The News in Brief
Friday, July 10
Radioactive substances found in Tbilisi
Radioactive substances have been found in Tbilisi on Moscow Avenue. Specialists have found Cesium 137 and Stracium 90, but said the radiation they emit doesn’t threat the population living near the site of the discovery.
The substances have been put in special containers. Experts from the Environment Ministry have moved them to a Ministry depot where they will undergo laboratory analysis. Police have launched an investigation into how these substances got to where they were found. (Interpressnews)
Parliamentary Assembly of Francophone Nations adopts resolution on Georgia
The Parliamentary Assembly of Francophone Nations held in Paris has adopted a special resolution regarding the consequences of the Georgia-Russia war last August. The resolution asks various international organisations and relevant official structures in member states to apply all necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the August 12 ceasefire document signed by the Presidents of Georgia, Russia and France. The resolution also supports the restoration of international observer missions on Georgia’s occupied territories and the enlargement of the functions of the EU monitoring mission and the development of a new international peacekeeping mission which will provide the secure repatriation of IDPs to Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Member of Parliament Chiora Taktakishvili presented the Assembly’s report to the media yesterday. (Rustavi 2)
McCain and Lieberman have sent letter to Obama
It has emerged that US Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman sent a letter to President Obama prior to his departure to the Russian Federation in which they expressed their concern about a series of recent actions by the Government of Russia which have undermined the fragile peace and stability of the South Caucasus region. The Senators reviewed the recent developments in the region and expressed their concern about the suspension of the OSCE and UN missions to Georgia.
“Russia’s deliberate dismantling of the conflict resolution and monitoring machinery is made all the more disturbing when coupled with Moscow’s failure to comply with the terms of the agreements it reached with the international community in the wake of its August 2008 war with Tbilisi...We hope that you will express grave concerns about Russia’s provocative and destabilizing actions when you see President Medvedev next week and make clear America’s support for the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. We believe that it is extremely important for President Medvedev to recognise that initiating or provoking further military action between Russia and Georgia in the months ahead would not serve Russia’s self-interest. We also hope that you will make clear to President Medvedev the importance of him honouring the agreements he made last year and cooperating with the international community to ensure that UN and OSCE observers can once again operate throughout Georgia, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the letter said. (Rustavi 2)
Georgian opposition demands that Venice Commission comments on legislative changes
The Georgian non-Parliamentary parties are demanding that the Venice Commission prepare a conclusion on proposed legislative changes, one of their leaders Eka Beselia said at a briefing yesterday.
The leader of the Movement for United Georgia says a packet of recently-initiated changes will be sent to the Venice Commission. These are Government proposals to change the Administrative Law Violation Code, the Law on Imprisonment and the Law on Assembly and Manifestation. The opposition demand that the Venice Commission compare the proposals changes to the commitments Georgia undertook at the European Council.
At the briefing Beselia also presented statistics concerning the oppression of opposition activists during the three-month protest rallies. (Rustavi 2)
Explosion injures mother and son
An explosion injured a woman and her eight-year old son in Khvichia Street, Tbilisi on Thursday morning. Reportedly a hand grenade fastened to a handle exploded when Lali Gogidze opened the door. The woman was only slightly injured, but both injured were hospitalised.
Police are working at the site of the explosion. (Rustavi 2)
Radioactive substances have been found in Tbilisi on Moscow Avenue. Specialists have found Cesium 137 and Stracium 90, but said the radiation they emit doesn’t threat the population living near the site of the discovery.
The substances have been put in special containers. Experts from the Environment Ministry have moved them to a Ministry depot where they will undergo laboratory analysis. Police have launched an investigation into how these substances got to where they were found. (Interpressnews)
Parliamentary Assembly of Francophone Nations adopts resolution on Georgia
The Parliamentary Assembly of Francophone Nations held in Paris has adopted a special resolution regarding the consequences of the Georgia-Russia war last August. The resolution asks various international organisations and relevant official structures in member states to apply all necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the August 12 ceasefire document signed by the Presidents of Georgia, Russia and France. The resolution also supports the restoration of international observer missions on Georgia’s occupied territories and the enlargement of the functions of the EU monitoring mission and the development of a new international peacekeeping mission which will provide the secure repatriation of IDPs to Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Member of Parliament Chiora Taktakishvili presented the Assembly’s report to the media yesterday. (Rustavi 2)
McCain and Lieberman have sent letter to Obama
It has emerged that US Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman sent a letter to President Obama prior to his departure to the Russian Federation in which they expressed their concern about a series of recent actions by the Government of Russia which have undermined the fragile peace and stability of the South Caucasus region. The Senators reviewed the recent developments in the region and expressed their concern about the suspension of the OSCE and UN missions to Georgia.
“Russia’s deliberate dismantling of the conflict resolution and monitoring machinery is made all the more disturbing when coupled with Moscow’s failure to comply with the terms of the agreements it reached with the international community in the wake of its August 2008 war with Tbilisi...We hope that you will express grave concerns about Russia’s provocative and destabilizing actions when you see President Medvedev next week and make clear America’s support for the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. We believe that it is extremely important for President Medvedev to recognise that initiating or provoking further military action between Russia and Georgia in the months ahead would not serve Russia’s self-interest. We also hope that you will make clear to President Medvedev the importance of him honouring the agreements he made last year and cooperating with the international community to ensure that UN and OSCE observers can once again operate throughout Georgia, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the letter said. (Rustavi 2)
Georgian opposition demands that Venice Commission comments on legislative changes
The Georgian non-Parliamentary parties are demanding that the Venice Commission prepare a conclusion on proposed legislative changes, one of their leaders Eka Beselia said at a briefing yesterday.
The leader of the Movement for United Georgia says a packet of recently-initiated changes will be sent to the Venice Commission. These are Government proposals to change the Administrative Law Violation Code, the Law on Imprisonment and the Law on Assembly and Manifestation. The opposition demand that the Venice Commission compare the proposals changes to the commitments Georgia undertook at the European Council.
At the briefing Beselia also presented statistics concerning the oppression of opposition activists during the three-month protest rallies. (Rustavi 2)
Explosion injures mother and son
An explosion injured a woman and her eight-year old son in Khvichia Street, Tbilisi on Thursday morning. Reportedly a hand grenade fastened to a handle exploded when Lali Gogidze opened the door. The woman was only slightly injured, but both injured were hospitalised.
Police are working at the site of the explosion. (Rustavi 2)