Georgians Protest Russian Occupation In West Of Country

CHKHOROTSKU, Georgia (AFP)–About 1,000 Georgians protested Friday outside a Russian army encampment in western Georgia, calling on soldiers to leave the country.

The crowd approached to within a couple of meters from the barbed wire fence encircling the Russian position at the village of Chkhorotsku, east of the town of Zugdidi.

However protesters remained peaceful and although soldiers shouted at them to get back, they didn’t use force.

“We are not enemies of Russia, but we want the troops out,” a speaker told the crowd over a public address system.

The President Comes To Poti

For the first time in weeks, there are people on the streets, and some of them even look happy. It’s all because President Mikheil Saakashvili has paid a visit to Poti, and the town suddenly feels it hasn’t been forgotten.

The announcement of the president’s visit came on short notice and created a buzz among journalists and the local administration. His first destination was the seventh pier of the Poti port — the first spot that was hit by Russian bombs when the conflict began three weeks ago. Saakashvili’s comments there were brief, but very direct in condemning Russian aggression.

Office of State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration Declares Agreement ‘On Ceasefire and Separation of forces’ from 14 May 1994 Null and Void

The InterpressNews was reported regarding this from Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration.

Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration released the special statement on August 29 regarding the mentioned issue.

The InterpressNews news agency, is offering a full text of this statement without changes:

‘Pursuant to the regulations of Georgian Parliament ‘On peacekeeping forces, deployed on the territory of Georgia’, from 18 July 2006 and ‘On the occupation of Georgian territories by Russian Federation’, from 28 August 2008, and in line with 27 August decision of Georgian Government, State Minister’s Office declares agreement “On ceasefire and separation of forces’ from 14 May 1994 null and void.
At the same time, Georgian government reiterates commitment to the six point ceasefire agreement brokered by the French President Nikolas Sarkozy and considers it as the only existing agreement in force in relation to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region’’.

Overview of Satellite Damage Assessment Georgia

We hope these maps are useful to the humanitarian community. Please select your area of interest below and see what free products exist. These maps have been produced or facilitated by UNOSAT from public sources. We ask you to kindly credit UNOSAT and/or the original source if this information is used in a report, project etc.

Additional products including satellite images (for example from Ikonos, SPOT, LANDSAT or ENVISAT) and thematic maps (for example land cover, digital elevation models (DEMs) and environmental change analyzes) can be provided by UNOSAT on request.

UNOSAT_GEO_Gori_Damage_Overview_19aug08_Highres.pdf (4.0MB) 

Irakli Alasania – Russia against International Civilized Principles

By recognizing of independence of Georgian conflict regions, Russia has broken all international agreements implying defense of human rights and not to interfere in other countries internal affairs. This was reported by Irakli Alasania Georgian Ambassador in UN at the session of UN Security Council yesterday, on August 28.

According to him, by this step Russia has violated UN resolutions, which provide inviolable of the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

‘By this step Russia has proved once more that it is against the international civilized principles, including UN values. Recognizing independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia is absolutely illicit’, mentioned the representative of Georgia.

White House spokeswoman: we are going to continue to press

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino has stated `We also are very concerned because Russia continues not to be in full compliance with the agreement that it signed on to just two weeks ago`.

`And so we are going to continue to press. There will be consequences for Georgia, and I think that they — I’m sorry, consequences for Russia — and I think that this isolation that they are feeling throughout the world towards them is just one of those consequences, and there will be others`, Perino pointed out.

Sensational accusation of Vladimir Putin

Sensational accusation of Vladimir Putin. During exclusive interview with CNN prime minister of Russia has stated that conflict in South Ossetia was inspired by United States.

According to Vladimir Putin’s opinion, there is serious suspicion that recent conflict in Georgia was in favor of raising rating of one of the U.S. presidential candidates. Russian prime minster also stated that U.S. military instructors were present on battlefield and they were helping Georgians in provocation of the conflict.

Georgian foreign minister addresses OSCE Permanent Council

The OSCE Permanent Council assembled to hold an extraordinary session to discuss the Georgian-Russian conflict and the Georgian Foreign Minister Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili addressed members of the OSCE Permanent Council.

While delivering her speech Tkeshelashvili said: `OSCE has been very prompt in responding to the realities of the situation. The Chairmanship has been instrumental in facilitating the ceasefire agreement, and at the same time has committed itself for the monitoring and assurance of the implementation of the ceasefire as well.`

Tkeshelashvili also pointed out: `modalities for the remaining military monitoring officers to be deployed by the OSCE Mission to Georgia have to be adequate to meet the needs on the ground`.

Georgia disrupts diplomatic relations with Russia

Georgia is disrupting all diplomatic relations with Russia. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has launched executing the recent resolution adopted by the Georgian parliament.

Disruption of diplomatic relations means the denunciation of the 1992 Georgian-Russian signed agreement. Not a single Russian diplomat will work in Georgia as of today. The Georgian Consulate and Embassy of the third country will defend Georgia’s interests in the Russian Federation.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry is already holding consultations with representations of third states in that regard.

Human Rights Watch reports on ethnic cleansing in Georgia

Human Rights Watch, international organization report about ethnic cleansing in various villages of South Ossetia, Georgia’s breakaway region, which was recognized as independent state on August 26 by Russia.

The organization’s researchers in South Ossetia on August 12, 2008, saw ethnic Georgian villages still burning from fires set by South Ossetian militias, witnessed looting by the militias, and learned firsthand of the plight of ethnic Ossetian villagers who had fled Georgian soldiers during the Georgian-Russian conflict over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.