The News in Brief
Friday, August 14
Commission calls on UN Security Council to recognise Russia as a party to the conflict
The Georgian Parliament’s Commission on the Restoration of Territorial Integrity has called on the UN Security Council to objectively assess Russia’s actions and recognise it as a party to a conflict.
Shota Malashkhia’s Commission has asked the UN Security Council to apply the 3rd item of the 27th article of UN regulations. This article says that decisions of the Security Council are considered taken when supported by nine members, including all permanent members. However it also says that a country which is one of the parties to a dispute must refrain from voting on issues concerning that dispute.
The Commission hopes that the UN, OSCE, EU and other international organisations working in the conflict zones will monitor them under the terms of already taken international agreements to create a new peace format and establish an international peace force to coerce the Russian Federation into following its commitments of 12 August 2008. (Interpressnews)
UK condemns Putin`s visit to breakaway Abkhazia
The United Kingdom Foreign Ministry has objected to Vladimir Putin’s visit to Sukhumi, the capital of Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia. The UK condemned Mr Putin`s announcement of such a visit, saying it ran contrary to wider international efforts to support a negotiated solution in the region.
“The build-up of Russia’s military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is regarded by Georgia as a clear violation of its sovereignty,” the statement released by the British Foreign Ministry says. “Georgia has expressed its ‘strong protest’ at Mr Putin`s visit, which it said demonstrated Russia`s defiance of `universally recognised norms and principles of international law,’” the statement continues. (Rustavi 2)
Latin American states will recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia - Natelashvili
States in Latin America will recognise Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia, leader of the Labour Party Shalva Natelashvili has stated at a press conference broadcast on the Russian First Channel.
Natelashvili said: “While our poor President is busy preserving his throne, Georgia’s disintegration continues and deepens. Dozens of Latin American states, Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba, Honduras, Ecuador and others, intend to recognise Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia’s independence.”
He stated that the Labour Party had addressed leaders of the above mentioned countries asking them not to recognise these regions or identify Saakashvili and his policy with the Georgian nation. It has also expressed a readiness to meet the abovementioned leaders at any time and provide them with detailed information about the situation in the country. (Interpressnews)
Nino Burjanadze calls on international community to continue pressurising Russia
Chair of the Democratic Movement – United Georgia Nino Burjanadze has called on the international community to continue putting pressure on Russia to fulfil all the terms of the 12 August Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement. She said this at a press conference held yesterday.
“I want to call on our Western friends, the EU, USA, OSCE and international institutions to continue putting pressure on Russia to fulfil this year-old agreement. Otherwise the aggravation of the situation which will be a serious blow to the national interests of our country might occur. Russia must take real steps to follow this agreement, though I don’t consider that the rhetoric of our Government will ensure it does so,” Burjanadze stated.
“Russian military units are located in places which were under Georgian control before the conflict. Russia is therefore violating the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement. We must all demand that Russia follows this agreement and withdraws its troops from Akhalgori, Perevi and Kodori,” Burjanadze stated.
“The Government has not said, either during this past year or on the anniversary of the war, how it will restore last year’s status quo or negotiate with the Abkhaz and Ossetian people. It has not said how it will to make these territories and their population indivisible and dignified part of Georgia,” Burjanadze stated.
“Due to the reckless decisions of the Georgian Government, international discussion of the political status of the conflict regions was removed from the text of the agreement and it did not demand that Georgia’s territorial integrity be restored and respected. This was a crime against the people and the state,” Burjanadze said. She added that if the August events are not adequately assessed, and the outcomes of the war not analysed, Georgia will fail to take the right steps. (Interpressnews)
Families of Engurhesi power plant workers robbed
Families of personnel of the Engurhesi power plant were robbed in the Gali region village of Saberio, Interpressnews has been told by Deputy Head of the Abkhazian Government’s representation in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Tornike Kilanava.
“Vakhtang Gegechkori’s family was attacked on 12 August at 22:00 in the village of Saberio. The robbers took valuables and an Opel car,” Kilanava stated. He added that two other families were also attacked in that village on the same night – those of Zaur Tsutskhubia and Jumber Shematava.
