Monday, September 29, 2008

NEWS: Georgian News Digest 09-29-08 (pdf)

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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)

Russia-Georgia, conflict, and international
US politics
South Ossetia and Abkhazia
Domestic

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

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-26-08

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A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at
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Russia-Georgia, conflict, and international 
    News
    Opinion and analysis
South Ossetia and Abkhazia
Domestic
    IDPs

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

Thursday, September 25, 2008

TBILISI: Music Festival "Voices Against Violence" In Tbilisi - Organized By Lado Burduli.






Photos by Ralph Haelbig

In the later afternoon on the 21.09.2008 started in Tbilisi the first Music Festival "Voices Against Violence". This Festival was organized by Lado Burduli. He told me that there meet bands and singers from the two south caucasian countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and made a concert together against the conflict, against the war and for peace. Lado Burduli looks for support and he will organizing the second festival in the end of octobre. Lado Burduli wish that also music groups from other countries comming there. He can offer a stage, a flat, food and the georgian hospitality.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Refugees In The Georgian Village Karaleti Near Gori. By Gela Bedianashvili

22.09.08
When the Russians started to enter the Gori and started ocupating the georgian villages. for that time when we tried to make these pictures (fith my friend peter) there steel were the Russians miitary forces, and they don't let to pass any journalist or photographer ion the vilage so we had to make round and enter the village from the back side.
And we even could not work from the streets and we had to get in the house and move from the gardens behind houses

As the residents of the vilage say they don't have problems with soldiers one woman said that during that war she did not left the house and when the russians were coming into the village she sow haw they were burning the houses and as she says by speaking they guys who burnt that houses were Osetian separatists, and russians.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

IBERIAPRESS: Why McCain Loves Misha (iberiapress.net)

ლინკოლნ მიჩელის შეფასებით, ვაშინგტონში ქართული დემოკრატიის ხარვეზებისადმი ტოლერანტობის მიზეზი, ნაწილობრივ ის არის, რომ სააკაშვილი - ახალგაზრდა, დასავლეთში განათლებამიღებული პრეზიდენტი - თავისუფლებისა და დემოკრატიის ენაზე ლაპარაკობს, ეს კი დადებით რეაქციას იწვევს ვაშინგტონში.


NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-24-08 (pdf)

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A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at
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Events and official interviews, statements, and press conferences
International organizations
Russia-Georgia
South Ossetia and Abkhazia
Domestic


Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation f
or 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

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-23-08 (pdf)

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A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at
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Events and official interviews, statements, and press conferences
Russia-Georgia and conflict—news
Russia-Georgia and conflict—opinion and analysis
South Ossetia and Abkhazia
Domestic

Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation f
or 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

Monday, September 22, 2008

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-22-08 (pdf)

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A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at
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Events and official interviews, statements, and press conferences
Russia-Georgia and post-conflict
South Ossetia
Abkhazia

Domestic
Politics
Economics and business
Misc.

Opinion and analysis


Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation f
or 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

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-19-08 (pdf)

click on the headline

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at
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Events and official interviews, statements, and press conferences
Post-conflict news
Humanitarian crisis
Abkhazia
South Ossetia
Domestic
Opinion and analysis


Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation f
or 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

Friday, September 19, 2008

PHOTOGRAPHY: In Tbilisi. By Ralph Haelbig

19. September 2008 von Ralph Haelbig

LINK DES TAGES: Die Wahrheit starb auf den Lippen von Caren Miosga (perlentaucher.de)

Von Thierry ChervelThekla Dannenberg

17.09.2008. Wie die Tagesthemen über Georgiens Informationspolitik desinformierten.


Hat Georgien Russland einen Genozid vorgeworfen? Diesen Eindruck erweckten gestern die Tagesthemen. Der Brüsseler ARD-Korrespondent Markus Preiß fragte in einem ausführlichen Beitrag, wie es komme, dass Russland "den Krieg am Boden gewonnen (habe), Georgien dafür aber die Propagandaschlacht". Für Preiß hat es die georgische Regierung durch geschickte Medienarbeit geschafft, ihre Version vom Krieg durchzusetzen. Dabei habe Georgiens Präsident Saakaschwili sich "keineswegs immer wahrheitsgemäß" geäußert, so Preiß.


Als Gewährsmann für diese These zitiert er zunächst ausgerechnet den russischen EU-Botschafter Wladimir Tschichow, dann kommt der Politologe Volker Perthes von der Berliner Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik zu Wort. Hier die Transskription der Passage (im Video ab Minute 3.20'):

(Wladimir Tschichow) "Saakaschwili hat gelogen", (Preiß) behauptet der russische EU-Botschafter, er habe sogar davon gesprochen, dass Russland Massenvernichtungswaffen eingesetzt habe - absoluter Nonsense.

(Volker Perthes, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik) "Wir wissen, dass übertrieben worden ist im Krieg, was die Zahl der Opfer angeht. Wir wissen, dass Begriffe benutzt worden sind, die nicht zutreffen: Genozid etwa."

(Preiß) Übertrieben vielleicht, aber trotzdem mit durchschlagender Wirkung. Georgien hat das professionell gemacht..."


