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The News in Brief

Monday, September 15
President of Georgia visits Kvemo Kartli

President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has visited the Kvemo-Kartli region (Eastern Georgia).

As Black Sea Press informs, the President visited the village of Koda, where 500 IDPs will be settled. By the end of October IDPs will be settled in 10 buildings that are owned by the Defence Ministry of Georgia. According to the report, repair works on these will be finished by the end of October and the IDPs will be settled into flats. The state has allocated GEL 6 million for the repair of the buildings. IDPs will be provided with work at a nearby milk factory.

The President has also visited the Georgian Steel plant in Rustavi and expressed his gratitude to the workers for not suspending their work during the events in August. “I appreciate the fact that despite Georgia experiencing hard times, work was not stopped here. This is our response to Russian aggression, and now our answer to it will be the restoration of Georgia, the development of the economy, new jobs, great incomes and entrance to export markets,” Saakashvili said.
(Black Sea Press)



NATO does not supply Georgia with arms

NATO is not supplying weapons or arms to Georgia, NATO Official Spokesman James Appathurai stated on Thursday, briefing journalists in Brussels. At the same time he said that NATO would assist Georgia in post-conflict rehabilitation, and would render its assistance in implementing economic and defence reforms in Georgia.

A first group of NATO experts has already visited Georgia with the aim of assessing the damage inflicted on Georgia as a result of the conflict in South Ossetia.
(Black Sea Press)



Moscow chooses its desired Ambassadors to Abkhazia and South Ossetia

The Russian Foreign Ministry has chosen the individuals it wishes to appoint to the posts of Ambassador to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Andrei Nesterenko, its representative, stated.

“Russian Ambassadors to Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been already chosen but they are to be confirmed by both chambers of Parliament and by the International Committee of the State Duma”, he stated.

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, attended the opening of the Russian Embassy in Sokhumi on Sunday. Russia recognized the independence of the separatist enclaves of Georgia on August 26.
(Prime-News)



Lavrov, Rice discussed Abkhazia and “South Ossetia”

A telephone conversation was held between Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, on September 11 at the U.S. side’s initiative.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov and Rice discussed the current situation in Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia within the context of the Sarkozy-Medvedev 8 September negotiations. Lavrov stated that Russia would do its best to provide the region with stability, in accordance with the Medvedev-Sarkozy agreement.

“According to the agreement, additional international forces will be deployed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in order to avoid further Tbilisi aggression”, the Russian diplomat pointed out.
(Prime-News)



Georgian Ombudsman to present report on conflict with Russia

Georgian Ombudsman Sozar Subari made public his intermediate report on the results of the armed conflict between Georgia and Russia in August at a press-conference on Saturday. Subari’s report consists of four parts: crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, the situation in the conflict zones and IDPs, looting and plunder.

According to the Ombudsman’s information, 1,200 dwelling houses were damaged in 31 settlements, infrastructure including schools and hospitals has been liquidated and tens of civilians have been killed.

At the press conference Subari drew attention to the fact that no possibility was given to transport the bodies of dead people. “There are photos of bodies being buried in domestic gardens as they could not be taken from the conflict zone”, Subari noted.
(Black Sea Press)



Bank of Georgia Service Centre robbed

The Bank of Georgia service centre located at Tsotne Dadiani Street 34 in Tbilisi has been attacked. The criminals have stolen GEL 30,000.

The Bank’s security personnel did not open fire on the attackers to ensure the security of clients and personnel. Therefore no one was injured during the raid. An investigation is being conducted at the scene of the crime.
(Prime-News)