Burjanadze calls on Foreign Minister to attract foreign observers to the elections

Acting president Nino Burjanadze told the National Security Council on December 4 that she had asked the Foreign Minister, Gela Bezhuashvili, to rally Georgian diplomats abroad so as to garner as many foreign observers as possible to monitor the January 5 presidential elections.

Maintaining order during the election was a priority, she told the National Security Council.

“Any breaches of order must be prevented at all costs. There have already been attempts to create a negative atmosphere in the run-up to the election,” she said.

Burjanadze also undertook to prevent any attempts by representatives of the ruling party to unfairly influence the outcome of the election.

In a statement carried by the television station Mze, Burjanadze said that regions of the country susceptible to harsh weather conditions would be entitled to government assistance to ensure all those who want to vote, can.

“In areas where climate conditions could prevent people from voting, the Interior Ministry may well need to assist local authorities to ensure people can exercise their democratic right,” she said. (Black Sea Press)



Tbilisi stages international agriculture and food exhibition

The 2nd International Agriculture and Food Exhibition got under way in Tbilisi on December 5.

One of the highlights of the four-day event is a conference entitled “Bioproduction in the South Caucasus”, which aims to exchange ideas about, and discuss the development of, the bio market in the South Caucasus. A number of other conferences dealing with quality control in the food industry and the reprocessing sphere will also be held.

Experts from the South Caucasus and EU countries will participate in the conference. (Prime-News)



OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission head arrives in Georgia

Dieter Boden, head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Election Observation Mission (OSCE/ODIHR EOM), arrived in Georgia today.

Boden will head the OSCE/ODIHR EOM team of observers during the Georgian presidential elections scheduled for January 5, 2008.

“There’s a month left before the elections, and they should be held democratically and transparently,” Terhi Hakala, head of the OSCE Mission in Georgia, told journalists after a meeting with Nino Burjanadze, the acting president of Georgia, on Tuesday. (Prime-News)



Davit Gamkrelidze meets ambassadors to Georgia

Davit Gamkrelidze, presidential hopeful of the New Rights, has met ambassadors accredited to Georgia and representatives of international organizations.

Gamkrelidze’s press office said that at the meeting, he would be putting the ambassadors in the picture about his presidential program, with special reference to foreign policy and his approach to conflict resolution.

He also spoke about Georgia’s aim to join NATO.

Gamkrelidze called on the ambassadors to ensure the January 5 elections were democratic and transparent. (Prime-News)