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The News in Brief

Thursday, October 7
August war case remains open in CoE

The case of Georgia-Russia August War 2008 will remain open for discussion - the decision of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (CoE). The organisation will continue to monitor the fulfillment of resolutions adopted by PACE, which laid specific responsibilities on Russia.

The CoE has also appointed a one-day hearing on the case of Russia-Georgia relations. The session will be held this winter as part of the initiative of the CoE monitoring Committee Chairperson, Dick Marty. The goal of the session is to clarify how Russia is fulfilling its obligations and to report on the situation in the occupied territories.

The request of the Russian delegation to invite the Abkhazian and so-called South Ossetian puppet leaders was not even considered. At the winter session, the CoE members will listen only to the report of the Georgian delegation. (Rustavi 2)



Zurab Noghaideli Met EC RepresentativesM

Leader of the Movement for Fair Georgia, Zurab Noghaideli met representatives of the European Commission in Brussels.

The party’s press office reports that the sides discussed the inadmissibility of resuming armed conflict in Georgia and that it is reasonable to allow free trade with Abkhazia and South Ossetia and start a new stage of negotiations.

During the meetings it was stressed that discussions on the issues of unity of the country must be held in Georgian society. (Interpressnews)



Armenian Political Differences

Deputy of the Armenian Republican Party responded to the statement of the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandyan, who declared that there are no problems in Georgia - Armenian relations.

The deputy states that despite ‘constant pretenses from Javakhki Armenians about violations of their rights, official Yerevan declares it has no problems with Georgia’.

‘Relations with Georgia are precious to Armenia. We are losing Javakhk, as a mass emigration of Armenians is taking place. If this policy continues, we’ll lose Javakhk. In that case we don’t need friendship with Georgia,’ Torosyan noted.

Edward Nalbandyan made the statement about relations with Georgia two days ago at a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. (Interpressnews)



New Rights Party objects to detention of importers

The New Rights Party objects to the detention of more than one hundred individual entrepreneurs by the investigation department of the Ministry of Finance. The leader of the opposition party Davit Gamkrelidze expressed their position at a briefing yesterday, calling upon the law enforcers to release the detainees immediately and allow competent bodies and the court to rule on their wrongdoings.

Davit Gamkrelidze said the form of detention applied by the investigation department, was inhumane and it did not meet the standards of the civilized world. The opposition party leader believes the growth in price on consumer goods is an outcome of this approach to the problem.

Over 150 individual entrepreneurs were detained at two central trade centres after interrogation yesterday. They are suspected of forging documents and evading taxes. (Rustavi 2)



Monitoring of illegal abortions

The Service of Control of Doctors’ Activities has begun monitoring criminal abortions at gynaecological clinics. The inspectors of the service will inspect every clinic where abortions are performed and investigate the legality of the operations. At the moment the monitoring group is looking into the work of the Gineka maternity house.

The director of the clinic denies any unlawful activity including illegal abortions. He says he is prepared to cooperate with the monitoring group and support the process of inspection with the video material obtained via 24-hour video monitoring in the clinic. (Rustavi 2)



Police arrest murder suspect

Guria regional police have arrested 28-year old Giorgi Ghazhonia on suspicion of killing his peer, Ramaz Chubinidze, who was visiting his parents-in-law in the village of Dvabuzi, Guria Region.

The young men had an argument at the table, where the son-in-law was for the first time after the wedding. The suspect also injured Ramaz Chubinidze's cousin - Zurab Chubinidze and fled from the murder scene.

The suspect was arrested in the village of Nasakirali. The investigation is in progress. The suspect may face a 7-15 year jail sentence. (Rustavi 2)