066-echo/

Saakashvili: Each family ready to fight for Georgia

New National Guard Department has opened in Tbilisi. Top brass of the National Guard will be deployed in the three-building complex and they will prepare new reservists. According to the reforms carried out by the Defence Ministry, the minimum age for reservists rises to 27. Reservists` groups will be divided into two categories – voluntary and compulsory. Georgian president opened the new building. Mikheil Saakashvili presented main concepts of the National Guard at the ceremony. `Georgia has the army that has passed the most difficult exam`, Mikheil Saakashvili said. He added the Georgian troops have developed as efficient forces. The president said nobody in Georgia should have any illusion that it is only up to soldiers to defend the country and its future, but each family should be ready to protect the country. `Each Georgian man and woman should be ready to fights for Georgia. I mean not only psychological readiness but they should be adequately prepared and equipped to fight for the country`, the president said. Mikheil Saakashvili said Georgia always prepares for peace and wins peace that irritates the enemy. He said, the Georgian people will never give up its homeland and freedom despite all the propaganda and manoeuvres that are carried out in Georgia, and all the people inside the country, who collaborate with the enemy.

Интервью президента Грузии Михаила Саакашвили

ЕКАТЕРИНА КОТРИКАДЗЕ: Грузино-российские отношения. Чего можно ждать в следующем году? Готовы ли вы идти на переговоры с кремлевским руководством, тем руководством, которое существует сейчас?

МИХАИЛ СААКАШВИЛИ: Мы всегда без всяких условий были готовы разговаривать со всеми. Если, конечно, у нас нет никаких препонов для того, чтобы разговаривать, переговаривать, решать конкретные вопросы. Но насколько я понимаю, и российское руководство само заявляет, что оно не желает разговаривать с демократически избранным правительством Грузии. Это выбор их. Я думаю, что это свидетельствует об отсутствии демократической культуры, к сожалению, на этом этапе в высшем руководстве в том смысле, что, не понимая, как можно не уважать демократический выбор соседних народов, я думаю, что это не очень, как бы, отвечает интересам России. Но это им решать – у нас свои задачи, у нас свои проблемы, во-первых.

FSB Defector Describes ‘Amoral’ Conditions In South Ossetia

Twenty-five-year-old Vitaly Khripun, a border guard with the Russian Federal Security Service in South Ossetia, defected from his post on December 21 and has asked for political asylum in Georgia. Khripun was serving in the Java district along the administrative border that has separated South Ossetia from Georgia proper since last year’s five-day war between Russia and Georgia. In his first interview since his defection, Khripun says he was motivated to act by the culture of corruption and cruelty he witnessed in South Ossetia. He spoke to Olesya Vartanyan of Echo of the Caucasus, RFE/RL’s Russian-language programming for Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The interview took place in Tbilisi on December 22.

RFE/RL: Where are you from originally?

Vitaly Khripun: I was born in Ukraine in 1984. Since 1986, I’ve lived in Russia. Well, it was all the Soviet Union back then. In Murmansk.

Russian Foreign Minister comments on Kadirovs

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has commented on the statement by the Chechen president, Ramzan Kadirov. At the briefing held after the meeting with the Abkhazian separatist minister Sergey Shamba, Lavrov was questioned about Kadirov`s interview published in the Telegraph today. He said he had not read the article, however, any kind of aggression was unacceptable for Russia. He said the Russian Security Concept did not imply aggression against other countries and that it was based on initiatives and intensive activities. Lavrov accused Georgian government of being dangerous for the security in the Caucasus. `We see no danger from Ukraine or other countries, however, as for Georgian government, today it really represents danger for the peace and stability in the region. This danger was proved during the war against South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers last year,` Lavrov said. In in interview with the Daily Telegraph online newspaper, Ramzan Kadyrov, a 33-year-old former rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, said Russia should draft new military strategy to resist the United States and other Western powers, which are stoking disorder in the north Caucasus to destroy Russia.

So-called Abkhaz Foreign Minister on return of refugees to Abkhazia

Russian Foreign Minister and so-called Abkhaz Foreign Minister held a joint press conference after their meeting held in Moscow on Thursday. Sergei Shamba talked about return of refugees and said, those who want to return to Abkhazia should know, that they are returning to the other country. `When we started to return people to Gali district, the Georgia authorities publicly said that they were not interested in their returning until they would not have established their jurisdiction there. Today, when Georgia has abandoned the treaty with Russia, there are no more commitments regarding this issue. At this stage, we are holding no talks with Georgia. The Geneva discussion continue, although with no result yet. We are acting according to our interests. We can`t tell people today to return, because they should know that they are returning to the other country. Although the Georgian government tells them that Abkhazia is a part of Georgia`, Sergei Shamba said.