Die Tagesthemen haben Perthes' Zitat einfach in einen falschen Zusammenhang gestellt. Gegenüber dem Perlentaucher hat Perthes klargestellt, dass er die Rede vom Genozid nicht Tiflis anlastet, sondern dem südossetischen Führer Eduard Kokojty: "Von der georgischen Seite ist so etwas überhaupt nicht ins Spiel gebracht worden." Recherchen zeigen im übrigen sehr schnell, dass zuerstPutin (mehr hier bei der BBC) und Medwedew (mehr hier bei der NZZ) den Begriff des "Genozids" benutzt haben, um ihren Feldzug gegen Georgien zu rechtfertigen. Die Tagesthemen erwähnten dies mit keinem Wort. Die Redaktion der Tagesthemen war bis heute Nachmittag 16 Uhr nicht für eine Stellungnahme zu erreichen.

"Es ist eine Binse, dass im Krieg die Wahrheit zuerst stirbt, doch sie stimmt eben auch dieses Mal leider wieder", sagte Caren Miosga in ihrer Anmoderation. Wahr gemacht wurde sie in diesem Fall von Deutschlands wichtigster Nachrichtensendung.


Source: perlentaucher.de

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-17-08 (pdf)

click on the headline

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at
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Events and official interviews, statements, and press conferences
NATO—news
NATO—opinion and analysis
EU
Russia—news
Russia—opinion and analysis
Other conflicts—news
Other conflicts and related—opinion and analysis
Domestic


Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation f
or 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

Thursday, September 18, 2008

STATEMENT: Ordner or Chaos. By Giorgi Tortladze.

On 25 August 2008 the Russian Duma recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and 24 hours later the President of the Russian Federation, Dimitry Medvedyev approved the decision of the Duma and the request of the separatist authorities.

That was a response to the recommendations of various countries to the Russian Federation on fulfillment of the 6-item agreement on cease-fire and withdrawal of the troops from the territory of Georgia. The President of France, Nikola Sarkozi plaid extremely important role in overcoming this critical situation.

We all know what this 6-item agreement is about. Despite of a cease-fire agreement the bombing of Georgian cities was continued after 12 September; the bridges were exploded and the ships, infrastructure and the civilian buildings were destroyed. Using the fire-bombs they devastated the forest areas – totally 1400 hectares, restoration of which will take at least two centuries.

In contrary to the Agreement the Russian troops still remain on the Georgian territory. They create new posts and dig the trenches. All of these activities are carried out outside of the conflict zone, on the territory of Georgia. There were facts of marauding that became public due to the decisive work of journalists and reporters. Here I would like to express my deepest sorrow for those who perished in the course of fulfilling their professional duties.

Against this background one still can hear the question: who shoot the first!

I would like to say for those who may not know that: the problem of the first shot the Soviet Russia solved in 30 November 1939 in Finland, when the group of NKVD destroyed its own border post at the village Mainil using this event as a ground for starting the war against Finland. At the same day Molotov cinically noted: “the Red Army has to respond to the hostile policy of Finland and their aim is to protect security of Leningrad”.

I’m not going to draw your attention to the terrorist acts and the violations of border from the Russia’s side, as they will not fail to blame Georgian authorities in doing them.

In order to wave any doubt how this big provocation was being prepared, let me provide you with the information about certain legislative initiatives of the Russian Federation.

For example, on 22 July 2004 A. Kokoshin, the chairman of the Committee of CIS Affairs of the Russian Duma, lodged the initiative to the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. His application read as follows: “on the legal basis for possible affiliation of the South Ossetia to the Russian Federation as a new entity”.
We have to remember that for the material time Russia was fulfilling its mandate as a peacekeeper in the region.

It is regretful that such “first shots” did not become the subject of the wider public consideration.

How it can be explained that on 9 December 2004 a group of parliamentarians of the Russian Federation, namely the representatives of the Faction “Rodina” – D. Rogozin, N. Narochnitskaya and A. SAvelieva drafted the amendments regarding the “Procedure on Admitting a New Entities to the Russian Federation”. The authors offered to the Government the simplified procedure for admitting the new entities to the Russian Federation. It also applied to the autonomous entities of the former Soviet Union.

The aim of this drat-law was to simplify the procedure for the membership in the Russian federation. It states that this is possible if the people residing on the given territory express such will through the referendum. Indeed, according to the authors, there is no need to have a consent of the country whose part is this or that autonomous entity. Moreover, the draft-law suggests to adopt a special constitutional law to admit to the Russian federation the new entities, such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Adjara etc. According to the authors the necessity of introducing such amendments is originated form the fact that “Russia and a legal successor of the Soviet Union, thus having the right to incorporate the autonomous entities of the former Soviet Union through the simplified procedure”.

Let’s consider the latest novelties of the Russian legislation.

On 13 June 2008 the ad hoc Commission on the North Caucasus Situations of the Russian Federation examined the issues related to the population of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The enlarged meeting of this Commission was planned for 17 June. The Mission of South Ossetia received the invitation to participate in the work of the ad hoc Commission of the Council of Federation of the CIS.


It is well known fact that regional department of LDPR initiated the unification of the North Ossetia with South Ossetia.