“Family members were beaten, their things and vehicles taken away. A 5-member masked group which acted in an especially brutal and cynical way, was responsible,” Kilanava stated. (Interpressnews)
The Georgian Parliament’s Commission on the Restoration of Territorial Integrity has called on the UN Security Council to objectively assess Russia’s actions and recognise it as a party to a conflict.
Shota Malashkhia’s Commission has asked the UN Security Council to apply the 3rd item of the 27th article of UN regulations. This article says that decisions of the Security Council are considered taken when supported by nine members, including all permanent members. However it also says that a country which is one of the parties to a dispute must refrain from voting on issues concerning that dispute.
The Commission hopes that the UN, OSCE, EU and other international organisations working in the conflict zones will monitor them under the terms of already taken international agreements to create a new peace format and establish an international peace force to coerce the Russian Federation into following its commitments of 12 August 2008. (Interpressnews)
UK condemns Putin`s visit to breakaway Abkhazia
The United Kingdom Foreign Ministry has objected to Vladimir Putin’s visit to Sukhumi, the capital of Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia. The UK condemned Mr Putin`s announcement of such a visit, saying it ran contrary to wider international efforts to support a negotiated solution in the region.
“The build-up of Russia’s military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is regarded by Georgia as a clear violation of its sovereignty,” the statement released by the British Foreign Ministry says. “Georgia has expressed its ‘strong protest’ at Mr Putin`s visit, which it said demonstrated Russia`s defiance of `universally recognised norms and principles of international law,’” the statement continues. (Rustavi 2)
Latin American states will recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia - Natelashvili
States in Latin America will recognise Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia, leader of the Labour Party Shalva Natelashvili has stated at a press conference broadcast on the Russian First Channel.
Natelashvili said: “While our poor President is busy preserving his throne, Georgia’s disintegration continues and deepens. Dozens of Latin American states, Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba, Honduras, Ecuador and others, intend to recognise Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia’s independence.”
He stated that the Labour Party had addressed leaders of the above mentioned countries asking them not to recognise these regions or identify Saakashvili and his policy with the Georgian nation. It has also expressed a readiness to meet the abovementioned leaders at any time and provide them with detailed information about the situation in the country. (Interpressnews)
Nino Burjanadze calls on international community to continue pressurising Russia
Chair of the Democratic Movement – United Georgia Nino Burjanadze has called on the international community to continue putting pressure on Russia to fulfil all the terms of the 12 August Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement. She said this at a press conference held yesterday.
“I want to call on our Western friends, the EU, USA, OSCE and international institutions to continue putting pressure on Russia to fulfil this year-old agreement. Otherwise the aggravation of the situation which will be a serious blow to the national interests of our country might occur. Russia must take real steps to follow this agreement, though I don’t consider that the rhetoric of our Government will ensure it does so,” Burjanadze stated.
“Russian military units are located in places which were under Georgian control before the conflict. Russia is therefore violating the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement. We must all demand that Russia follows this agreement and withdraws its troops from Akhalgori, Perevi and Kodori,” Burjanadze stated.
“The Government has not said, either during this past year or on the anniversary of the war, how it will restore last year’s status quo or negotiate with the Abkhaz and Ossetian people. It has not said how it will to make these territories and their population indivisible and dignified part of Georgia,” Burjanadze stated.
“Due to the reckless decisions of the Georgian Government, international discussion of the political status of the conflict regions was removed from the text of the agreement and it did not demand that Georgia’s territorial integrity be restored and respected. This was a crime against the people and the state,” Burjanadze said. She added that if the August events are not adequately assessed, and the outcomes of the war not analysed, Georgia will fail to take the right steps. (Interpressnews)
Families of Engurhesi power plant workers robbed
Families of personnel of the Engurhesi power plant were robbed in the Gali region village of Saberio, Interpressnews has been told by Deputy Head of the Abkhazian Government’s representation in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Tornike Kilanava.
“Vakhtang Gegechkori’s family was attacked on 12 August at 22:00 in the village of Saberio. The robbers took valuables and an Opel car,” Kilanava stated. He added that two other families were also attacked in that village on the same night – those of Zaur Tsutskhubia and Jumber Shematava.
“Family members were beaten, their things and vehicles taken away. A 5-member masked group which acted in an especially brutal and cynical way, was responsible,” Kilanava stated. (Interpressnews)