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The News in Brief

Thursday, September 22
Davit Bakradze to Host Facebook Friends

Chairperson of Parliament of Georgia Davit Bakradze is hosting Facebook friends for the second time. He informed his friends on his Facebook page that an introductory tour and then joint dinner would be held in parliament today. “The terms are the same as in August – 10 friends will be selected by administrators for an introductory tour of parliament and 10 for a parliamentary tour and joint dinner with me. I wish all of you success,” Bakradze writes on his wall.

Bakradze held a similar event in August. Majority members Goka Gabashvili and Akaki Minashvili met with friends of the parliament page on Facebook and mainly listened to their private problems. According to current information, Davit Bakradze will dine with his virtual friends in the restaurant “Kopala” after they visit parliament. Davit Bakradze’s page got 20,235 likes on Facebook. (IPN)



Sarkozy recollects behind-the-scene details of August war

President of France recollected the behind-the-scene details of the Georgia-Russia August war in 2008. According to the article `Breakfast with Sarkozy` published in the Liberation newspaper, the author describes the meeting of the French president and French historians held under the initiative of the president.

Famous French historian, Emanuel De Varesqiel writes that the French president showed his `weight` just after he began to talk about his political activities. The historian says that Sarkozy is among that small number of figures who really takes decisions.

`The president began to speak about some personal issues, which I had not expected` Varesqiel wrote. `For example, his visit to Moscow when Russian tanks were ordered to enter Tbilisi. Sarkozy said he met with Medvedev with one pre-condition - if I arrive, you will stop the tanks.`

According to the article, Sarkozy also described the sudden appearance of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the office of the president. Sarkozy described him as crazed, who only thought about how to hang Saakashvili. Sarkozy also told historians how he objected to the position of Putin and left the meeting in protest.

`Finally, the tanks did not enter Tbilisi. Sarkozy believes that this would not have happened if he had not interfered,` the author says, adding the position of France had never been so strong and precise, neither in the NATO nor in the G20. (Rustavi 2)



Georgian Foreign Minister met with UN Secretary General

Grigol Vashadze, Georgian Foreign Minister is attending the 66th General Assembly and met with Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that they discussed the situation in the occupied territories. Vashadze reported new events concerning human rights violations by the Russian Federation on the territory, about further militarization of the region and terrorist acts committed by Russia on Georgian territory.

The parties discussed the Geneva talks and questions concerning an incident prevention group and UN involvement in this process. (GHN)



Exhibition “Armenian Painters of Georgia” to be Exhibited in Art Museum

An exhibition “Armenian Painters of Georgia – from A. Ovnatanian to G. Khachaturian. Fragments of a Long history” was opened in Shalva Amiranashvili Art Museum on September 21.

As InterPressNews was informed by the Art Museum, the visitors will be able to view about 130 theatric sketches, graphic and pictorial works. The exhibits are on display with funds from the national museum, Georgian theatre, music, cinema and state museum of choreography, literature museum and Rustaveli Theatre.

As the Art Museum informs, from the first half of the XIX century, Armenian painters living in Georgia actively portrayed Tbilisi's colour and diverse landscape.

Armenian painters integrated in the local environment had been and are actively involved in the art process.

The exhibition is organized by Georgian ministry of Culture and Monument Protection, National Museum and Embassy of Armenian Republic in Georgia.

The exposition will last in the Art Museum till 4 October. (IPN)



Austrian coach remains in national judo team

The Austrian coach Peter Zaizenbakher will train the Georgian national judo team for the next few years - the decision was taken at a meeting of the famous Georgian coach Shota Khabareli and the president of the Judo Federation of Georgia Giorgi Aleksidze today. The issue of the possible appointment of Khabareli as the chief coach was discussed over the past few days. However, Khabareli said after the meeting that he would stay in the federation as the Vice President and the team will be trained by the Austrian specialist. (Rustavi 2)