Грузинское либеральное наступление

Andrei Illarionov

Меня иногда упрекают в том, что в последнее время я слишком много внимания уделяю Грузии.

Я так не считаю.
Более того, я уверен, что уделяю Грузии недостаточно внимания.

Потому что то, что часто и поверхностно называется «грузинскими» темами, на самом деле является темами не только грузинскими, но в не меньшей степени и российскими.
Потому что то, что происходит в Грузии, часто является наиболее яркой и убедительной альтернативой тому, что происходит в нашей стране.
Потому что то, что происходит в Грузии сегодня, дает нам, россиянам, бесценные уроки, и, возможно, показывает нам наш если не завтрашний, то, даст бог, послезавтрашний день.

Georgian president holds talks in European Parliament

Georgian president pays visit to the European Parliament in Brussels. At the meetings held there, Mikheil Saakashvili will discuss Georgia`s integration into the European structures; details of the report by the fact-finding mission into the causes of the Russia-Georgia war and the strategy supporting Georgia. On Thursday, Mikheil Saakashvili attended the session of the European People`s Party, met with European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner. President Saakshvili`s talks with the newly elected president of the European parliament has also been scheduled.

Separatists release 5 Georgian citizens abducted in Kareli district

Ossetian separatists have released five Georgian citizens abducted from Kareli district. The former hostages have already been taken to Gori district. Five gunmen of the Tskhinvali puppet regime arrested five locals in the village of Tchvinisi on October 28. Kako, Tariel, Pridon Kharazishvili and two brothers – Tariel and Pridon Jeiranashvili were arrested, when they were carrying out winter preparation works for their homes. The separatists accused them of crossing the `borders of South Ossetia republic illegally`.

Russian Foreign Ministry comments on detention of 16 Georgian citizens

Russian Foreign Ministry has commented on the detention of 16 Georgian citizens from the village of Gremiskhevi, Dusheti district on October 25. Andrei Nesterenko said, the Georgian citizens were detained by Russian border guards, when they were illegally logging precious species of woods. The RF Foreign minister spokesman said, the detainees have been handed over to the prosecutor`s office and a suit has been filed against them.

Philip Gordon touched Georgia while reporting Obama policy

Philip Gordon, the American assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia touched the territorial problems of Georgia while reporting the Obama administration policy in Washington yesterday. Gordon said the United States would try to reach the resumption of the OSCE mandate on the breakaway territories of Georgia, Abkhazia and S.Ossetia so that its operation did not affect the territorial unity of the country. Gordon called upon Russia once again to comply with the commitments of the ceasefire agreements and like other members of the OSCE, support the resumption of the OSCE mandate in Georgia. Deputy Defense Secretary Alexander Vershbow has also delivered a speech at the same session. Vershbow discussed the chances of Georgia and Ukraine for their membership of NATO and said that their integration into the alliance largely depended on political and military reforms conducted in the two post-Soviet states.

EUMM releases another statement on detention of 16 Georgians

Georgian, Russian, South-Ossetian and EUMM representatives today visited the area where the 16 Georgian citizens were arrested on 25 October and are still detained by SO de facto authorities. The intent of the meeting was to attempt to ascertain the facts and bring the incident to a satisfactory conclusion for all parties. All participants accepted that it is likely that some of the 16 individuals crossed the ABL by less than 100 metres and in all probability between 30 to 50 metres. Although different versions of the event were voiced, it was universally agreed that there was no malicious intent to cross the ABL on the part of the woodcutters. There was also consensus that any action taken against these individuals would be of an administrative rather than of a criminal nature and that there was no need for further investigation.
Conclusions of the meeting were that there was a need for increased co-operation between the Dusheti Regional Police and the RU FSB; the SO and GEO forestry departments in the area would exchange information to prevent further incidents of this nature occurring; SO de facto authorities would inform by 1900 today EUMM on further action to be taken in this case. In addition, RU BG requested that no media release would take place prior to that time.
EUMM considers that the detainees should be released at the earliest possible opportunity and that this incident should be used as an occasion to elaborate a broader framework to facilitate cross-boundary activities for the local population.

Activitis of Russia in 20-th century – document introduced to MPs

A document titled the Activities of Russia in the Twentieth Century has been presented to the MPs today. The presentation of the document will be held in the Temporary commission working on the resumption of territorial integrity. The head of the commission, MP Shota Malashkhia says the document include in details the activities of the Kremlin, the acts of occupation not only in Georgia but in all other states – Moldova, Ukraine, Finland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The document includes the chronology of the Russian aggression and occupation acts. After the presentation, the document will be handed over to universities and other education institutions.

