NEWS: Georgia News Digest 06-07-08

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

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Archives and associated files at groups.google.com/group/genewsfiles (from February 2008) and groups.google.com/group/genews (before February 2008)

Politics and elections
1. Ruling party gets 119 seats in 150-seat parliament
2. Georgian parliament to convene for its first session
3. Parliament to convene for first session June 7
4. Ruling party MPs gathered in parliament
5. First session of newly-elected parliament opens in Tbilisi
6. Opposition plans for new parliament, refuses to recognize National Party majority
7. Opposition to picket ‘illegitimate’ parliament on Sunday
8. Georgian opposition MPs to boycott parliament
9. video: Protesters gather for Georgian Parliament session
10. Georgia parliament convenes, opposition stay away
11. Opposition calls for rally on Sunday
12. Opposition calls for rally, as date set for new parliament
13. People from regions will come to support opposition on June 10
14. Protesters gathered outside parliament
15. Opposition gears up for ‘large-scale rally’
16. Opposition MP appears in parliament despite boycott
17. Opposition rally disperses
18. Solana meets opposition leaders
19. EU top official urges Georgian opposition not to boycott parliament
20. Diplomats call on parties to ‘ensure parliament meet freely’
21. Christian Democrats to join parliament
22. Christian Democrats set up NGO branch
23. Labor Party vs. own candidates
24. Lack of clarity in opposition plans
25. Indecent proposal
26. Three newly-elected MPs asked to submit records proving they are drug-free
27. France to decide on Okruashvili's extradition in September
28. New Rights emptied their offices in parliament
29. Situation in Georgia regarding practice of human rights and freedom of speech is gravest –Public Defender
30. Why our plane doesn’t fly
31. Foreign Minister to have new deputy
32. Burjanadze is going to make an NGO
33. Vepkhvadze denies Giorgi Targamadze’s meeting with Aslan Abashidze
34. Ombudsman slams authorities
35. Patriarch of Georgian Orthodox Church addresses protesters
36. Bakradze elected as new Parliamentary Chairman
37. Election watchdogs report on District Election Commissions
Georgia-Russia relations
38. President Saakashvili meets with Russian counterpart Medvedev, no breakthrough on separatist conflicts
39. Saakashvili and Medvedev meet, nothing happens
40. Necessary informalities: Dmitry Medvedev debuts at the CIS forum
41. Saakashvili meets Medvedev
42. Lavrov on Saakashvili-Medvedev talks
43. Medvedev-Saakashvili meeting was very constructive – Lavrov
44. Medvedev faces tense talks with Georgian leader
45. Saakashvili outlines terms ahead of talks with Medvedev
46. Georgia does not cherish "excessive illusions" about Saakashvili-Medvedev meeting
47. Medvedev brushes off mediation over Abkhazia
48. Rhetoric on Abkhazia heats up ahead of presidential talks
49. Georgia ready to put out hand of friendship to Russia, President Saakashvili said
50. Trying to break the deadlock: What will the meeting between Georgian and Russian presidents bring?
51. Georgian, Russian presidents discuss ways out of crisis
52. Rally outside Georgian embassy in Moscow
53. Russia warns Ukraine, Georgia over seeking NATO membership
54. Defence Minister advises Russia to follow NATO Secretary General’s recommendations
55. Georgia is warned by Russia against plans to join NATO
56. Brussels steps in to soothe Georgia Russia tensions
57. Euroappeasement: The EU’s answer to Russia’s assault on Georgia
58. A NATO test for Bush
59. Foreign Minister regrets Russian "way of communication"
60. Railroading Georgia
61. The Tbilisi Post
62. Biden/Lugar/Martinez Legislation condemning Russian threats against the Republic of Georgia passes Senate
63. Russian aggression?
64. Softer Russian power: Moscow once extended its reach through schools and language. No more
65. Participation of Russian military personnel in the restoration of Abkhazia’s railway infrastructure
66. Georgia to benefit from Abkhaz railway repairs
67. Russian railway experts arrive in Abkhazia
68. RF railwaymen not to go to Abkhazia to restore local railway lines
69. Russian Railways specialists to join railway troops in Georgia's Abkhazia
70. Restoration of Abkhazian railway crucial to 2014 Olympics
71. Duma concerned about Georgian "hysteria" over railway troops arrival
Drone
72. UAV could have been shot down by Georgia itself - Russian Foreign Ministry
73. Georgia yet to give Russia Abkhazia drone footage
74. OSCE to hold open consultations on downed Georgian drone incident
75. Russian Foreign Ministry responds to UN report on Abkhazia air incident
76. Tbilisi halts unmanned aircraft flights over Abkhazia
77. video: OSCE weighs into Georgian spy plane row
Abkhazia—international views
