The Messenger #147 (1414)

Friday, August 3, 2007, #147 (1414)

News in Brief

Lavrov: Russian officials never talked about including Abkhazia in preparations for Olympics
Russian officials have never raised the issue of involving Abkhazia in preparing Sochi Olympiad, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated to journalists on August 1.
"No Russian official has ever and anywhere raised such an issue," the Minister declared in response to the question whether Abkhazia would supply construction materials for the preparation of Winter Olympic Games of 2014 in Sochi, the RIA Novosti agency reports.
Last week Russian media agencies reported that Russia was going to construct part of the Olympic infrastructure on the territory of Abkhazia.
(Black Sea Press)

Georgian footballer Shota Arveladze undergoes knee operation
Georgia's premier striker underwent a successful knee operation. Arveladze left for the Netherlands on July 31 having received permission from his management at Levante FC. The surgery will exclude him from the Levante squad until October.
The 34-year-old recently moved to Levante FC from Alkmaar FC. He had attended several training sessions, but was troubled by a recurring pain in his knee. Arveladze, who was named the Georgia's footballer of the year for the second time in 2007, has played 61 matches for the Georgian national team, scoring a total of 26 goals.
(Black Sea Press)

Georgian peacekeeping battalion trains in Upper Nikozi
A one-day training session was held on the military base of the Georgian peacekeeping battalion located in the village of Upper Nikozi, in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone.
The exercises involved the simulated evacuation of civilians ahead of an imaginary enemy assault. High-ranking officials from the Ministry of Defense of Georgia attended the training.
(Prime News)

De facto Abkhaz government plans large-scale military training near Kodori Gorge
The de facto Abkhazian ministry of defense plans large-scale military training near Kodori Gorge on August 20-24.
According to Zakan Nanba, Abkhazian deputy minister of defense, the training will be organized at Ochamchire and Tsebelda polygons. The Abkhazian air force will also participate.
"The training sessions have no connection with the problems of Kodori Gorge. They will take place near Kodori simply because Tsebelda military polygon is located there," stated Nanba.
He added that 6000 troops will take part. "Only reservists will undergo weapons training. They have received military education, but still need practical experience," stated Nanba.
(Prime News)

Law on drugs addiction comes into force
The law on "Prevention of Drug Addiction," which hopes to impede the spread of drug addiction in Georgia, comes into force on August 2.
The parliament of Georgia approved the law in the spring session, and restricts the rights of both drug dealers and drug addicts.
The law stipulates that users and dealers of narcotics could be stripped of voting rights as well as the right to own firearms, and may also have their driving licenses confiscated.
The law is designed to punish drug dealers more severely than drug addicts.
(Prime News)

Russian military equipment withdraws from Batumi
A train loaded with 500 tons of Russian military equipment will soon depart form Batumi. It includes two tanks and two armored troop carriers. The next train loaded with military equipment from Russia's twelfth military base is due to leave Georgia in the first half of August.
On the basis of the agreement concluded between Tbilisi and Moscow in 2006 the Russian side ought to complete its withdrawal by the end of 2008.
(Prime News)