NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-16-08

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

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Abkhazia news
1. General Assembly adopts resolution recognizing right of return by refugees, IDPs to Abkhazia, Georgia
2. Officials hail UN resolution on return of displaced persons to Abkhazia
3. Russia criticizes UN resolution on Abkhazia
4. video: Breakaway region dismisses UN backing for Georgian refugees
5. video: UN backs Georgia on return of refugees
6. Russian Air Force commander backs idea of Abkhazia military base
7. Russian air defense chief on base in Abkhazia
8. Russian Air Force commander backs idea of Abkhazia military base
9. Top general denies Moscow military base plans for Abkhazia
10. Russia can deploy bases in Abkhazia only after recognizing its independence
11. Russian Air Force once again denies shooting down Georgian drones
12. Georgia officially demands revision of CIS peacekeeping format in Abkhazia
Georgia-Russia relations
13. Russian general offers compromise to resolve troop-limit stalemate with NATO
14. NATO gives Georgia free military assistance - Russian Defence Ministry
15. NATO pursues policy of military assistance to Georgia – DefMin
16. Western military aid to Georgia destabilizes region - Russian ministry
17. Military ties with other states is Georgian sovereign right
18. Russian general offers compromise to resolve troop-limit stalemate with NATO
19. Russian MoD releases data on Georgian armament
20. Tbilisi says Moscow has ‘outdated’ data on Georgian military
21. Information spread by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation on Georgian Armament
22. Georgia criticizes statement by Russian Navy's commander
23. Russian journalists used as channel for Tbilisi Moscow contacts
24. Russian enemy number one: Georgia?
25. Russia detains alleged spy working for Georgia
26. video: FSB catches Georgian spy
27. FSB blocks activity of Georgian spy in south of Russia
28. ‘International crisis’ over Abkhazia
29. Remote valley, heart of Georgia-Russia conflict
30. Abkhazia-Georgia residents living on the edge
31. Georgia warns Russia against sending more troops to S. Ossetia
32. Explosive device went off in Georgia-Ossetia conflict zone
33. Peacekeepers' deployment in South Ossetia must be coordinated with Georgia - Georgian Defense Ministry
34. Only CIS heads of state can change peacekeepers' mandate in Abkhazia
35. Tbilisi proposes holding conference in Moscow on Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflicts
36. Russia, US for urgent de-escalation of Georgia-Abkhazia conflict
Conflicts—international
37. The President of Georgia met the representatives of EU countries
38. Steinmeier, in Moscow, brings no deal
39. EU official says events in Abkhazia "demonstrate dangers and the need to act"
40. NATO to speak of Abkhazia, Russia of CFE treaty in Brussels
41. Brzezinski advises Tbilisi to avoid steps destabilizing situation in Abkhazia
42. Poland says Georgian rebel regions' actions unlawful
43. Ukraine asking Russia to show tolerance and not aggravate talks on Georgia issue, says Yuschenko
Conflicts commentary and analysis
44. Bluster, bathos permeate Georgia’s war of words against Russia, Abkhazia
45. The Kremlin went down to Georgia: Our friends in the Caucasus need help
46. Gather round the gorge: The outside world can help deter both Russian bullying and Georgian vote-rigging
Politics and elections
47. Exit polls planned despite protest
48. Parliamentarians from 22 nations to monitor Georgian election
49. Observers from 49 international organizations to monitor Georgian elections
50. report: 100 days of progress in Georgia’s electoral process
51. Odishi TV company denies accusations of the Georgian politics
52. Georgia: Democratisation 2.0
53. The National Movement is afraid it will not have a majority in the new parliament
54. Davit Usupashvili: If we win the elections, the post of governor will be abolished
55. Social House opens in Tbilisi
56. Last pro-opposition TV channel goes off-air
57. Industrialists focus on majoritarian contest
58. Republican candidate out of race in favor of nine-party bloc leader
Misc.
59. Financial oversight agency starts working in Georgia
60. Prime Minister to meet businessmen in Rustavi
61. Commencement meeting on the occasion of opening of Black Sea terminal in Kulevi to be held tomorrow
62. EBRD to provide $35 million credit line for funding of the energy efficiency projects
63. $60 million to be spent for reconstruction of the highway Vaziani-Gombori-Telavi
64. Joseph Kay’s lawyers deny that the court forbade Kay to manage Badri Patarkatsishvili’s property
65. Calculating the costs of empire [excerpt]
66. Two Georgian citizens arrested at Egypt-Israel border

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