Czech PM Says Georgian Conflict ‘Worse’ Than ‘68 Soviet Invasion

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek
August 21, 2008 By RFE/RL

On the anniversary of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, parallels have been made between that event and the current Russia-Georgia conflict. Czech President Vaclav Klaus has stirred debate within the Czech political scene by discounting such comparisons and blaming Georgia and its president for triggering the violence. Oksana Pelenska of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service speaks with the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek for his views on the subject.

Forty Years Ago, The Tanks Rolled Into Czechoslovakia

August 19, 2008
By Jeremy Bransten

A Soviet tank is surrounded by Czechs on central Wenceslas Square in Prague on August 21, 1968.

PRAGUE — Viewed from Prague, the images of Russian tanks streaming into Georgia earlier this month carried inevitable echoes.

Many commentators and politicians around the world have made comparisions to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

“Russia needs to leave Georgia at once,” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during a visit to Tbilisi on August 15. “This is no longer 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia, when a great power invaded a small neighbor and overthrew its government.”

Protest against to Russia

Protest Actions in: Igoeti, Akhalgori, Poti, Zugdidi and more

Traffic limited along Gori-Igoety section of highway

The traffic movement remains limited along the Gori-Igoety section if the highway for the time being.

The Russian tanks and army are stationed in the vicinity of Igoety village of Georgia’s Shida Kartli region. The obligation of pullout from Gori town and admission of Georgian journalists stay unfulfilled as well.

The process of pulling out of Russian troops from Georgia’s territory had to start as of noon on August 18. The pullback is called for under a cease-fire agreement with Georgia.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian Federation’s President told his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in that regard through the telephone conversation on August 17.

US to supply Georgia with anti-missile systems

The United States of America might start supplying Georgia with anti-missile systems.

Joe Lieberman, American Senator, who visited Georgia two days ago, will submit a draft-bill in the US Senate in the nearest future in that regard upon the instruction of George Bush, US president.

Lieberman said stopping Russian aggression against Georgia also served the US national interests.

NATO special envoy arrives in Georgia

Robert Simmons, Special Envoy of the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) arrived in Georgia with a working visit last night.

Simmons arrived to inspect the current Georgian-Russian conflict referred situation and help the Georgian authorities so somehow resolve the crisis.

“NATO supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and state sovereignty,” Simmons stated.

General John Craddock hold press conference

General John Craddock heading up the European Commandment of the US Army arrived in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi earlier this afternoon. He has already met with Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili. The two talked about the military cooperation related issues and the humanitarian relief that arrived and will be further delivered for Georgia.

The American General is also scheduled to hold meetings at the Georgian Defense Ministry and visit IDPs from Georgia’s conflict zones and other towns. The Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore accompany Craddock of his Georgian visit.

The Russian Federation undertook to restrict freedom of movement for the diplomatic corps throughout the territory of Georgia

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

On 21 August 2008 the Embassy of the Russian Federation to Georgia sent a Note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. The Note, in particular, indicates: ‘in order to arrange civilized movement throughout Gori for the delegations and persons intending to arrive or already present in Georgia and planning to travel to Gori, the Embassy requests advance notification on any such travel plan, delegation members, travel objectives and duration, transport vehicles and itinerary. In the given situation the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation must obtain such information in order to give respective instructions to the peacekeeping command, which will further ensure unhindered movement’.

Paris blasts ‘unacceptable’ detention of envoy at Russian checkpoint

France said Thursday it was “unacceptable” that its ambassador to Tbilisi was blocked for three hours at a Russian checkpoint near the Georgian town of Gori.

“It is unacceptable that the freedom of movement of our ambassador has been curtailed. We have said this to the Russian authorities,” said a French foreign ministry official.

The ambassador, Eric Fournier, was blocked Thursday as he returned to Tbilisi after visiting a French-funded military training centre in the mountains of northern Georgia, the ministry said.

Georgia: Civilians Killed by Russian Cluster Bomb ‘Duds’

More Attacks Confirmed; Unexploded Ordnance Threatens Many

(Tbilisi, August 21, 2008 ) – Georgian and Russian authorities should take urgent measures to protect the civilian population in Georgian villages from unexploded ordnance left by Russian attacks, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch researchers documented additional Russian cluster munitions attacks during the conflict in Georgia, refuting Russia’s earlier denials that it used the weapon.

Russian citizens return home via humanitarian corridor

Over 250 citizens of Russia who had been visiting Georgia on a business trip or vacations with relatives have returned to Russia via the humanitarian corridor which was organized by the South Ossetia provisionary administration. The corridor was opened on the Larsi exit-point, Nonrth of Georgia bordering Vladikavkaz.

Russian Federation’s embassy in Tbilisi provides no help to its citizens. Chairman of the provisionary administration Dmitry Sanakoev was personally involved in the process. Russian citizens will be taken accross the boder in minibusses. Most of them had travelled to Georgia illegally via the Rokki Tunnel.

Provisionary administration pledges to assist Russian citizens travelling to Georgia illegally to return home.

Washington to assist Georgia with antitank, antiaircraft missiles

Washington plans to assist Georgia with anti-tank and anti aircraft missiles – the proposal will be discussed by the U.S. senate in near future. U.S. senators told journalists about the new proposal before their departure to Tbilisi.

Joseph Liberman and Lindsay Graham defined that these equipments would help Georgia to stop Russian aggression and reinforce defense.

Russia blocks Georgia’s main port city

POTI, Georgia – Russian forces blocked the only land entrance to Georgia’s main port city on Thursday, a day before Russia promised to complete a troop pullout from its ex-Soviet neighbor.

Armored personnel carriers and troop trucks blocked the bridge to the Black Sea port city of Poti, and Russian forces excavated trenches and set up mortars facing the city. Another group of APCs and trucks were positioned in a nearby wooded area.

Russian Military Forces Remain Stationed in Villages of Perevi and Jria, Sachkhere Region

The situation in Sachkhere region is invariable. 2 military vehicles about 50 militants are still stationed in the villages of Perevi and Jria.

Erik Fournier, the ambassador of France to Georgia arrived in Sachkhere region yesterday and is still there.

As InterpressNews was reported by Zurab Tsertsvadze, the governor of Sachkhere region, the ambassador held meetings with the local government and talked to the locals.

Russian occupants arranged checkpoints in the villages of Perevi and Jria yesterday, August 20.The village of Jria borders Java region controlled by Ossetians.

Russian Military Units Stationed in Gori at Moment are Recruited with Ethnic Chechens

Russian occupant units, stationed in Gori at the moment, are recruited with ethnic Chechens.

As InterpressNews was reported in the press centre of the regional administration of Shida Kartli, Russian units left the territory of Gori on August 20 at 21:00pm, but their positions were maintained by new sub-divisions.

As the militants declared to the local government, they come from Chechnya, and serve in the Russian army.

Russian barbarous bombing results