Press Scanner
Compiled by Salome Modebadze and Inna Egievy
Thursday, October 23
Did Russian diplomat attempt to attack Saakashvili?
Rezonansi reports that according to Latvia’s TV-3, some years ago the Russian Ambassadorial Advisor in Latvia planned to attack President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili.
According to this source, the current Ambassadorial Advisor in Latvia was Deputy Secretary to the Russian Ambassador in Georgia between 2002 and 2004. During this period, he planned to attack Saakashvili, but his plans were foiled when he and fellow conspirators had a car accident.
The Advisor has confirmed that he was working in Georgia at the material time, but denied the allegation made against him.
“I can say nothing. There is no basis for this accusation and I have no material on this. To my mind, it’s misinformation, the sort that was spread just after the war,” a Georgian Presidential spokesperson said.
American delegation visits military bases in Gori
American diplomats have visited the military base in Gori, 24 saati writes, where they were received by Minister of Defence David Kezerashvili and his First Deputy Batu Kutelia. The US Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft, the Deputy Head of the American Mission in Georgia Kent Longston and US Defence Attache in Georgia Colonel Matthew Brand attended a subsequent meeting at the base.
The two sides discussed defence issues in Georgia, particularly defence systems, armed forces reforms and perspectives on Georgia entering NATO.
Agreement will be reached between Caucasus Online and United Telecom
24 Saati writes that after attending talks arranged by Prime Minister Vladimer Gurgenidze, Caucasus Online and United Telecom will draft an agreement to end their long-running dispute. The Press Centre of Caucasus Online confirmed that it will pay its debt to United Telecom after both sides have agreed the exact amount of this.
Givi Targamadze tells opposition not to use human tragedies for its own ends
24 saati reports, that MP Givi Targamadze has called upon the opposition not to use human tragedies for the purposes of pre-election propaganda. He made this statemernt in reply to an appeal by Parliamentary minority leader Giorgi Targamadze that Parliament takes an interest in the case of a man killed in what he called “obscure circumstances” in Batumi on August 16.
“Shavadze, arrested for possessing drugs, escaped his escort, stole a weapon and fired it. He was shot while escaping and there are no obscure circumstances,” Givi Targamadze explained. However Giorgi Targamadze responded by saying, “This person was shot 22 times from the front, how could that happen while he was escaping? There are lots of questions about this case, and it therefore needs the Government’s particular attention.”
Why are women and children leaving Tskhinvali?
The situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone is still strained, Rezonansi reports.
Four days ago the Tskhinvali separatist Government began an evacuation of women and children. Heavy artillery has been observed moving in Patara Liakhvi gorge, controlled by the separatists, for wa whole day, and Russian helicopters have appeared in Eredvi village again.
Russian aviation manoeuvres were seen over South Ossetia on Monday evening. At this time the de facto Ossetian leaders blocked the border with Georgia and communication with the contiguous villages has become very difficult. Movement through the Roki Tunnel has also been restricted, almost the same rules which apply to people crossing the Russian border having been imposed.
The reports of the evacuation of women and children by the Kokoity Government has been confirmed by the local population and by Badri Basiashvili, the Georgian majoritarian MP for the gorge. Basiashvili believes that Russia might be planning another provocation, and that the evacuation from Tskhinvali could be connected with this.
Rezonansi reports that according to Latvia’s TV-3, some years ago the Russian Ambassadorial Advisor in Latvia planned to attack President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili.
According to this source, the current Ambassadorial Advisor in Latvia was Deputy Secretary to the Russian Ambassador in Georgia between 2002 and 2004. During this period, he planned to attack Saakashvili, but his plans were foiled when he and fellow conspirators had a car accident.
The Advisor has confirmed that he was working in Georgia at the material time, but denied the allegation made against him.
“I can say nothing. There is no basis for this accusation and I have no material on this. To my mind, it’s misinformation, the sort that was spread just after the war,” a Georgian Presidential spokesperson said.
American delegation visits military bases in Gori
American diplomats have visited the military base in Gori, 24 saati writes, where they were received by Minister of Defence David Kezerashvili and his First Deputy Batu Kutelia. The US Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft, the Deputy Head of the American Mission in Georgia Kent Longston and US Defence Attache in Georgia Colonel Matthew Brand attended a subsequent meeting at the base.
The two sides discussed defence issues in Georgia, particularly defence systems, armed forces reforms and perspectives on Georgia entering NATO.
Agreement will be reached between Caucasus Online and United Telecom
24 Saati writes that after attending talks arranged by Prime Minister Vladimer Gurgenidze, Caucasus Online and United Telecom will draft an agreement to end their long-running dispute. The Press Centre of Caucasus Online confirmed that it will pay its debt to United Telecom after both sides have agreed the exact amount of this.
Givi Targamadze tells opposition not to use human tragedies for its own ends
24 saati reports, that MP Givi Targamadze has called upon the opposition not to use human tragedies for the purposes of pre-election propaganda. He made this statemernt in reply to an appeal by Parliamentary minority leader Giorgi Targamadze that Parliament takes an interest in the case of a man killed in what he called “obscure circumstances” in Batumi on August 16.
“Shavadze, arrested for possessing drugs, escaped his escort, stole a weapon and fired it. He was shot while escaping and there are no obscure circumstances,” Givi Targamadze explained. However Giorgi Targamadze responded by saying, “This person was shot 22 times from the front, how could that happen while he was escaping? There are lots of questions about this case, and it therefore needs the Government’s particular attention.”
Why are women and children leaving Tskhinvali?
The situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone is still strained, Rezonansi reports.
Four days ago the Tskhinvali separatist Government began an evacuation of women and children. Heavy artillery has been observed moving in Patara Liakhvi gorge, controlled by the separatists, for wa whole day, and Russian helicopters have appeared in Eredvi village again.
Russian aviation manoeuvres were seen over South Ossetia on Monday evening. At this time the de facto Ossetian leaders blocked the border with Georgia and communication with the contiguous villages has become very difficult. Movement through the Roki Tunnel has also been restricted, almost the same rules which apply to people crossing the Russian border having been imposed.
The reports of the evacuation of women and children by the Kokoity Government has been confirmed by the local population and by Badri Basiashvili, the Georgian majoritarian MP for the gorge. Basiashvili believes that Russia might be planning another provocation, and that the evacuation from Tskhinvali could be connected with this.