Monitoring group rules out presence of terrorists in Pankisi

The group of MPs, journalists, political analysts and diplomats assert there are no traces of the presence of terrorists in the Pankisi Gorge. The leader of thr Christian Democratic Movement, Giorgi Targamadze said after holding meetings with local population and administration in the villages of the Pankisi Gorge today, that the reports of the Russian authorities about the presence of Al Qaida terrorosts andt he ties of Georgian intelligence with the organization were groundless. The report of the monitoring group will be handed over to international organizations. The monitoring group was formed under the initiative of the parliamentary minority leader after Russian officials voiced allegations regarding the ties of Georgian intelligence with Al Qaida and presence of Al Qaida terrorists in Pankisi Gorge. MPs agreed that they had to inspect the situation in the remote region to convince international society that Georgia has no ties with terrorists.

EU Foreign ministers comment on detention of ethnic Georgians

Foreign Ministers of the European Union member states commented on the October 26 fact of detention of 16 ethnic Georgians in Gremiskhevi village, Georgia’s Dusheti district.

“We hope that the detained Georgians will return to their homes safe and peacefully,” EU foreign ministers claimed. They also condemned any kind of violence, which might make the situation tenser in the region.

Negotiations regarding the released of the detained Georgians are already underway with the Russian occupants. The detained Georgian citizens are now kept at the Prosecutor’s office in Akhalgori region. They are suspected in having crossed the so-called border illegally.

The Georgian citizens were arrested by the Russian occupants in Gremi Gorge when they were collecting fire-wood.

Bzezhinsky reviewed NATO enlargement at Washington Centre of International Affairs

American political analyst Zbignew Bzezhinsky has revised the NATO enlargement and the Russian policy in this regard during the speech delivered at the Washington Centre of International Affairs. The famous expert said that Russia was qualifying the attempts of the former Soviet states to provide more security no their territories by becoming the members of the alliance as the part of `anti-Russian` policy, which was not true.
Bzezhinsky recollected the last year August war in Georgia and said that any country had a right to make chose alliances.

EUMM expresses concern about the recent incident involving 16 Georgian citizens

EUMM expresses concern about the recent incident in which 16 Georgian citizens from the village of Gremiskhevi were arrested by Russian Border Guards whilst cutting firewood in the vicinity of the ABL. A meeting on site between GEO and SO de facto authorities which was scheduled at short notice and which the EUMM was due to attend, did not take place. Therefore, EUMM urges all parties to discuss and settle the matter within the framework of the IPRM. The arrest of the 16 residents of Gremiskhevi seriously affects the daily life of this village. At the same time, the incident reflects the wider problem of activities along the ABL which are likely to increase due preparations for the winter season. EUMM believes the IPRM is the appropriate forum to discuss the matter in order to reach a sustainable solution.

Russian sources say Ecuador may recognize separatists

Ecuador may recognize the sovereignty of the Georgian separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia during a visit to Moscow by President Rafael Correa that begins tomorrow, Vedomosti reported, citing an unidentified Russian Foreign Ministry official. During Correa’s trip, Ecuador may sign a contract for delivery of two Mi-17 helicopters, the Moscow-based newspaper said, citing an unidentified Rosoboronexport official. Ecuador will be the fourth country which recognized Georgia`s breakawy region after Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuella. Arguably, Russia will provide Ecuador with military hardware if the country supports the separatists.

A special group to monitor situation in Pankisi Gorge

A special group of MPs, journalists, political experts and foreign diplomats will arrive to the Pankisi Gorge to monitor situation in the remote region of Georgia, around which Russia has been releasing scandalous reports during the past few days, referring to the alleged ties of Georgian intelligence with Al Qaida terrorists.
The group will inspect the Pankisi and the Truso Gorges to confirm that these regions are not shelters of international terrorists. Christian Democrats have sent special address to Georgia`s foreign ministry, urging the diplomats to inform international organizations and partner states about the potential threats.