Ramzan Kadirov says the West wants to destroy Russia

In in interview with the Daily Telegraph online newspaper, Ramzan Kadyrov, a 33-year-old former rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, said Russia should draft new military strategy to resist the United States and other Western powers, which are stoking disorder in the north Caucasus to destroy Russia. `Ramzan Kadyrov, a 33-year-old former rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, said that last year`s attack by Georgia, which is a US ally, on the pro-Russian rebel region of South Ossetia was part of a Western plot to seize the whole Caucasus region. `If they get control of the Caucasus, you could say they`ll get control of virtually all of Russia, because the Caucasus is our backbone,` Kadyrov said. `The Russian government needs to work out a strategy, it needs to attack,` the Chechen president said..`…Georgia, South Ossetia, Ukraine, all this will go on and on. It`s Russia`s private affliction. Why should we always suffer if we can eradicate this for good? We are a great power, we have everything – an army, technology. We need to attack.` Kadirov said. President of Chechnya accused the west of provoking last year war in Caucasus.

Georgian side ready to resume air communication with Russia

Russian Federation has sent a special letter to the Georgian United Transport Administration. Moscow appeals to the Georgian side to check up technical side of Airzena Georgian Airlines Company before resumption of flights between the two countries. Representatives of the Georgian United Transport Administration explain that capabilities of the Georgian private air company are well known in Russia. The Georgian side is ready to resume air communication with Russia as soon as possible. `The Georgian company has never faced any problems with technical documents or technical permissions and it has not them now either. From our side, we have done everything to allow a specific Georgian air company that has addressed Russia, to fly. Now it`s up to the Russian Federation`s decision`, Giorgi Bokuchava, the head of the Georgian United Transport Administration said.

Russian soldier asks for asylum in Georgia

The soldier of the Russian occupant army stationed in the village of Perevi, Sachkhere district, Georgia, has escaped from his unit. Dmitry Khrikhev asks Georgian government for asylum. The soldier met with the Minister of Refugees of Georgia to explain the reasons of his decision and ask for help. This is the third soldier of the Russian army since last year, who has abandoned the place of dislocation and asked Georgia for political asylum. Sergeant Glukhov was the first who escaped from the army and since then he lives in Georgia. He complained about unbearable conditions in the army and mistreat from his commanders. Sergeant Artemiev was the second to abandon the division.

NATO demands from Russia to respect Georgia`s territorial integrity

NATO demands that Russia respect Georgia`s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in his interview with Rossiya TV-station. The Secretary General of the alliance said despite the disagreement in some areas, the alliance and Russia should cooperate in security issues. Rasmussen reiterated that Georgia remains the main issues of disagreement between NATO and Russia.
After the secretary general`s interview, official representative of Russia to NATO Dmitry Rogozin was invited to the TV-program. Rogozin said, Georgia and NATO at this stage are too far from integration into the alliance.

Three Georgian teenagers released by Tkhinvali regime

Georgian underage citizens detained by the Tkhinvali regime are now being interrogated in the Gori police division. The three teenagers were released by the Kokoity regime on Saturday. Along with Viktor Buchukuri and Levan Khmiadashvili abducted from the village of Tirdznisi, Gori district on November 4, the occupants have also released Giorgi Archvadze, 16, detained six months ago.
The teenagers were taken to the town of Gori, although prior to it, they were able to meet their family members, who had been waiting for them at the Ergneti checkpoint at the administrative boundary since morning. The family members thanked to everyone who participated in the teenagers` release.
European Council High Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg held talks with separatist leader Eduard Kokoity on Saturday morning. He entered Tskhinvali at about 10 a.m. At the same time ex-Georgian PM Zurab Noghaideli arrived in Tskhinvali as well. They made comments about details of the talks held in the occupied region afterwards.
`This is good news, but the works has to continue. There are more people in detention on both sides and there are also a number of missing people, whose fate we must investigate. So the both sides have agreed that there will be thorough investigations. So I hope this is the first step towards the turning point. There will be now a policy from both sides that individual people should not be victimized because of the political conflict,` Thomas Hammarberg said.
`I held talks on this issue with representatives of the Edinnaya Rossya in the Russian parliament as well as the government. We were quite optimistic, that this decision would be achieved. Today I met with Kokoity. The talks were not actually held, because he said at the very beginning that he would release the three teenagers`, Zurab Noghaideli said.