78. Georgia and Russia: Clashing over Abkhazia ICG Europe Report No. 193
79. ICG program director warns Abkhaz Issue entering 'confrontational' phase
80. Deputy Foreign Minister criticizes ICG report on Abkhazia
81. Georgia hawks favour attack on rebel region-report
82. video: Georgia-Abkhazia row can't be solved without Russia: EU Foreign chief
83. video: EU Foreign chief mediates Georgia-Abkhazia conflict
84. EU foreign policy chief meets with Abkhazian leader
85. EU foreign policy chief visits Georgia to discuss tensions in Abkhazia
86. Solana: Lowering tension is major goal
87. EU Parliament: Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia no longer neutral; mandate must be revised
88. Russia should revoke official ties with Abkhazia, withdraw additional troops from the region, says EP resolution
89. EU links Abkhazia to Sochi Olympics.
90. West ramps up pressure for solution on Abkhazia
91. Czechs express concern at sending Russian forces to Abkhazia
92. Georgia wants EU as guarantor of possible agreement with Abkhazia
93. Georgia hails EU's involvement in conflict settlement
94. Bush to raise Georgia at U.S.-EU summit
95. The President's trip to the U.S.-EU summit [excerpts]
96. Press briefing by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley on the President's trip to Europe [excerpt]
97. Resolution needed in Abkhazia
98. Matthew Bryza: We are trying to develop a peace plan attractive to both Georgia and Abkhazia
99. We are not transferring weapons to the Georgians—Matthew Bryza
100. U.S. welcomes Russia support for Georgia peace plan
101. David Merkel: Defending and diversifying hydrocarbon supplies [excerpt]
102. NATO Chief demands Russia withdraw extra troops from Abkhazia
Abkhazia—domestic views
103. Domestic pressure on Abkhaz president intensifies
104. “Foreign Minister" of Abkhazia holds meetings in Ankara
105. Abkhazia sets forth conditions for resuming talks with Georgia
106. Abkhazia cool to Turkish mediation in dispute with Georgia
107. Abkhaz security official calls changing peacekeeping mandate 'risky'
108. Abkhaz leader presents hard-line stance
109. Abkhazia insists on Russian troops deployment
110. Separatist leader says Abkhazia to keep Russian peacekeepers
111. Abkhazian leader hopes for fruitful dialogue with Tbilisi
112. Abkhazia not to change stance on peace talks with Georgia
113. Abkhazia cool to Turkish mediation in dispute with Georgia
Abkhazia—Georgia views
114. Georgia says troops will stay in Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge
115. Abkhaz will be guaranteed cultural, ethnic rights as part of Georgia – Saakashvili
116. Minister denies agreement with Russia on troops deployment in Abkhazia
117. Tbilisi breaches no agreements in Abkhaz settlement process
118. Russia not to pull out troops from Abkhazia soon
119. Georgia denies troops deployment in Abkhazia agreed with Russia
120. Georgian envoy slams Russia of destructiveness
121. ‘Guise’ of peacekeepers up, time for ‘civil operations’
Abkhazia—Russia views
122. Russia calls for involving Abkhazia in settlement of Georgian-Abkhaz conflict
123. Russia, Georgia eye enclave: U.S. and Europe also have stake in Abkhazia issue
124. Third-term war: Potential Georgian-Russian war over Abkhazia signals siloviki victory, Putin defeat
125. Russia rejects Western mediation in Georgia conflict
126. Russian spokesman rejects NATO head's call to pull out of Georgian region
127. Russia sent more peacekeepers to Abkhazia to bar Georgia from using force – Lavrov
128. Russia begins Sokhumi-Psou highway's rehabilitation works
129. Duma concerned over Georgia's reaction on troops deployment in Abkhazia
130. Moscow blames Tbilisi for all recent "acts of provocation" in conflict zones
131. Georgia, U.S. overreacting to Russian troops brought to Abkhazia – Parliamentarian
132. Russia not stepping up defence near Georgian border
133. Foreign bank accounts prevent war
Georgia-Ukraine relations
134. Ukrainian Defense Minister visits Georgia
135. Ukraine says ready to send its peacekeepers to Georgia
136. Ukraine could send peacekeepers to Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone
137. Ukrainian ex-Minister of Defense considers not necessary to send Ukrainian peacemakers to Abkhazia
138. MP Kuzmuk describes as absurd idea of sending Ukrainian peacekeepers to Abkhazia
139. Lawmaker says sending Ukrainian peacekeepers to Abkhazia inexpedient
140. Kyiv, Tbilisi to jointly develop new types of weapons, says Ukrainian Defense Minister
141. Defence minister says Ukraine, Georgia ready to join NATO
142. Defence minister says Ukraine, Georgia armies "locomotives" for NATO entry
South Ossetia
143. How Kokoyty reinstated premier whom he had sacked
144. Party initiates referendum in Russian republic on unification with South Ossetia


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