Not to mention surprises like information provided by TV Company “Zvezda”, according to which on the territory of North Ossetia functions concrete plant, imported from Korea and thanks to efforts of Russian specialist they are building highway of 500km length, which would link South Ossetia with North Ossetia bypassing Georgian checkpoints.
I think there is not a single country in the world, which would be unaware of “territorial appetites” of the Soviets. There is no country, towards which the Soviets did not have territorial claims. They wanted from Norway-archipelago Shpicbergen, from Turkey-Dardanelle, and territories for military bases from Greece and Tripoli Tania (Libya).
There is no need to explain this reality to Poland, Baltic States and the Ukraine. In these states the Soviets expressed and promoted their interests through Molotov-Ribentroup pact.

The Soviet Union introduced its troops into the territory of Iran during the Second World War and through its security service they would carry out so called “democratic movement”, which aimed at depriving Iran its south provinces and attaching them to the Soviet Azerbaijan. Only in 1956 the Soviets give up on this intention. However, relations with Russians show that their words and promises do not mean much. For example, four Japanese islands, occupied by the Soviet Army in 1945. It is true that in 1956 Russia reached an agreement with Japan, which stipulated return of two islands out of the occupied four islands. However, just in four years, in 1960, it refused to meet its own previous commitments.

Is there any need to explain to Europeans, what does it mean “peace enforcement “ in a Soviet way. Let’s remember Hungary in 1956, Prague in 1968. Is there any need to talk about protection of civilian rights?

Protection of its own citizens on the territories of other states, as well as misinterpretation of issue who started shooting first, is very well adopted and practiced by Russia in many countries, as it was the case with Nazi Germany in the 30s of the 20th century.
Maybe some would say, that all that happened in the Soviet Union, while today we are dealing with the Russian Federation, which can not be held responsible for its past history. That is a true argument, but what about the statement of Vladimir Putin: “dissolution of the Soviet Union was the largest geo-political catastrophe of 21st century” and legislative act adopted by the State Duma (December 9, 2004)- “Russia is a legal successor of the Soviet Union”.

Examples of recent history demonstrate that today, like during the Soviet Union, the security concept of Russia envisages further expansion of its borders and establishment of security buffer zones.

But let me ask a question. From whom is Russia defending itself, and who is attacking Russia? Georgia?

Georgia’s population is about 1/3 of the population of Russia and territory of Russia is 150 times larger than territory of Georgia.

I call upon the international community, please do not be trapped by demagogue and political technology games of who “shoot first”.

Today, I am not going to speak about my personnel opinions, but rather I would like to draw your attention on mere facts and chronology of events, which is available for those who are interested in the Archives.

On May 7, 1920 Russia recognized the independence of Georgia. The only demand of Russia towards Georgia was to allow local Bolsheviks to function freely on the Territory of Georgia. After that, as pointed out by Ossetian Bolsheviks themselves, on the territory of four administrative units of Georgia: Gori, Dusheti, Racha and Shoropani they set up “ District Committee of South Ossetian Bolsheviks”.

It is interesting, why they called it South Ossetia, when beyond the Caucasian range, where is historical Ossetia-Alania, which was at that time part of the Russian Federation, as a constituent part of the Union of Mountain Republics, there was no mention of North Ossetia. Therefore, they have created Union of South Ossetian Bolsheviks, while there was no North Ossetia in existence. The title of North Ossetia came into existence only after the District Committee of South Ossetian Bolsheviks appealed to Lenin with a request,
- to admit them to the Bolshevik Russia, since the Menshevik government of Georgia was unacceptable for them.

At that time, this request was rejected by the Kremlin under the pretext that the Caucasian ranges were closed for 9 months out of 12 in a year and therefore direct transport communications between the two was actually impossible. What is important in this respect is a fact that at that time, in 1921, Russia had already decided to occupy the whole Georgia and therefore South Ossetia Autonomy was formed as a administrative territorial unit within Georgia. As a result of military intervention, the whole territory of Georgia became part of Soviet empire.

These are facts and nobody is able to deny them. I call upon the international community to pay more attention to Russian sources; for example, in great Soviet encyclopedia of 1940, you will see the following definition of Poland: Poland is a geographic notion and this territory it is in the sphere of German interest (should we trust their publications?).
Now, when it comes to protection of Russian citizens on the territory of Georgia- that is the Russian way of “protection” of its citizens in a “humane” manner; Russia had carried out sterilization of these territories of ethnic Georgians, pursued policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide. Therefore, Russia had been “protecting” its own citizens at the cost of discrimination of ethnic Georgians.

Therefore, when Russia claims in a most cynical way that it has been protecting its own citizens on the territory of Georgia, I would like to remind it that: neither Georgian, nor Russian legislation provides for double citizenship. Therefore, those citizens who assume Russian citizenship, automatically loose Georgian citizenship, that is, there staying on the territory of Georgia is no longer legal, since for many years now, there is visa regime between Georgia and Russia, and the aforementioned so called citizens of Georgia have not gone through any custom checkpoints. Proceeding from the aforementioned, the Russian government should not protect its own citizens who are illegally on the territory of other country, but to take immediate steps to remove them from the territory of Georgia.

The so called Russian peacekeepers and criminal paramilitary groups under their patronage have driven out ethnic Georgians from their homes, grossly violated their property rights and carried out ethnic cleansing against Georgians. (declarations of December 2-3 , 1996 Lisbon and 18-19 November, 1999 Istanbul OSCE Summits).

