NEWS: Georgia News Digest 07-04-08

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)

South Ossetia
1. video: South Ossetia threatens Georgia with retaliation
2. video: Shelling reported in Georgia’s breakaway region
3. South Ossetia shelling – business as usual
4. Rebel Georgia region mobilises forces after shelling
5. Ossetian envoy in Russia blames Georgia for attack
6. Ossetian separatists closed road to Tskhinvali
7. South Ossetia alerts all forces after hour-long shelling of capital
8. Ossetian separatists say Georgian peacekeepers left before shelling
9. De facto South Ossetian authorities blame Georgia for explosion
10. Separatists' attack repelled
11. Georgia denies deployment of additional troops in breakaway South Ossetia
12. Georgian commander warns separatist leader
13. Georgia warns against deployment of military hardware in conflict zone
14. Kokoyty preparing for third term. Moscow does not have real candidate to replace Kokoyty
15. Russian army, police join border guards to repel "attackers" in Ossetia drill
16. Russian peacekeepers unable to establish peace
17. Moscow insists on urgent meeting of Joint Control Commission
18. Russia accuses Georgia of open aggression
19. Russian MFA: attack on Sanakoev’s convoy ‘staged’
20. Security Council says Sanakoyev's authority increases
21. Tbilisi backed leader says criminals among Ossetia's separatist leadership
22. OSCE chair concerned over 'growing tensions' in S. Ossetia
23. CoE chief concerned over S. Ossetia tensions
24. Abkhazia vows to step in if Georgia attacks South Ossetia
25. De facto Abkhazia will not stay inactive
Abkhazia
26. Georgia, Abkhazia and Russia: Tales from the Black Sea
27. Russia urges Georgia to halt clashes in regions
28. UN team to visit Tbilisi, Sokhumi
29. Abkhaz Foreign Minister meets UN Envoy
30. Abkhaz blocked Tbilisi's peace initiative
31. Lavrov calls on Tbilisi to sign treaty on non-use of force
32. Russian Deputy Foreign minister visits Tbilisi
33. OSCE warns Russia against jeopardizing Georgia sovereignty
34. Russian Railway Troops report on Abkhaz repair work
35. Is Moscow delivering Mig-29s rejected by Algeria to Sokhumi?
36. War in Abkhazia becomes inevitable: The Kremlin continues to test Georgia
Foreign relations
37. Where does GUAM go?
38. GUAM: An international organization without perspective?
39. History Shows: What was impossible in February can become possible in November
40. Georgia is in awkward situation
Politics and government
41. Activities of “Multinational Georgia” on the day of elections and the assessment of the polling results
42. Results and implications of the parallel vote count in the regions of ethnic minority residence
43. Opposition nominated Vice Speaker, Deputy Chairs
44. Proposal to cease state funding for five opposition parties
45. Department for Execution at the Justice Ministry of Georgia to be reformed as the National Bureau for Execution
46. Central bank under fire for job cuts
47. OSCE Mission signs memorandum of understanding with Georgian Defence Ministry
Business and economics
48. IMF to downsize its office in Georgia
49. Real GDP growth in Georgia made 9,3% in the first quarter of 2008
50. In the first quarter 2008, deficit of the current account of the balance of Payment of Georgia totaled $723,1 million
51. Subsidiary of Bank of Georgia announces launch of micro and small enterprise lending program in Ukraine
52. Fine amount for illegal operation in the conflict zones of Georgia to be increased to up to gel 1 million
53. Gazprom reached agreement on start of talks on the terms of purchase of Azerbaijani gas
54. President promises rural agriculture revival
55. Cheap credit for khamsa fishery
56. Health insurance: Views of the insurance market

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