NEWS:

Today's digest is in two parts. Part 1 is general news, and part 2 is the political crisis.

Georgia News Digest 11-05-07
A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies
Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at groups-beta.google.com/group/genews/files

N.b. Headlines in the digest header are now linked to the items, in both the email body and the attached PDF file.

Part One

1. video: Saakashvili on Charlie Rose
2. Georgia successfully implementing political, economic reforms
3. report: Europe, the desired land: Coverage of the European Neighborhood Policy in Georgian print media
4. report: Analyzing the EU-Georgia Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan: Modern benchmarking approaches
5. report: Ungoverned territories: Understanding and reducing terrorism risks [excerpts]
6. In its dealings with Georgia, Russia needs to “grow up”
7. Georgia: A look from within
8. Government launches ‘Georgia will not Step Back’ TV spots
9. A new deal with Russia? It's in the interests of both the west and Russia to seek a grand bargain [excerpt]
10. Russia’s policy towards Georgia is simple – intimidation, blackmail, and pressure
11. Ukrainian model for Georgia: What is to be the deal between Washington-Tbilisi-Moscow?
12. Georgia claims 3 Russian military aircraft violated its air space
13. Georgian airspace not violated
14. Russian frigate passes by Georgian border without notification
15. Department of field support, as complement to peacekeeping, should be coherent, unified, inclusive, [excerpt]
16. Developing Europe's East
17. Georgia successfully implementing political, economic reforms
18. Participants of “Tbilisi Summit 2007” to visit Batumi
19. Interview with Ambassador of France in Georgia his Excellency Mr. Eric Fournier
20. Chairwoman of Swiss national council pays official visit to Tbilisi
21. Georgia unlikely to receive NATO invitation in near future
22. Visit of the representatives of NATO Command in Georgia
23. Georgia hosts “NATO Week”
24. NATO involvement in the Black Sea Region and its possible political consequences
25. NATO centre chief says Georgians back integration plans
26. Council of Europe secretary general in Georgia to attend NATO conference
27. Chief of Defence of Lithuanian Armed Forces visits Georgia
28. An interview with H.E. Atis Slakteris, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia
29. Visit of Estonian Defence Minister in Georgia
30. Visit of Georgian Defence Ministry delegation to Iraq
31. Georgian Defence Minister in Ukraine
32. US Coast Guard rear admiral to visit Georgia
33. The House of Commons Defence Committee at the Georgian Defence Ministry
34. Is pipeline secret agent of influence?
35. video: Breakaway republics to ask EU, UN for independence
36. Georgian policy estranges Russia, complicates settlement process
37. "Provocations" increasing in Georgia, US supports Russian reaction, says general
38. President urges world to help solve Georgia’s "problems"
39. Russian MPs, senators blame Saakashvili for political crisis in Georgia
40. Russia is interested in settlement of conflicts near its borders more than western states
41. Will the Russians go?
42. PACE to discuss Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts
43. De-facto independent countries to ask EU, UN for statehood recognition
44. 3 unrecognized republics pledge joint response to military threat
45. Abkhazia hopes intl community will help prevent war in region
46. Growing provocations registered in Georgia-Abkhazia conflict zone
47. Russia urges Georgia to prevent provocations in Abkhazia
48. 80 kg of caesium seized near breakaway Abkhazia
49. Abkhaz parliament warns intl community of Georgia's aggressive plans
50. Peacekeepers say Georgian account of recent incident "false"
51. Press summary for Abkhazia 30 oct-05 nov 07
52. Those who refuse drug tests will be prosecuted
53. Georgian prisons overcrowded
54. The President of Georgia visits Defence Ministry
55. New squadron hq building opened
56. Harvest day in Akhaltsikhe coincides with USAID’s anniversary
57. Business incubator to teach Sighnaghi entrepreneurs to be viable, freestanding
58. No place for gays: sexual minorities in Georgia face overwhelming discrimination
59. Swiss company takes over Tbilisi water
60. Tkibuli: mining town or ghost town?
61. Molashvili and Mamasakhlisi’s cases to be discussed at conference
62. London–Tbilisi motor rally: biker bichebi to do it again next year
63. “The Man from the Embassy”: Well-crafted Georgian film is well worth paying for
64. Daredevil dancers with folksy ways

