NEWS: Georgia News Digest 08-06-08

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
1. Europe's Caucasian moment
2. Georgia Key to democracy building in Caucasus
3. Abkhaz, South Ossetian leaders discuss latest tensions
4. South Caucasian countries to get technical assistance of EU
5. State Minister rejects rumors about Israel imposes embargo on arm delivery to Georgia
South Ossetia
6. Georgia to meet South Ossetia rebels for landmark talks
7. Georgian minister to hold talks in S. Ossetia to settle situation
8. Representatives of Georgia and South Ossetia to discuss conflict resolution on August 7
9. S Ossetian talks scheduled for August 7
10. Georgia to demand demilitarization of Ossetian conflict zone
11. South Ossetia says no agreement reached on talks with Georgia
12. Tskhinvali denies having agreed to talks
13. Georgian, Russian officials discuss situation in South Ossetia
14. South Ossetia tense after deadly clashes
15. South Ossetia violence signals urgent need for attention
16. Dialogue of artillery
17. Simmering dispute could turn Russia against the West
18. Tiny rebel region brings Russia and Georgia to brink of war
19. video: Russia to act if Georgia-Ossetia row worsens
20. EU supports ‘existing negotiation formats’
21. UN withholds comment on S Ossetia conflict aggravation
22. New internal displacement action plan; tensions in South Ossetia
23. U.S. calls for joint Russo-Georgian monitoring of Roki
24. NATO "not aware" of any Georgia buildup, urges calm
25. Statement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the situation in South Ossetia
26. Statement on current events in South-Ossetia
27. Ukraine says South Ossetia situation shows peacekeeping mechanism ineffective
28. Russian Cossacks to have status of S Ossetian servicemen
29. Russian Cossack commander outlines plans for volunteers in South Ossetia
30. Cossack leader says more "volunteers" to leave for Georgian breakaway region
31. General threatens to "eliminate" North Caucasus fighters in S Ossetia
32. Georgia alarmed by buildup of Russian volunteers in rebel region
33. Georgia denies war plans in South Ossetia
34. Georgia says vindicated by monitoring group report on South Ossetia shoot-out
35. Foreign diplomats, journalists tour shelled Georgian villages in South Ossetia
36. Georgia brings journalists, diplomats to S Ossetia conflict zone
37. South Ossetia suspends evacuation of children
38. Separatist official says South Ossetia to move 5,000 children to Russia
39. Over 800 S Ossetians sent to N Ossetia
40. No drinking water in Tskhinvali
41. South Ossetian officials describe situation in republic on Russian radio, TV
42. Georgia denies alleged violation of Olympic truce principles
43. Georgia blames Ossetian separatists for staging "provocation"
44. Georgia accuses separatists of attacking police checkpoint in conflict zone
45. South Ossetian separatists accuse Georgia of firing on police checkpoints
46. S Ossetian news sites hacked
47. South Ossetian separatist websites hacked
48. Hackers attack Ossetian online editions
Abkhazia
49. Georgia welcomes proposal of European Union on expanding its role in resolving conflict in Abkhazia
50. Georgia welcomes EU offers on bigger role in Abkhazian settlement
51. Learning the Georgian language forbidden in Gali region
52. Separatist minister on reasons for pull-out from Berlin talks
53. Georgian journalists given freedom to enter Abkhazian territory
Misc.
54. Burjanadze ‘alarmed’ over lack of media freedom
55. President praises ‘firm authority’ of Church as Patriarch of Alexandria visits
56. Adjara elections set for October 4
57. MP by-elections set for October 4
58. Chronicles of the “Information Freedom Week”
59. Vague perspective of the “Akhali Droeba” Studio
60. EBRD to issue credit for Vardnilhes cascade rehabilitation
61. Businessman Zviad Sichinava quit financing Premier magazine
62. Georgia brawl costs Israeli player dearly
63. Georgian citizen attempts to smuggle diamonds worth $200,000 to Israel
64. Can the egg cream make a comeback? [excerpt]
65. Svans guarding Tusheti: A weekend with Georgian border guards
66. 11 year-old Jimi Brodzeli swims across Tbilisi Sea with tied hands

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