I would like to remind you, that in the beginning of July, 2008 Mr. Karl Schtainmayer presented a very realistic and reasonable plan for peaceful settlement of the conflict and demonstrated very clear ways hot to stabilize the situation in the volatile region.

Peaceful settlement of these conflicts would lead to the return of displaced citizens of Georgia and restoration of legality and Georgian jurisdiction in these regions, and all these developments would not serve the neo-imperial plans of Russia and the legislative initiatives starting since 2004 are the potent proof of the abovementioned. It is no surprise that Mr. Bagapsh, as a crony of Russia, rejected the Shtainmayer plan outright.

A few words about one aspect of Georgian-Russian conflict.

I am a Chairman of opposition faction in the Parliament of Georgia and has been elected to the Parliament from the United Opposition list, therefore I am from the most radical opposition movement. However, it should be underlined that I have rejected the idea of boycotting the Parliament and establishing an alternative consultative body. I remember very well the bitter experience of similar actions in 1991-92.

Let me remind you, that on December 21, 1991 the so called Commonwealth of Independent States was established, and Georgia refused to join this organization. On the very next day, on 22 December 1991 military operation aiming at deposal of the Georgia legitimate authorities started. Alongside with Russian heavy weapons and finances, political opponents of President Gamsakhurdia were used in the process.

I do believe that democracy is a mechanism for the management of State and we have got to improve it through our own efforts and aspirations. The Georgian people will not allow anybody to intervene in our inner political processes.

As far as unilateral and arbitrary recognition of independence of integral parts of Georgia is concerned, words said by Arnold Toynbee come to my mind, which recognized society and civilization, formulated by religion and geography, as a legal entity of history.
Or let’s take George Elenik’s “theory of three elements, which the foundation of statehood.
In accordance with 1993 Montevideo convention, article 1, a State, as a subject of international law, must have the following characteristics:

1. permanent population
2. defined government
3. government
4. capacity to establish relations with other states.

Let’s address all these characteristics one by one:

1. Vast majority of permanent population is displaced from both regions (Abkhazia and Tskinvali region)
2. Both territories are integral part of Georgia.
3. Governments have been elected as a result of ethnic cleansing and with the support of Russian tanks and military forces.
4. Not a single State (except Russia) has legal relations with the separatist regimes.

A question comes to a surface, are there any legal and legitimate arguments for recognizing these separatist enclaves as independent entities. We think that we are witnessing Russia’s attempts aiming at creation of mono-ethnic zone.

So far, not a single State has been established under the pretext of protection own citizens residing on the territory of other state (except for Hitler’s “legalistic innovations”). This is Russia’s interpretation of the international law.

Today the civilized world faces a dilemma, defined not only by a desire to render support to Georgia: The Georgia case gave the birth to the following dilemma:

Order or chaos
Relations based on mutual respect and agreement or demonstration of force.

Georgia needs support from the international community to prove to the world that in Georgia we do not have ethnic conflict and provide we will manage to neutralize the sources of separatism, we will have no conflict either with Abkhazs, or with Ossetians.
First of all, an agreement reached thanks to Mr. Nicola Sarkozy should be materialized. And the next step could be considerer implementation of peace plan offered by Mr. Karl Schtaimayer.

We will prove that the only method for solution of the similar conflicts is nothing but peaceful coexistence, and that still remains a possibility in our case, provided Russia withdraws its troops from the territory of Georgia, the peace process is internationalized, and displaced persons from both sides are allowed to return to their homes.

To this end, we need your held, support of the international community and do promise that you will be proud of events developing in Georgia.
We will be able to solve the task in a dignified manner.


Giorgi Tortladze
Member of the Parliament of Georgia
Chairman of the faction “Strong Georgia –Christian Democrats

soure >>>

ARTICLE: Levan Zakareishvili the last Mohicans of Tbilisi

Late Georgian film director Levan Zakareishvili was a director who tried up until his last days to shoot a film about April 9th tragedy in Tbilisi( when anti-Soviet demonstration was depressed by the soviet army resulting in 20 death and hundreds of injures ) and who devoted his life to shooting a film about the unbearable living condition under the rule of former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze. His film revealed the economic crisis, political chaos and rampant corruption during Shevardnadze’s reign in Georgia. Shevardnadze never obtained dictator status, but corruption flourished to such devastating levels that even professors, teachers and directors became marginalized in society.

full text >>>

NEWS: Georgia News Digest 09-15-08 (pdf)

click on the headline

Today's Digest is a summary from September 5 to 15, plus a few stray earlier items. The Digest will resume its usual schedule and format on Sept. 17.

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)


Events and official interviews, statements, and press conferences
Russia-Georgia and post-conflict news
Abkhazia
South Ossetia
Political, economic, and other domestic news
Energy and economics
International views
Opinion and analysis—war and foreign affairs
Opinion and analysis—domestic matters


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

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

NACHRICHTEN: Weizsäcker warnt vor neuem Kalten Krieg.