Part Two

1. Georgians rally for change
2. Opposition in ex-Soviet Georgia vows to continue street protest
3. audio: Georgia verges on repeat turmoil
4. Georgian opposition going on with protest actions
5. About 200 protesters remained near parliament in Tbilisi last night
6. Opposition gears up for third day of protests as Saakashvili keeps silence
7. More protests vowed as Georgian president rejects demands
8. Patarkatsishvili takes part in rally, leaves for Israel
9. Georgian opposition says police poisoned protesters
10. Poisoned protestors diagnosed alcohol influence and hypothermia
11. Machavariani waits for detailed information about intoxication of protestors
12. Protesters beaten after first day of opposition rally
13. Authorities bringing supporters from regions to Tbilisi
14. Instigators attempt to provoke parliament storm
15. Rally participants to arrange “corridor of shame” outside MIA
16. Saakashvili breaks silence
17. President does not intend to compromise with opposition
18. video: Protests are campaign of lies
19. Reports that Saakashvili intends to leave country denied in Georgia
20. video: Georgia head defiant at protests
21. Poor imitation of “Rose Revolution” occurring in Georgia
22. President accuses Russia of fomenting opposition protests
23. President says opposition forces organizing campaign of lies against him
24. President rejects opposition demand for early polls
25. Davit Zurabishvili calls on police to uproot provocations
26. It is inadmissible when opposition speaks on language of blackmails
27. Opposition’s blackmail unacceptable
28. Rurua links postponement of elections with national security
29. Zhorzholiani deems it is inadmissible to turn concert into subject of controversy
30. Burjanadze meets with chairman of parliamentary factions
31. Opposition wishes to cause destabilization in Georgia
32. Ruling party MP: No compromise on elections date
33. Ruling party leaders say no compromise on elections date
34. Parliamentary majority MP calls for compromise on elections date
35. Three more MPs of ruling majority supported organization of elections in spring
36. United opposition hailed statement of Guguli Maghradze
37. Opposition leaders welcome majority MP's call for early elections
38. Opposition indignant at Saakashvili's interview
39. Saakashvili should make a right decision
40. Opposition evaluates Saakashvili’s statement as inadequate
41. Opposition appeals to majoritary MPs to encourage participants of rally
42. Davitashvili calls on electorate to send petitions to MPs
43. MP goes on hunger strike
44. United opposition likely to meet Nino Burjanadze
45. Georgian opposition explains its demands to U.S. ambassador
46. Salome Zurabishvili asked U.S. Ambassador to act as mediator
47. Representatives of united opposition met with Terry Davis
48. Council of Europe refuses to back Georgian opposition
49. Opposition demands Saakashvili's resignation
50. New Rights Party calls for referendum on elections date
51. “New Rights” offers holding of referendum for releasing tension
52. Daily says Okruashvili back to Georgia from Germany
53. Disappointment in Saakashvili regime growing, Russian expert says
54. Supportive rallies of united opposition held in Europe and USA
55. Kukava accuses Irina Kurdadze of wrong interpretation of Venice findings
56. Opposition: no revenge on Saakashvili, his team
57. What the state of war does to Georgia
58. Former Georgian president warns against "civil war"
59. Shevardnadze's government members support Georgian opposition demands
60. Opposition TV says it has gone off air in several Georgian districts
61. TV reports power outage in much of Georgia amidst rally in Tbilisi

full digest: Georgia News Digest - Ansicht in Groups BetaNeu!

Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, 3a Chitadze, Tbilisi 0108, Georgia (Republic), jonathan.kulick@gfsis.org, office: +995 32 47 35 55, mobile: +995 95 33 33 40, USA voicemail: 310.928.6814