NATO Secretary General holds talks in Moscow

Anders Fogh Rasmussen`s first meeting with Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow was held on Wednesday. The Russian president talked to the NATO Secretary General about the new European Security Treaty. Dmitry Medvedev explained, similar concepts would allow the world to prevent events like the August war. One of the issues of the agenda was NATO-Moscow cooperation on the Operation in Afghanistan. `Much depends on level of relationships between Russia and NATO. I have recently proposed to create the new European Security Treaty. I know that it is being examined with attention including by our NATO partners. I hope, we will be able to discuss this issue during your being here in Moscow. We hope Russia-NATO relations will become stronger and more productive after your visit`, Dmitry Medvedev told Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Hammarberg to arrive in Georgia from Moscow

The CoE Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg will arrive in Georgia tomorrow and hold negotiations with the occupant regime of S. Ossetia regarding the release of two Georgian minors, who remain in their captivity since November 4. In Georgia Hammarberg will arrive from Russia, where he has already met with the deputy minister of foreign affairs, Grigory Karasin. As the Russian foreign ministry reports, Hammarberg and Karasin discussed the problem of human kidnapping in breakaway Tskhinvali region and the criminal situation in Caucasus.

World`s smallest state recognizes Abkhazia

The tiny Pacific island of Nauru recognized the rebel Black Sea region of Abkhazia on Tuesday, throwing its weight behind a Russian drive to win international recognition for Georgia`s breakaway territories. The island of 14,000 people became the fourth country after Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela to recognize Abkhazia after a five-day war last year between Russia and Georgia over breakaway South Ossetia. Russia`s respected Kommersant daily cited a source on Monday saying Nauru had asked Russia for $50 million for projects on the island, which once made its money from exporting phosphates mined from fossilized bird droppings. `We have established relations with the world`s biggest nation (Russia), and now with the smallest,` Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba told Reuters news agency. Shamba said Abkhazia was lobbying Latin American countries and the Middle East, but the process was `hampered by mighty forces,` such as the United States and European Union.

Will Georgia’s Afghan ‘Surge’ Pay Off?

By Brian Whitmore
For the past year, Georgia has been desperately trying to attract the attention of U.S. President Barack Obama’s White House. It may finally have succeeded.

Georgian officials announced last week that they will contribute two light companies and a heavy battalion — nearly 1,000 troops — to the NATO mission in Afghanistan next spring. Those troops will join 170 Georgian soldiers already on the ground, making the tiny South Caucasus nation the Afghan mission’s largest per capita contributor.

The deployments are part of a surge expected to bring foreign troop levels in Afghanistan to 140,000-150,000. Obama announced last week that the United States was sending an additional 30,000 troops, and turned to NATO allies in search of another 7,000. Georgia, whose own NATO ambitions have been repeatedly frustrated, stepped forward nonetheless.

“Our main message is that Georgia, which is a country under threat, is not just a consumer of security but a frequent contributor as well. I believe our partners understand this,” Eka Tkeshelashvili, who heads Georgia’s National Security Council, tells RFE/RL’s Georgian Service.

Russian envoy addresses residents of Abkhazia

A day before the so-called presidential elections of the Abkhazian occupant regime, the so-called ambassador of Russia to Abkhazia Semion Gregoriyev addressed to the voters of Georgia`s breakaway Abkhazia. Gregoriyev hopes that the Abkhaz people will vote for that candidate in these polls, who will keep on the current political course of the `republic`. Gregoriyev called for peace and quiet at these elections and asserted that Russia was not involved in the polls, even though the delegations of Russian MPs and some non-governmental organizations are already in the occupied area to `monitors the election`. The so-called elections of the president in the occupied region of Georgia will be held tomorrow. Five candidates run in the presidential race; they are the current leader Sergey Baghabsh, Beslan Butba, Zaur Ardzinba, Raul Khajimba and Vitali Bghangba.
The so-called interior ministry of the region works in emergency regime.