"Ironische Gegenkunststrategie" Spiegel Online - vor 17 Stunden gefunden
Die FR lässt Garri Kasparow und Noam Chomsky in der Frage zu Georgien gegeneinander antreten
Ein neuer Kalter Krieg? Tagesspiegel
Anschluss an Moskau WELT ONLINE
Mission mit Stolperdrähten
sueddeutsche.de - 15. Sept. 2008
Oktober die Kontrolle der Pufferzone zwischen Georgien und dem abtrünnigen Südossetien von den russischen Soldaten übernehmen.
Georgien kann Nato und EU entzweien - "Nowyje Iswestija" RIA Novosti - vor 13 Stunden gefunden
Nato-Generalsekretär Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, der zu einer auswärtigen Sitzung des Rates des Blocks nach Georgien geflogen ist, hat erklärt, dass er mit dem ...
Im Spiegel der Presse RIA Novosti
"Russland soll in die EU"
Kleine Zeitung - vor 6 Stunden gefunden
Ist ISS-Projekt durch Kaukasus-Krise in Gefahr? - „Nesawissimaja ... RIA Novosti
Kaum Ansteckungsgefahr für Territorialkonflikte im ... RIA Novosti
Widerstand gegen den Konfliktverursacher?
Deutsche Welle - vor 9 Stunden gefunden
In Georgien formiert sich innenpolitischer Widerstand gegen Präsident Saakaschwili.
Strategische Grenzen
Tagesspiegel - 15. Sept. 2008
Die Nato und Georgien wollen politisch und militärisch enger zusammenarbeiten. Dies ist das Ziel einer Nato-Georgien-Kommission, die heute bei einem Besuch ...
"Militärische Unterstützung Georgiens bedenklich" ZDFheute.de
Dienstreise mit Langzeitwirkung? NATO-Rat auf Tiflis-Trip n-tv
Medwedew warnt NATO vor Saakaschwili derStandard.at
Georgisches Ministerium: Russland zerstört Kulturgüter in Georgien Georgien Nachrichten - vor 14 Stunden gefunden
Die russischen Besatzungstruppen haben bei ihren Angriffen auf Georgien im August 2008 georgische Kulturgüter zerstört.
Hilfe nach dem Krieg
Financial Times Deutschland - vor 8 Stunden gefunden
von Nils Kreimeier (Hamburg) Die ausländische Hilfe für das nach dem Konflikt mit Russland versehrte Georgien kommt ins Rollen.
OPPOSITION IN GEORGIEN "Saakaschwili wollte Krieg"
Spiegel Online - 15. Sept. 2008
In Moskau sammeln sich Gegner des georgischen Präsidenten Saakaschwili. Ihr Ziel: ein Machtwechsel in der Heimat.
Georgiens Schachzug war bislang erfolgreich Telepolis
200 Beobachter sollen die Pufferzonen in Georgien überwachen
Deutsche Welle - 15. Sept. 2008
Die EU-Beoachtermission in Georgien nimmt Form an. Mehr dazu im Fokus Europa. Die EU-Beobachtermission für Georgien nimmt Form an.
Letzte politische Talkshow in Georgien ist am Ende
Georgien Nachrichten - vor 3 Stunden gefunden
Der regierungstreue georgische Sender Rustawi 2 will seine letzte politische Sendung einstellen.
Georgien und die Kalten Krieger FR-online.de - vor 17 Stunden gefunden
Es war Stalin, der Südossetien und Abchasien (mit seinen Seehäfen am Schwarzen Meer) seiner Heimat Georgien zuteilte.
BMWi: Georgien-Konflikt belastet Ostsee-Pipeline
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - 15. Sept. 2008
Südossetiens Treue geht Moskau zu weit
WELT ONLINE - vor 21 Stunden gefunden
Die Schwierigkeit liegt darin, dass nach internationalem Recht Südossetien immer noch zu Georgien gehört und Nordossetien Teil Russlands ist. ...
Südossetien sorgt für Verwirrung: Kokojty dementiert ... News Networld
Ein unabhängiges Südossetien – und doch im Schosse Russlands Basler Zeitung
Südossetiens Präsident sieht wirtschaftliche Blockade durch ... RIA Novosti
EU und Nato sichern Georgien Hilfe zu
Handelsblatt - vor 14 Stunden gefunden
von Eric Bonse und Thomas Wiede Russland treibt Georgiens Spaltung immer weiter voran. Die Europäische Union und die Nato haben dem transkaukasischen Staat ...
EU schickt Beobachter nach Georgien Tagesspiegel
EU-Beobachtermission in Georgien mit Österreichern Kleine Zeitung
Kaukasus: EU will Frieden in Georgien sichern FOCUS Online
Georgien-NATO: NATO hält Weg in die Militärallianz für Georgien frei
FOCUS Online - vor 8 Stunden gefunden
Der NATO-Generalsekretär Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will sich von niemandem davon abhalten lassen Georgien in die NATO aufzunehmen. Zwar mahnte er auch einige ...
Nato fordert Reformen in Georgien MDR
EU-Außenminister schicken Beobachter nach Georgien Deutsche Welle
NATO: Symbolische Annäherung an Georgien ORF.at
Deutscher Ex-Präsident verteidigt russisches Vorgehen in Georgien
derStandard.at - vor 19 Stunden gefunden
Moskau - Der frühere Bundespräsident Richard von Weizsäcker hat das Vorgehen Russlands in der von Georgien abtrünnigen Republik Südossetien verteidigt. ...
Weizsäcker gegen einen NATO-Beitritt Georgiens
noows.de Nachrichten - vor 13 Stunden gefunden
Der ehemalige Bundespräsident Richard von Weizsäcker äußerte bei einem Vortrag in Moskau große Bedenken gegen einen NATO-Beitritt Georgiens
Weizsäcker warnt vor neuem Kalten Krieg WELT ONLINE
Georgien: Opposition formiert sich
Wiener Zeitung - vor 9 Stunden gefunden
Nach dem Ende des Kaukasus-Krieges formiert sich in Georgien zunehmend Widerstand gegen Präsident Michail Saakaschwili. Erstmals forderte nun auch der ...
Opposition formiert Widerstand gegen Saakaschwili derStandard.at
Schulterschluss: NATO-Rat tagt in Georgien sueddeutsche.de
Warum sollten Nato-Staaten Südossetien nicht anerkennen? RIA Novosti
EU schickt Polizisten nach Georgien Schwäbische Zeitung
Variante Geld
OÖNachrichten - vor 3 Stunden gefunden
Die Ausgangsposition ist ähnlich: Wie auch Georgien ist die Ukraine ein Spielball zwischen West und Ost. Doch diesmal hat sich Russland in dem Wettstreit ...
Ukraine: Timoschenkos Regierungsbündnis zerbrochen FOCUS Online
Rosenkrieg statt Revolution Tagesspiegel
Ukrainische Regierungskoalition endgültig zerbrochen NZZ Online

