NEWS: Georgia News Digest 06-19-08

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)

Foreign relations and conflicts
1. NATO Council in Tbilisi to focus on reforms in Georgia
2. Georgia attaches priority importance to NATO Council in Tbilisi
3. Tkeshelashvili hopes Georgia to get MAP in December
4. Building a new Atlantic alliance: restoring America's partnership with Europe
5. Saakashvili, Solana to meet in Brussels
6. Russian official, UN envoy discuss Abkhazia
7. Abkhaz leader wants compensation from Georgia
8. Russia asks Georgia to change its attitude towards Russian peacekeepers
9. Russia creeping southwards on railroads
10. Georgia counts on West to tame Russia
11. So anyone who isn't with us is against us?
12. Khurcha incident, SNAFU - top-down damage control!
13. Russia putting dangerous pressure on Georgia
14. hearing: The Caucasus: Frozen conflicts and closed borders
15. Abkhazia’s state security service investigates railway line bomb explosions
16. Two blasts go off in Georgia's separatist capital, no casualties
17. Abkhazia's state security service investigates railway line bomb explosions
18. Georgia denies reports of new spy drone flights
19. Georgia resumes spy plane flights over Abkhazia, official says
20. Ministry slams Russian remarks on probe into downing of spy plane
21. Load of revenge: Georgian police disarmed Russian peace-keepers
22. video: Georgia releases Russian peacekeepers accused of smuggling
23. Security enhanced for Russian railway troops in Abkhazia
24. ‘No legal ground for returning seized ammo’ – Georgian official
25. Russian military official speaks about illegal detention
26. Police return truck to RF peacekeepers
27. No reasons for returning missiles, ammunition to RF peacekeepers
28. Peacekeeper accuses Georgian police of violent ways
29. Removing Russian peacekeepers ‘reckless’
30. Authorities release Russian peacekeepers but hold their weapons
31. Medvedev tells Georgia leader detention of Russian peacekeepers was 'unacceptable'
32. Abkhazia hosts investment forum
33. Separatists' leader given exclusive interview
34. In Stalin's bomb lab, dreams of preservation
35. Georgian side lifts traffic restrictions in Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone
36. Georgia building fortifications in conflict zone
Politics
37. report: Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections –Unprecedented Brutality and Election Fraud
38. Opposition takes break till autumn
39. Opposition bloc on summer break
40. Political parties check their mailboxes for state financing
41. The only opposition MP attended parliament session
42. Zviad Cheishvili left his post
43. Former Georgian Speaker founds Fund for Democratic Development
44. 100,000 GEL PR campaign for Regional Governor Vardzelashvili
Misc.
45. Gori Court revoked authority of the Public Information Officer
46. Kavkasia TV new web site launched
47. French court granted Irakli Okruashvili with the right to leave the country
48. Lecturers fired from Telavi University as political payback
49. Fired Georgia teachers and political repression over parliamentary elections
50. U.S. troops get ready for exercise in Georgia
51. Former employees of Sighnaghi library demonstrate
52. Flickering electricity meters-a new puzzle
53. Construction workers of Kvakhvreli Public School plan labor action
54. Three men sentenced to 16 years of prison for rape
55. Arrears for Shida Kartli region government, employee salaries and communal expenses
56. “My final hope is Strasbourg court” bath house battles Ministry of Defense
57. People urgently need bridge in Shuagele
58. Prosecutor’s Office protects high-ranking police official who wounds man
59. “I want you to be my mother” – foster child care in Georgia.
60. Nobody cares about employees’ rights in Georgia
61. Kutaisi-2nd Georgian capital
62. Wretched poverty and getting worse
63. Georgian company to assemble US business jets
64. Government works to reduce incomes tax
65. There should be a new Antalya in Batumi
66. Marshutkas become expensive
67. Georgian Public Broadcaster building to be sold
68. Earthquake shakes Eastern Georgia, no casualties, damage reported

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