The News in Brief
Friday, September 5
Christian Democrats propose a parliamentary commission to investigate the events of August
The opposition Christian Democrat Party proposes forming a special Parliamentary Commission to investigate the events which took place in August of the current year, its leader and MP Giorgi Targamadze stated at a press conference on September 4.
“The special commission will be composed of deputies and the parliamentary minority must be represented in it. Our task is to study the events objectively.”
He did not exclude that representatives of parties not represented in the parliament, NGOs and experts may be included in the commission. (Black Sea Press)
OSCE thinks arrival of international observers in Georgia should be accelerated
The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Goran Lennmarker, believes it is expedient to accelerate the arrival of international observers in Georgia. He stated this to journalists in Gori after he and the Governor of Shida Kartli, who was accompanying him, were not permitted to pass a Russian checkpoint in Karaleti.
Lennmarker was intending to personally familiarize himself with the state of affairs in Georgian villages in the conflict zone. “It is expedient to accelerate the arrival of international observers to prevent these things happening”, Lennmarker said.
Lennmarker inspected ruined buildings in Gori and the tent settlement where IDPs reside. Before this he met with State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration Temur Yakobashvili and Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Giorgi Bokeria.
Lennmarker’s mission to the Caucasus began with a visit to Azerbaijan. He will leave for Armenia when his observations in Georgia are concluded. Based on what he has seen, Lennmarker will present a report on Georgia at an OSCE Parliamentarians’ meeting in Toronto on September 18-21. (Black Sea Press)
Italy proposes a conference with the participation of the Presidents of Georgia and Russia
Italy is ready to host an international conference in Rome at which the Presidents of Russia and Georgia would participate. This was stated at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry of Georgia on September 3 by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, after his meeting with his Georgian counterpart Yekaterina Tkeshelashvili.
“Together with our friends Italy is ready to undertake the role of a mediator in the rapprochement of Georgia with Russia. Rome is a beautiful place where the parties can make arrangements. In principle, there is s readiness among the parties for such a meeting,” the Minister stated. However he did not make prognostications about the result of such an initiative.
According to Frattini’s preliminary information, the conference in Rome will be held on November 13. (Black Sea Press)
Work on releasing prisoners of war continues – Targamadze
To date 176 citizens of Georgia, including 17 military men, have been released from Tskhinvali isolation wards, Givi Targamadze, Chairman of the Committee on Defence and Security and Chairman of the Commission on Prisoner of War Affairs, told Parliament on Wednesday.
According to Targamadze, 170 military men have died or are missing. Reliable information on the fate or whereabouts of 14 of them is not available. 13 Georgian policemen died in the conflict.
According to Targamadze’s information, 69 civilians of Georgian nationality died as a result of Russian military aggression. The deputy said that work on releasing Georgian military men who are alleged to be held in Tskhinvali and Vladikavkaz is continuing. There are up to 22 persons being held there. (Black Sea Press)
The opposition Christian Democrat Party proposes forming a special Parliamentary Commission to investigate the events which took place in August of the current year, its leader and MP Giorgi Targamadze stated at a press conference on September 4.
“The special commission will be composed of deputies and the parliamentary minority must be represented in it. Our task is to study the events objectively.”
He did not exclude that representatives of parties not represented in the parliament, NGOs and experts may be included in the commission. (Black Sea Press)
OSCE thinks arrival of international observers in Georgia should be accelerated
The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Goran Lennmarker, believes it is expedient to accelerate the arrival of international observers in Georgia. He stated this to journalists in Gori after he and the Governor of Shida Kartli, who was accompanying him, were not permitted to pass a Russian checkpoint in Karaleti.
Lennmarker was intending to personally familiarize himself with the state of affairs in Georgian villages in the conflict zone. “It is expedient to accelerate the arrival of international observers to prevent these things happening”, Lennmarker said.
Lennmarker inspected ruined buildings in Gori and the tent settlement where IDPs reside. Before this he met with State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration Temur Yakobashvili and Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Giorgi Bokeria.
Lennmarker’s mission to the Caucasus began with a visit to Azerbaijan. He will leave for Armenia when his observations in Georgia are concluded. Based on what he has seen, Lennmarker will present a report on Georgia at an OSCE Parliamentarians’ meeting in Toronto on September 18-21. (Black Sea Press)
Italy proposes a conference with the participation of the Presidents of Georgia and Russia
Italy is ready to host an international conference in Rome at which the Presidents of Russia and Georgia would participate. This was stated at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry of Georgia on September 3 by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, after his meeting with his Georgian counterpart Yekaterina Tkeshelashvili.
“Together with our friends Italy is ready to undertake the role of a mediator in the rapprochement of Georgia with Russia. Rome is a beautiful place where the parties can make arrangements. In principle, there is s readiness among the parties for such a meeting,” the Minister stated. However he did not make prognostications about the result of such an initiative.
According to Frattini’s preliminary information, the conference in Rome will be held on November 13. (Black Sea Press)
Work on releasing prisoners of war continues – Targamadze
To date 176 citizens of Georgia, including 17 military men, have been released from Tskhinvali isolation wards, Givi Targamadze, Chairman of the Committee on Defence and Security and Chairman of the Commission on Prisoner of War Affairs, told Parliament on Wednesday.
According to Targamadze, 170 military men have died or are missing. Reliable information on the fate or whereabouts of 14 of them is not available. 13 Georgian policemen died in the conflict.
According to Targamadze’s information, 69 civilians of Georgian nationality died as a result of Russian military aggression. The deputy said that work on releasing Georgian military men who are alleged to be held in Tskhinvali and Vladikavkaz is continuing. There are up to 22 persons being held there. (Black Sea Press)