ART: Paintings by Sopho Chkhikvadze.

Paintings by Sopho Chkhikvadze (Album)

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

ANALYSIS: The Caucasus effect: Europe unblocked (opendemocracy.net)

By Krzysztof Bobinski

The aftershocks of the Caucasus war are provoking European governments into surprising and even imaginative reactions. Turkey and Ukraine are at the heart of the process, says Krzysztof Bobinski.


The headlines in Poland's main daily newspapers were unanimous. Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Moscow and Tbilisi on 8 September 2008 to seek assurances from the Russians that they would withdraw their troops to the positions they held before the outbreak of war with Georgia on 7-8 August was a failure. "Sarkozy failed to take the Kremlin", declared one; "Russia dictates to Europe", proclaimed another; "Sarkozy defeated. Peace with Georgia possible only on Russia's terms", shouted a third.

The reaction ran counter to Mikheil Saakashvili's obvious relief at his press conference with Sarkozy and José Manuel Barroso (president of the European commission) that evening at the result the French president had managed to achieve (see Paul Gillespie, "The European Union and Russia after Georgia", 10 September 2008). A pledge of withdrawal by 1 October and the insertion of observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) into the space between the Russians, their South Ossetian and Abkhazian supporters and the Georgians was obviously welcome to Georgia's pressurised president.

But just as attitudes throughout Europe towards Russia are beginning to stiffen, so stereotypes in Poland (and most probably throughout the new European Union member-states and elsewhere in the post-Soviet space) remain strong. Indeed they include more than a touch of Schadenfreude at the dilemmas Sarkozy faces. The local newspapers, the radio and the television talk-show hosts all almost palpably yearn for more evidence of western weakness and gullibility in the face of Russian might and brutal deception. They all seem to want the EU to fail to resolve the crisis, to be seen to be fragile and craven. "We knew all along what they, the Russians, are like and you are still unwilling to believe us", is the near-universal underlying sentiment.

A region moves

This reaction shows that there is still a gulf between the western European way of doing things and perceptions in new member-states such as Poland. But if truth be told, Poland's government (which is not to be confused with the country's president, Lech Kaczynski) has remained remarkably calm and indeed is ready - despite what has happened in Georgia - to continue a dialogue with the Russians.

Indeed, that is only one of the pigs which, quite unexpectedly, has flown across the skies in the five weeks since the end of the major hostilities in Georgia on 12 August. The aftermath of the brutal conflict promises both to be long and to bring significant changes to the EU's relationship with Russia. The most difficult question to answer is whether Moscow will decide that it wants a fruitful relationship with the west or choose a not-so-splendid isolation (see Ivan Krastev, "Russia and the Georgia war: the great-power trap", 19 August 2008).

The signals remain mixed. But there are at least four other developments since the Caucasus events which overturn settled views of what is occurring, and suggest that the Georgia crisis has jolted governments into becoming more imaginative in revising longstanding and seemingly intractable positions.

First, the visit by the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to Warsaw on 11 September 2008, so soon after the Russians had threatened to punish Poland for President Kaczynski's foray to Tbilisi and his public promise to fight for a free Georgia; and indeed, after growls by Russian military leaders that Poland would become a nuclear target if the American anti-missile base was installed there.

Second, who would have expected that Poland would be one of the first to call on the European Union to lift sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko's regime in Belarus? After all, it is Polish NGOs and members of the European parliament (MEPs) who have been most strident in their condemnation of one of Europe's last authoritarians. Not long ago, any mention of detente with Minsk brought instant criticism.

