NEWS: Georgia News Digest 06-23-08

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. Georgia and Abkhazia hold secret talks in Sweden
2. No progress in rare Georgia-Abkhazia talks
3. No results after Georgian-Abkhaz talks in Sweden
4. Georgian, Abkhaz leaders met in Sweden
5. Secret or not, any talks are progress
6. Talks to resume only after pullout of Georgia troops – Bagapsh
7. Medvedev/Saakashvili meeting should yield concrete results
8. Efforts underway to arrange Medvedev-Saakashvili talks
9. Deputy Foreign Minister visits Moscow
10. Georgian, Russian politicians comment on expected meeting of presidents
11. Russia not to use pressure in relations with Georgia
12. Feeding the crocodile
13. video: Medvedev won’t let Georgia offend Russian peacekeepers
14. Georgia defiant after Russian ultimatum on return of seized weapons
15. Russia has mentioned possibility of bloodshed
16. Russian peacekeepers oust Georgian colleagues from check-points
17. video: No invasion: Abkhazian repairs show Georgians were wrong
18. Peacekeepers won't get back missiles without transportation permit – MP
19. Russian troops restore railway in Georgia's breakaway region
20. RF peacekeepers' military assets not returned yet - RF general
21. Russian president backs peacekeepers in Georgia
22. Is this the last warning?
23. Russia warns of bloodshed if Georgia repeats peacekeeper arrest
24. Georgia may outlaw Russian peacekeepers
25. Russia can start military action against Georgia - senior Georgian MP
26. Relations with Russia to improve after joining NATO
27. Tbilisi-Petersburg flight available twice a week
28. Russians name Georgia among most 'unfriendly' countries
29. More than 100 RF peacekeepers died over 14 yrs for peace in Abkhazia
30. video: Moscow’s “tougher response” to Georgia over Abkhazia
31. Green Party threatens Russia with frustration of Sochi Olympic Games
32. Abkhazia holds tactical exercise
33. Separatists carrying on military trainings
34. Abkhaz VP: Force may be needed to regain Kodori
35. Separatist official admits "problems" within Abkhaz government
36. Leader of Abkhazia in France on visit
37. Georgia fines Russian company for doing business in separatist region
38. Gazprom’s move on Abkhazia: More reasons for Georgia to block Russia’s WTO accession
39. EU diplomats visit S. Ossetia
40. EU says will tackle Russia over Georgia conflict
41. Lithuanian president urges EU to press Russia on troops withdraw from Abkhazia
42. EU gives Eastern Partnership green light
43. President Saakashvili will always return empty-handed from Brussels
44. President leaving for official visit to Germany
45. Georgia should conclude a military-political and economic treaty with Azerbaijan
Politics
46. A futile protest
47. Opposition takes summer time out
48. United Opposition to have new leader after summer break
49. Opposition stays outdoors
50. Alasania returns to Georgia
51. Ruling party nominates three more vice-speakers
52. Former speaker to concentrate on newly-created fund
53. Former Georgian speaker to remain in politics
54. Ex-speaker of parliament has the right to be in politics as well as the potential
55. New faction—majoritarians
56. Baghaturia made first statement in parliament
57. Georgian public's political culture is not improving
58. Christian Dems take seats as parliamentary majority play nice with opposition
59. Measuring public engagement in politics
60. Georgia elections debated at PACE
61. OSCE observers reported mass falsifications in Georgia
62. Drivers were rewarded for participating in carousels
Business and economics
63. Georgian government works to expand FTA list
64. Georgian foreign trade experiences dynamic growth
65. 2007 sees increased investment in Adjara
66. Tbilvino completes reconstruction to increase sales and exports
67. Georgian exports increase drastically in 2007
68. Georgia evaluated under two WTI categories only in 2008
69. Government of Georgia plans reduction of term of issue of permits on construction
70. HSBC to commence banking operations in Georgia
71. Construction sector takes a downturn
72. Borjomi consolidates its position in foreign markets
Misc.
73. Imedi owner ready to discuss Badri Patarkatsisvili’s property issues with Inna Gudavadze
74. As battle over dead oligarch’s fortune rages, American lawyer languishes in a Belarus jail
75. Current affairs programme of Georgian public TV closed
76. Kakha Bendukidze met with organization of German technical cooperation
77. Making sense of EU seminar to be held in Batumi for local media and NGOs
78. Defence Ministerial in Brussels: Georgia has distinguished itself by defence reforms and deployability its troops
79. video: ‘It’s a sin!’ Unholy row over play about Georgia’s saint
80. Businessman was killed in Chuburkhinji
81. 24-year-old man was killed
82. Ex-Commander of interior troops beaten in Tbilisi
83. Landslide hindered traffick in Kakheti
84. Amid poverty and unpopular policies, Kazbegi goes its own way
85. Patriarch urges end to prison hunger strike
86. Georgians making more garbage
87. New faculty opens in Caucasus University
88. Twenty-fifth anniversary of the ‘Airplane Case’
89. Tbilisi will buy twin-engine 'Iroquois' in Europe
90. Ajara counts tourists
91. Heavy rain over-floods Poti Port

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