NEWS: Georgia News Digest 07-28-08

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)

Abkhazia
1. US calls for Abkhazia peace talks without preconditions
2. US diplomat in Abkhazia to arrange peace talks
3. U.S. has own unadvertised Georgian-Abkhaz settlement plan
4. US diplomat urges Abkhazia to attend peace talks in Germany
5. US diplomat urges Georgia, Abkhazia to start "direct dialogue"
6. US diplomat hopes to "persuade" separatists to attend talks in Berlin
7. Meetings in Georgia's Abkhazia "constructive"
8. Abkhaz leader, US diplomat discuss Georgian-Abkhaz settlement
9. Controversy over U.S. diplomat’s ‘troops pull out’ remarks
10. What did Bryza actually say?
11. Georgia can count on Germany: Germany believes Abkhazia is an inseparable part of Georgia
12. Steinmeier's mission: To resolve the conflict or to defuse the crisis?
13. Ambassador discusses Abkhaz possible participation in Berlin meeting
14. Pundit urges Abkhazia to attend conflict settlement talks in Berlin
15. Russia to start railway forces pullout on July 30
16. MPs assess Russian minister's statement
17. Abkhaz official rejects talks in Berlin
18. Abkhazia doesn't mind Friends to Georgia meeting, discontent with timing
19. Abkhazia insists on fulfillment of its conditions
20. Russia playing "simple game" in Georgia's breakaway regions
21. Sukhumi ready for talks with Tbilisi after troop withdrawal from Kodori
22. Abkhazia repeats demands for resumption of talks with Georgia
23. Separatists insist on pulling out troops from gorge
24. Tbilisi favors 'internationalizing' Georgian-Abkhaz settlement
25. Alibi for Gazprom
26. Abkhazia press summary
27. Abkhaz police officers beat down Georgian citizen to death
28. Abkhaz police kills elderly Georgian in Gali district
29. Gali diary
South Ossetia
30. Blast kills one in Tskhinvali
31. Peacekeepers claim Georgian drone overflight in S. Ossetia
32. Peacekeepers register unmanned aircraft flights over Georgia's South Ossetia
33. Aircraft spotted over Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone
Foreign relations
34. Statement of Senator Obama on tensions in the Caucasus region between Georgia and Russia
35. Obama and the German question [excerpt]
36. A change election abroad, too [excerpt]
37. More reports from Russian TV on Caucasus 2008 military exercise
38. Rally held in front embassy
39. Russia behind Georgia cyberwar?
40. Russians negative about Georgia, indifferent to Saakashvili
41. Armenia misses the trans-Caucasus train
42. Yerevan says ethnic Armenians facing "political persecution" in Georgia
43. Consul General in Trabzon Mikatsadze meets Erzurum governor
Politics and media
44. Georgian opposition bails
45. Amendments to party financing and the impact on Georgia’s democracy
46. Opposition party activist arrested in Georgia
47. Georgia seeks extradition of ex-governor from France
48. What will happen to the media?
49. Batumelebi newspaper to appeal to Adjara Regional Prosecutor’s Office
50. Rezonansi demands facts of journalists’ harassment to be investigated and offenders to be held responsible Business and economics
51. Business sector to save USD 90 million every year
52. NBG to allocate regular issue of bonds under governmental debt
53. Trout-keeping farm opened in Borjomi with MCG funds
54. The iron silk road advances further
55. Saakashvili speaks about importance of railway
56. Energy Ministry announces tender to develop scheme for hydraulic-power potential in Kur and Khrami Rivers
Misc.
57. The empty frame: Reclaiming Georgian cinema’s legacy
58. Brigade general visits Ganmukhuri
59. Ex-Priest released from jail
60. Tbilisi’s River Mtkvari slow to develop
61. Giving children their right to be citizens
62. USAID opens new office and celebrate 15 years in Georgia
63. Ancient text returns to 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