Third, the remarks made almost in passing by the Finnish foreign minister Alexander Stubb in a speech to Finnish ambassadors and an interview with Die Presse (Austria) to the effect that his country might consider joining Nato. True, Finland's president and prime minister almost immediately scorned the suggestion; but the fact is that Stubb (who played a significant mediating role alongside Sarkozy in the Georgia-Russia conflict) said it and thus challenged an enduring consensus in Helsinki on keeping an equal distance in military terms between Russia and the west.

Fourth, and most amazing of all, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul travelled to Yerevan on the occasion of an Armenia-Turkey football match and met his Armenia counterpart Serzh Sarkisian. The unprecedented visit to Armenia by a Turkish head of state, against the background of the bitter controversy over the issue of the 1915 genocide and the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries, has great political as well as symbolic significance. It reflects how keen Turkey is to help stabilise the situation in the Black Sea, resolve the crisis in the Caucasus and keep Nato warships (its own excepted) at a safe distance in the Mediterranean.

The Turkish decision over Armenia was taken within the context of Istanbul's wider "Caucasus platform" initiative - which would bring Georgia, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey into an organisation promoting regional cooperation and reconciliation. If this were to succeed, it might help in the search for a solution to the problem of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as well as the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

A time to look

The Turkish dimension of the Georgia-Russia fallout may have deeper reverberations. Turkey won credit for its bold gesture from both Nicolas Sarkozy (current holder of the European Union presidency) and Olli Rehn (the EU's enlargement commissioner). This raises the possibility that relations between Turkey and the EU might soon emerge from their present doldrums; indeed, given the above shifts in policy and attitude in the past five weeks, is it unthinkable that the French president might begin to reconsider his opposition to Turkey's membership of the EU?

The crisis has also brought Ukraine and its EU membership aspirations into the spotlight. Who would have expected even in early summer 2008 that a British foreign minister would fly urgently to Kyiv (Kiev) and deliver a strident call of support for Ukraine's right to chose its own path, as David Miliband did on 27 August? But the new concern that Russia might pose a risk to Ukraine's independence has seen the EU edging closer to a commitment to the country's eventual membership.

Here, the Turkey and Ukraine situations come together. For it is notable that Turkey's Caucasus platform does not include Ukraine. Since the early 1990s, Ankara has preferred to improve relations with Moscow (the devil the Turks know) rather than with Kyiv (which is more of an unknown quantity). But Turkey knows full well that Ukraine is a major potential source of tension in the Black Sea with its de facto dispute over the Russian fleet in Sevastopol, which erupted during the blessedly short Georgian war. The lease for the port runs out in 2017 when Ukraine looks set to ask the fleet to go.

There is undoubtedly a role for European Union policy in the Black Sea. Romania and Bulgaria are, after all, now EU members and a Black Sea regional-cooperation formula bringing in all the littoral states including Russia could be a useful complement to the Caucasus platform. The EU's regional neighbourhood initiative, the Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme, could offer a framework for shared action here (see Neal Ascherson, "After the war: recognising reality in Abkhazia and Georgia", 15 September 2008).

The crisis has also given a much needed lease of life to the search for a common EU energy policy. Here, if anywhere, Poland should be taking advantage of the apparent change of heart towards Russia by public opinion in France and Germany, and growing concern in Germany in particular over a dependency on Russian energy supplies.

Thus, the Georgian push into South Ossetia on the night of 7-8 August 2008 and the Russian military response has set in motion a number of processes in Europe, the Black Sea region and even central Asia. A number of long neglected problems (such as Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenia-Turkey dispute, as well as South Ossetia and Abkhazia themselves) have come into sharp focus.

Across Europe, attitudes towards Russia have hardened. Any further delays in the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia proper will compound tensions. The European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on 15 September 2008 who confirmed the despatch of 200 EU observers to Georgia under the terms of the 8 September agreement are well aware that this is a stage in a longer process.

But under the surface, the changes which have happened in the month since the height of the Georgia-Russia conflict have been missed by Polish newspapers editors at least. They may also be underestimating Nicolas Sarkozy or Angela Merkel's resolve in the face of Russian intransigence over Georgia. Europe since the armed confrontation of August 2008 ended become a more interesting place. Clear eyes and open minds will be needed if it is to become a safer place too. Clinging to stereotypes does the latter aim no good at all.

Source: opendemocracy.net


LANDART: Drawings in the water near Pasanauri

more by Maka Batiashvili >>>

Monday, September 15, 2008

ARTICLE: Did Kosovo open up Pandora’s Box? (newstatesman.com)

By Judy Fu Published 15 September 2008

If the international community intends to keep the floodgates to secessionist movements closed, it would do well to learn from Abkhazia and South Ossetia writes UNPO's

full text >>>


ART: Passage In The Caucasus. By Hans Heiner Buhr

Digital Collage 9. September 2008 von Hans Heiner Buhr
Gazeta Wyborcza - Polen.
Warschaus weitsichtige Taktik
Die linksliberale Tageszeitung Gazeta Wyborcza sieht im gestrigen Besuch des russischen Außenministers Sergej Lawrow in Warschau einen ersten Fortschritt in den polnisch-russischen Beziehungen. "Am wichtigsten ist, dass er stattgefunden hat - das ist das kürzeste Fazit des Besuchs von Sergej Lawrow. Russland und Polen haben gezeigt, dass sie miteinander sprechen wollen und können, trotz vieler Unterschiede, selbst in der gespannten Lage nach dem Krieg im Kaukasus. ... Lawrow blieb zwar dem harten russischen Kurs treu, aber korrekt. Er verurteilte den Raketenschutzschild, kritisierte die [mögliche] NATO-Erweiterung um die Ukraine und Georgien. ... Die [polnische] Regierung hat sich für eine weitsichtige Taktik entschieden: Mit Russland sprechen, aber weiterhin das ihre tun. … Es geht um die deutliche Botschaft, dass Russland es nicht schafft, die Erweiterung des Bündnisses zu blockieren."
(12.09.2008)
weiter >>>