Zakaev accuses Russian intelligence of provocation against Georgia

Former vice Premier of the Republic of Chechnya, Ahmed Zakaev asserts that Russian Foreign Ministry plans to hand over the documents to the Un Security Council, as evidence proving the ties of Georgian intelligence with Al Qaida. Zakaev spoke about the plans of Russian FSB with one of the Russian newspapers. He said the statement by the Russian senior official, Bortnikov, who accused Georgian intelligence of cooperating with the Emir of the Caucasus, Doku Umarov. Zakaev believes this statement was the part of the Russian intelligence plan, which aims at destructing small nations in the Caucasus. `This project was prepared since long ago, because they want to turn our liberating movement into the fight against terrorism,` Zakaev said.

Val Kilmer to Join Shootings in Georgia Today

Val Kilmer will join shootings in Georgia today. InterpressNews was informed about it by Renny Harlin’s film crew. Val Kilmer arrived to Tbilisi at dawn today. He will presumably play role of foreign journalists in the film. Andy Garcia played president of Georgia in the film provisionally entitled Georgia.

Military trainings begin on Krtsanisi training field

Georgia and the United States have launched military exercises for Georgian officers, who will be trained for Afghanistan peace mission. The exercises named Rapid Response – is just one part of the program, which aims at supporting the international security in Afghanistan. At this stage of preparation, the Georgian soldiers will be trained for counter-terrorist operations. Georgian peacemakers will conduct counter-terrorist operations in Afghanistan together with their American colleagues. The U.S. diplomats have said they are grateful for participation of Georgia in the peace mission in Afghanistan. The infantry brigade will be sent to the conflict area in a few weeks. The battalion will be deployed to Afghanistan in spring

10-th Session of Georgian-EU Cooperation Council

The council of EU-Georgian cooperation has held its 10-th session in Luxemburg on October 26. According to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Georgian side emphasized the importance of increasing the role of the European Union in promoting security in Georgia, the necessity for honorable and secure return of internally displaced people within the Geneva frameworks and the necessity for working of the EU supervising mission on the occupied territories in order to ensure the full realization of the mission mandate. Issues on cooperation in the frameworks of ‘Eastern Partnership’ and implementation of the action plan of the European neighborhood policy were also discussed at the meeting. The Georgian party expressed once again its readiness to carry out reforms related to the agreement on free trade. The Georgian delegation was headed by Grigol Vashadze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and the European delegation was headed by Karl Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, the current EU chairman country.

Tskhinvali Publishes List of Detainees

The so-called prosecutor’s office of Tskhinvali regime publishes a list of detained citizens of Georgia.
The information was spread by ‘RES’ news agency. The detainees are residents of the village of Gremiskhevi, Dusheti region. They are: Vano Kusrashvili, Davit Papukashvili, Zviad Bizikashvili, Roin Petriashvili, Suliko Kusrashvili, Zaur Bizikashvili, Giorgi Petriashvili, Giorgi papukashvili, Merab Melikishvili, Vitali Tvauri, Guram Saghirashvili, Emzar Gigauri, Alexander Gigauri, Temur Sagirashvili. Two residents of Tbilisi – Levan Tamarashvili and Giga Gvakharia – are also among the detainees. Russian border guards detained the Georgian citizens for crossing the Georgian-Ossetian border illegally on 26 October.

Tskhinvali Accuses Georgian Citizens of Border Crossing

Russian border guards and de-facto authorities of Tskhinvali accuse 16 citizens of Georgia of crossing the Gerogian-Ossetian border illegally. 16 Georgian citizens were detained by Russian border guards at 12:00am on October 25. Merab Chigoev, representative of Tskhinvali regime argues the Georgian citizens were detained close to the village of Salbieri, Akhalgori region, for crossing of the South Ossetian border illegally. Detainees were taken to the town of Akhalgori and handed over to de facto Tskhinvali prosecutors’ office. Mckheta-Mtianeti regional police department is trying to specify details of the detention.

US Defence Department Delegation Visits Georgia

The United States Department of Defence CAPSTONE (Professional Military Education Program) representatives paid a visit to Ministry of Defence of Georgia. According to representatives of the ministry, the purpose of the visit is to get familiar with the current priorities of MoD and Armed Forces development plans. Cheif of the Joint Staff of GAF, Major General Devi Tchankodadze and the Head of J-5 Strategic Planning Department, Col. Nikoloz Janjgava received the official guests at MoD. In the course of the meeting the sides highlighted the issues of Georgian integration into the NATO and general security of the region. The senior officials also focused their discussions on the main trends of the Georgia-US cooperation in the military field.