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The News in Brief

Wednesday, December 31
Solemn graduation ceremony held in National Defence Academy

The solemn ceremony to mark the graduation of Air Force Junior Officers was held at the National Defence Academy at 12:00 o’clock on December 30, Black Sea Press has been informed at the Defence Ministry of Georgia.

On 12 graduates the military rank “Lieutenant” was conferred and they were awarded diplomas confirming the successful completion of their training courses. These lasted from October 12 to December 30, and over these eleven weeks the students learned military topography, fire support, air defence aviation tactics, air defence missile and artillery systems, radio-electronic warfare and radio-technical army techniques.

The solemn ceremony was attended by the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, Deputy Chief of Staff Brigadier General Davit Nairashvili and other high ranking officials. (Black Sea Press)



Israel will not to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia – Ambassador

The State of Israel will not recognize the “independence” of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Ambassador of Israel to Russia Anna Azari stated on Tuesday.

“Israel did not recognize (the independence of) Kosovo and that‘s why it does not recognize now, and probably will not recognise in future,Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” Azari said in an interview broadcast on radio station “Echo of Moscow”.

Russia recognized the “independence” of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the military conflict in August. Only Nicaragua has followed suit. (Black Sea Press)



Georgian wine producers do not believe the Russian market will return

The Union of Georgian Wine Producers does not believe there is a real possibility that Georgian wine will return to the Russian market. Thist can hardly be believed in.

“Everyone knows why the access of Georgian wine to the Russian market was taken away. The decision had political motives,” the head of the Union Giorgi Koberidze told journalists.

“Not long ago the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Gennadi Onischenko, said that he expected proposals from Georgian wine producers and samples to test. Nothing has changed since the political decision of Onischenko in 2006. We would like to return to the Russian market, but at present this is improbable,” Koberidze said.

On Monday Onischenko stated that reintroducing Georgian wine to the Russian market would not be easy as the problem of counterfeiting in Georgia had not been resolved. Russia closed its market to Georgian wine in 2006, as Rospotrebnadzor considered they were counterfeit. Georgia described that decision as an economic embargo on Georgian goods. (Black Sea Press)