Postimees - Estland.
Europäische Gasrechnungen
Die Tageszeitung Postimees kritisiert das Vorgehen Russlands in Abchasien und Südossetien: "Die Frage ist nun auch, was passiert, wenn sich die Lage als Nächstes in der Ukraine und in Moldawien oder anderswo zuspitzt. Man kann nicht einfach die Augen vor der Tatsache verschließen, dass Russland die Grenzen eines souveränen Staates verletzt hat und eine so genannte Schutzzone in Georgien eingerichtet hat. Dies wird aber wohl kaum wirklich Folgen haben, solange das französische Präsidentenpalais und das Kanzleramt in Berlin mit russischem Gas geheizt werden. Russland ist nicht mehr dasselbe Land wie vor zehn Jahren, aber trotzdem knickt Westeuropa vor den Russen ein und zahlt die täglich steigenden Gasrechnungen. Und Moskau weiß, dass der Westen aus Angst vor einem Lieferstopp bereit ist, noch viel größere Kröten zu schlucken." (12.09.2008)
weiter >>>

PHOTOGAPHY: Unknon Soldiers Cemetery. By Giga Paitchadze

Photos 12. September 2008 von Giga Paitchadze

BLOG: Nino Katamadze Performs Live in Yerevan (noteshairenik.blogspot.com)

On Friday night Nino Katamadze and her band Insight played what I believe was their first ever show in Yerevan as part of the 'Armenian Jazz 70" series of events which has been ongoing since the spring. I was thrilled that she made the trip down finally and went to the show with my girlfriend Anush, who actually treated me. I first heard her music a little over a year ago when Onnik at Oneworld Media Blog wrote something about her. The band is from Georgia and their sound is sort of a cross between rock and jazz, but I would not say fusion. Their performance at the Opera House proved that they lean towards jazz with lengthy renditions of their otherwise short tunes with a strong emphasis on improvisation, not to mention flighty spontaneity on Nino's part. Each song lasted I would say at least 10 minutes.

more >>>
noteshairenik.blogspot.com

TOUS AU MEETING POUR LA PAIX AU SUD CAUCASE

By Seymur Kazimov

Armenian diaspora in Paris is organizing raly against Georgia and Azerbaijan and calls it "Peace in the Caucasus". Armenians claim Karabakh and Djavakheti and call it "Peace". Please inform Georgian MFA, civil society, media, memebrs of Georgian Parlaiment and Georgian diaspora in France. Try to make it public and discussed in international media, french media. This is how Armenians help Georgia in hard times. Unbelievable! Here is the info in french >>>

INTERVIEW: Im Gespräch mit Angela Merkel (faz.net)

Auszug aus einem Interview - Angela Merkel zum Georgien-Konflikt

Auch wenn derzeit alle auf die SPD schauen: Das mit Abstand wichtigste und folgenreichste Ereignis der vergangenen Wochen war Russlands Einmarsch in Georgien. Hat die Europäische Union ihre Möglichkeiten im Georgien-Konflikt ausgeschöpft?

Die Europäische Union war und ist in diesem Konflikt ein starker Akteur. Wir haben viel miteinander erreicht, weil wir geschlossen sind. Die Europäische Union hat sich hier, auch in der Zusammenarbeit mit den Vereinigten Staaten, wirklich bewährt.

Hat der Westen Russland nicht geradezu eingeladen zu seinem Schlag gegen Tiflis? In Bukarest hatte die Nato ihre ganze Halbherzigkeit in den Fällen Georgien und Ukraine offenbart.

Nein. Beim Bukarester Nato-Gipfel wurde eine Doppelbotschaft ausgesandt. Georgien konnte danach zum einen nicht in den Membership Action Plan einbezogen werden, weil es die Voraussetzungen noch nicht erfüllt, aber zum anderen hat die Nato in Bukarest grundsätzlich beschlossen, dass Georgien und die Ukraine eines Tages Nato-Mitglieder werden.

Wenn der Westen, also EU und Nato, von Georgien spricht: Meint er da nur noch Restgeorgien? Oder immer noch ganz Georgien, also einschließlich der abtrünnigen Provinzen Abchasien und Südossetien?

Die Vereinten Nationen haben in ihren Resolutionen eindeutige Festlegungen zum georgischen Staatsgebiet getroffen. Das umfasst Südossetien und Abchasien. Wenn wir über Georgien reden, meinen wir das vollständige Staatsgebiet.

Das Gespräch führten Berthold Kohler und Eckart Lohse
Das ganze Interview >>>