NEWS: Georgia News Digest 08-04-08

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. Six dead in Georgia standoff
2. video: Night of violence in South Ossetia claims six
3. video: Shooting kills 6 in South Ossetia
4. ‘Relatively quiet’ but tensions remain high in S. Ossetia
5. Security measures tightened in zone of Georgian-Ossetian conflict
6. Breakaway region's security chief says his force killed 29 Georgians troops
7. S. Ossetia returning fire upon Georgian strongholds
8. Peacekeepers' command says Georgia to bear responsibility for crisis
9. South Ossetia hinders work of military observers
10. OSCE Chairman-in-Office condemns Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone violence, reiterates invitation for dialogue
11. South Ossetia accuses Georgia of authorizing attack on Tskhinvali at top level
12. South Ossetia leader talks to Russian TV, slams Georgia, US
13. South Ossetia won’t accept change of existent negotiating format
14. Separatist leader ready to declare "total mobilization"
15. S. Ossetia may order full mobilization, recruit volunteers in N. Caucasus
16. South Ossetian separatist leader threatens to strike Georgian cities
17. Kokoity warns of possible mobilization of troops
18. video: South Ossetia puts troops on high alert
19. Russia urges Georgia, S. Ossetia to stop violence in conflict
20. Moscow calls for restraint in S. Ossetia
21. Russian state TV highlights threat of conflict in Georgian breakaway region
22. Russia says threat of war between Georgia, South Ossetia real
23. Georgia blamed as Russian TV reports on Georgia-Ossetia flare-up
24. Russia denies peacekeepers’ involvement in S. Ossetia shootout
25. Russian DM denies RF peacekeepers attacked Georgian villages
26. RF Defence Ministry describes Tbilisi statement as information provocation
27. Russian airborne troops ready to intervene if needed
28. Georgia's actions against S Ossetia grossly violate Olympic truce
29. video: Russia accuses Georgia of trying to discredit peacekeepers
30. Georgia says peacekeeping format fails to provide security in South Ossetia
31. Georgia urges direct talks with Ossetian separatists, increased OSCE presence
32. Minister, peacekeepers' commander discuss situation in conflict zone
33. State Minister meets chief Russian peacekeeper
34. Minister says ready to visit separatist Tskhinvali
35. Separatists to blame for overnight shooting in South Ossetia
36. Official says peacekeepers involved in Ossetia blast
37. Georgia denies concentrating forces around South Ossetia
38. Georgia rejects reports of troops moving to S. Ossetia border
39. Hundreds flee clashes in breakaway Georgia province
40. 19 buses with South Ossetian children cross Russian border
41. Children, women, elderly leave S Ossetia, head for N Ossetia
42. South Ossetia evacuates children after fighting
43. Russian peacekeepers help evacuate civilians from Georgia's South Ossetia
44. Evacuees from South Ossetia arrive at Russian border
45. North Ossetia's head denies reports of "influx" of refugees
46. Minister dismisses reports of mass evacuations from South Ossetia
47. Police car explodes in targeted terrorist attack in Tskhinvali
48. Police car hits mine in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone, six injured
49. South Ossetia surprised by Georgia blaming it for police bombing
50. N Ossetia determined to help S Ossetia repel Georgia's aggression
51. N. Ossetia pledges help to Tskhinvali ‘to repel aggression’
52. Crowds gather to support Georgia's breakaway republic in Russia's North Ossetia
53. Monitoring of Edisi-Tzkhnivali’s central water passage begins in South Ossetia on 1 August
Abkhazia
54. Sokhumi rejects to meet ‘Group of Friends’
55. Abkhazia says will not attend meeting of UN Group
56. Abkhazia threatens to pull out of UN talks after Ossetia violence
57. Berlin consultations on Abkhazia derailed
58. Minister not surprised at Abkhazia's rejection of Berlin talks
59. UN Secretary General report raised Russian, Georgian interpretations
60. Talking the talk: America lacks resources to change the situation in Abkhazia
61. Bryza meets with Russian senior military, diplomatic officials on Georgian-Abkhaz settlement
62. U.S. seeks peace in Caucasus, with Georgia preserving integrity
63. Tbilisi, Sukhumi should start talks with concluding non-use of force deal
64. video: Abkhazia says no to international police
65. Abkhazia will not allow international police forces on its territory
66. We should fear only direct military conflict
67. Traditionalists host round table on Abkhazian issue
68. Separatist Abkhazia blocks all roads off leading to Gali
69. Abkhazia press summary 29 Jul-4 Aug 08
70. Georgian media representatives will be allowed to enter Abkhazia, only during official visit to Sokhumi
71. New head for UN Mission in Georgia
Foreign relations
72. McCain and Obama both get Russia totally wrong
73. Did McCain's foreign-policy advisor profit from the Iraq war?
from the WSE doucment, p. 21
74. Obama affirms Georgia’s NATO aspirations; Russia’s new doctrine on foreign policy raises questions
75. WTO can place Russia on the right track [excerpt]
76. Reply to Ted Galen Carpenter
77. Deputy Foreign Minister meets U.S. diplomat
78. Georgian parliament offers friendship to Russian Duma
79. Weakness in the midst of Russia’s strength [excerpt]
Minorities
80. Unrest in Georgia: Armenian community concerned over recent uprising
81. Ombudsman to leave for Javakhk to study the situation
82. Javakhk events shattered illusions about 'democratic and Europeanized Georgia'
83. Present-day Georgia has no right to Javakhk
84. Deputy State Minister to get familiarization with problems of Azerbaijanis populated village
85. Georgian authorities have no desire to solve problems on national minorities living in the country
Politics and government
86. Saakashvili is blackmailing west by waging war
87. GYLA calls upon Georgian delegation in CoE to support adoption of stronger convention on access to documents
88. When Georgia's piety is mixed with politics
89. United Opposition will continue struggle for TV Imedi
90. Government will not be involved in president’s election
91. Third official arrested in bribery scandal
92. Election rules set ahead of Adjara polls
93. Rose Revolution's internal struggle may bear fruit for Georgia
Business and economics
94. 50-month poverty reduction program to be ready by middle of August
95. Georgian Railway sells its central office
96. Tender announced on plan of exploitation of hydro-energy potential of Mtkvari and Khrami Rivers
97. Count of hotels and guests
98. Georgian trade policy
99. Tea leaves do what government can’t: New Company finds the right way to sell Georgia
100. Electrical energy development Happening but more needed
101. Epic Elite jet to be certified in Russia first
102. Feasibility study of reconstruction of Marabda-Akhalkalaki part of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway to be revised 103. Budget deficit comes to 1.9% of expenditures in H1
Misc.
104. International large-scale military exercise ‘Immediate Response 2008’
105. MOD officials visited Iraq
106. Georgia Joins NATO codification system
107. No hope for Georgia? ‘Peace’ and ‘civil society’ becoming increasingly theoretical concepts
108. National Cinema Center restores 'Keto and Kote' movie
109. Flashback 2004: The show of shows
110. Russian language enjoying a boost in post-Soviet states: Attitudes more favorable in Georgia [excerpt[
111. Super troopers
112. Tbilisi government marks Street Cleaners’ Day, gives benefits to workers
113. Nostalgic Tbilisi residents want their tramway back
114. Readers react with rage, disbelief to critical travel article
115. Geologist’s body recovered
116. Trial of American lawyer Zeltser may last two weeks, defense counsel says
117. Tbilisi airport evacuated amid brief bomb scare

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