NEWS: Georgia News Digest 06-16-08

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.google.com/group/genewsfiles (from February 2008) and groups.google.com/group/genews (before February 2008)

Foreign relations
1. NATO Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning press conference
2. NATO raises Georgia at meeting with Russia
3. Russian envoy argues with NATO ahead of ministers' meeting []
4. Georgia not to take part in talks on Russia's WTO membership
5. Georgia will not take part in another round of talks on Russia's entry to WTO
6. The EU’s reluctance to match its words with deeds
7. When will Georgia be closed to Luzhkov?
8. video: Mikhail Troitskiy interview
9. video: Aleksey Kuzmin interview
10. What new Commander of Russian General HQ plans for Georgia
11. Russia aspires to control BTC pipeline by violating stability in Georgia
12. Without illusions
13. Georgia – Russia and Europe’s view on this relationship
14. Old Europe and the ABCs
Abkhazia
15. Georgia accuses Russia of opening military base in Abkhazia
16. Russia rejects reports of new military base in rebel Abkhazia
17. Tbilisi does not trust Putin. Premier says that he likes Saakashvili's plan and advises us to talk with Abkhaz
18. International flights to Abkhazia would break agreements
19. Peacekeeper goes AWOL in Abkhazia
20. Runaway Russian peacekeeper found on Georgian-controlled territory
21. Separatists award war veterans
22. Attempted subversive act against Russian troops prevented in Abkhazia
23. Moscow claims ‘terrorist act’ against its railway troops thwarted in Abkhazia
South Ossetia
24. video: Shooting reported in South Ossetia
25. Georgian policemen block roads in Ossetian conflict zone
26. 8 wounded in clash between Georgian, local forces in breakaway province of South Ossetia
27. Georgia, breakaway South Ossetia trade accusations of night fire
28. video: More gunfire on border following death of policeman
29. South Ossetia accuses Georgia of blockading its citizens
30. Georgia, separatists trade accusations over South Ossetia shooting
31. Georgian teenager killed in blast in conflict zone
32. Peacekeepers, OSCE observes come under fire in Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone
33. Situation in Ossetian conflict zone calm
34. Separatists accuse Georgia of placing mines in conflict zone
35. Tbilisi denies its involvement in attack on Tskhinvali
36. Separatists accuse Georgia of placing mines in conflict zone
37. Tskhinvali media vs. OSCE
Politics
38. Christian-Democrats and parliamentary majority reach agreement on memorandum
39. Republicans criticize Christian-Democrats’ memorandum
40. video: Opposition quits Georgian parliament
41. Twelve Georgian opposition MPs quit parliament
42. Opposition members give up mandates in protest at "rigged" election
43. Party welcomes opposition's decision to give up mandates
44. Government talks continue as opposition bloc shows wear
45. When boycott had sense it didn't take place
46. Opposition leader not to enter "illegitimate" parliament
47. Authorities, opposition may form coalition government
48. Georgian speaker calls ‘erroneous’ refusal of 12 to accept parliament seats
49. Labourites will not refuse from their MP mandates
50. Ruling party condemns opposition annulment of MP mandates as ‘wrong’
51. Ex-member of opposition coalition joins the parliament
52. Speaker critical of Georgian opposition's boycott of parliament
53. President gets Armenian-advisor
54. Opposition politicians call on government to act over prison strike
55. Subeliani will be again a minister
56. Ministers are going to be replaced again
57. Devil divides and God unites!
Misc.
58. Military battalion to become fully operational soon
59. Terrorist attacks against Georgian military intensifies in Iraq
60. Georgia not to reduce its peacekeeping presence in Iraq
61. Azerbaijani woman goes on hunger strike in Georgian jail
62. video: Women starve over prison conditions in Georgia
63. Will GazProm buy Georgia?
64. Fuel prices creep up again
65. Stable gas supply from Azerbaijan
66. In Tbilisi, a battle over buildings fires investment debate
67. Can bridges in Georgia bear long?
68. GNCC to endorse draft code of conduct in July
69. Georgian blogosphere assessed
70. Georgian attorneys visit Atlanta to train in jury trials
71. report: Analysis of the “50-day Program” of the Government of Georgia

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