tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44404009126815488132024-03-19T04:46:49.653-07:00Caucasus Regional NewsGeorgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and the North CaucasusCRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-56887656946485269002012-06-26T12:38:00.001-07:002012-06-26T12:56:28.471-07:00US cadets trained at Georgia's Sachkhere Mountain Training SchoolCadets of the United States Military University finished Basic Mountain Training Summer Course. A course graduation ceremony was organized at the base of Sachkhere Mountain Training School. American cadets were granted certificates and special badges.<br />
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28 cadets of the U.S. Military University underwent the course of study within the frames of cooperation between the United States and Georgia. Basic Mountain Training Summer Course lasted from 4 till 23 of June. During a three week-long summer course the foreign cadets adopted mountain-technical skills.<br />
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The Sachkhere Mountain Training School instructors trained future military servicemen in crossing technique over mountains, high mountains, rivers and ravines. They also practiced in providing first medical care and got familiar with evacuation methods.<br />
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In the scope of the course, with the help of the Georgian instructors, trainees carried out technical climbing and descending from rocks.<br />
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The solemn graduation ceremony was attended by Deputy Chiefs of Joint Staff of GAF Colonel Arsen Tsukhishvili, Lieutenant Colonel Lasha Beridze, representatives of NATO Liaison Office in Georgia and Diplomatic Corps. <br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.rustavi2.com/news/index.php">The US cadets trained at Sachkhere Mountain Training School</a>CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-75912021336196811632012-04-11T13:36:00.002-07:002012-04-11T13:42:16.369-07:00Georgian doctors save Abkhazian children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zUyMXNQa0VD-IWCjNEURA0U6ICfHkITYSjJGdBHDYZE5e7aEKJKB5hPZ3Rb7XzeeUA-F8r5vZguLL2xaoneKZQsQAgCi7vDLQSfmp18KWFWO26x6PL3VvQC6ZHo2ixzc6f4NyqZwxrmu/s1600/tbilisi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zUyMXNQa0VD-IWCjNEURA0U6ICfHkITYSjJGdBHDYZE5e7aEKJKB5hPZ3Rb7XzeeUA-F8r5vZguLL2xaoneKZQsQAgCi7vDLQSfmp18KWFWO26x6PL3VvQC6ZHo2ixzc6f4NyqZwxrmu/s200/tbilisi.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><strong>TBILISI, GEORGIA - An 11 year-old girl from the occupied Abkhazia will be operated on her heart in Tbilisi. Georgian news channel Rustavi2 reported.</strong> <br />
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Iana Iashfba from Tkvarcheli has problems on her heart and will undergo surgery at the Joen Hospital in Tbilisi. <br />
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She was taken from the breakaway region a few days ago; the surgery is planned for tomorrow. The surgery will be funded by the government of Georgia.<br />
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The head of the Abkhazian legitimate government Gia Baramia visited the young patient at the hospital today and presented her with candies and Easter gifts.<br />
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This is not the first case in which Georgian doctors have saved the life of an Abkhazian child. Over the past years, many desparate Abkhazian parents have come to Tbilisi to get much-needed medical help for their childeren, which they cannot get in Abkhazia.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-34623797234062650862012-03-08T12:50:00.006-08:002012-03-08T12:57:05.527-08:00How the President of "Independent Abkhazia" gives his vote to Russian President<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYyKIvmCfc1iLai4J4A3behzgE-eGRLC7PUUyJEEsvkiEoWpc-C9bQLriGrCOB1c36AukuZaAdoUWcW-zErho7mb4K33g6pTenUpXH2YeKyuEm5oy0Q0yyqBx_Y6K06QuJNnHoZ8RRC-p/s1600/abkhazia_votes_for_putin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYyKIvmCfc1iLai4J4A3behzgE-eGRLC7PUUyJEEsvkiEoWpc-C9bQLriGrCOB1c36AukuZaAdoUWcW-zErho7mb4K33g6pTenUpXH2YeKyuEm5oy0Q0yyqBx_Y6K06QuJNnHoZ8RRC-p/s200/abkhazia_votes_for_putin.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>On March 4th, the day of the Sovietization of <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/12/abkhazians-ignore-circassian-genocide.html?utm_source=BP_recent"><strong>Abkhazia</strong></a>, the day of the death of the first Abkhazian pro-kremlin leader Vladislav Ardzinba, and the birthday of the late second pro-Moscow leader of the puppet regime Sergey Bagapsh, the current "President" of "<a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2012/02/illegitimacy-of-abkhazias-independence.html"><strong>Independent of Abkhazia</strong></a>" Alexander Ankvab elected Russian President Vladimir Putin.<br />
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<strong>"</strong><a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html?utm_source=BP_recent"><strong>Abkhazia</strong></a><strong> knows what choice it should make. I am sure that Abkhazia is voting for Vladimir Putin, "- Ankvab said yesterday voting for Putin.</strong><br />
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The fact that calls in support of one of the candidates is itself a violation we will not mention. And the call to vote en masse for a candidate, too, is a confirmation of the closed society. But the vote of "the president of one state" for the president of another probably will go down in the annals of world history. One cannot even comment on this..<br />
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In 1992-1993 and in 2008, <strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing_of_Georgians_in_Abkhazia">Russia organized an ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia</a>. </strong>More than 400,000 Georgians were driven out of Abkhazia & South Ossetia and are not allowed to return to their homes until today. Instead, the region is becoming more and more militarized.<br />
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Read more about Abkhazia: The Abkhaz government has officially distanced itself from <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/07/circassian-genocide-memorial-to-be.html?utm_source=BP_recent"><strong><span style="color: #2288bb;">the Circassian genocide</span></strong></a>.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-39252461411643954512012-02-24T04:37:00.012-08:002012-02-24T06:06:27.177-08:00Thousands of Georgians call on Russia to pull out its troops from Georgian territory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi42xLq4QrTonXWOJg-gp_n9EZQCpd-eiOeaXLWZFt8HOC5HqLR52t9h6T6aAcKhFnBiZ_HMKbWi3Ar8fuV3CnEDSjswgcCEoFFZnJjX5VWsxDFYBoRraYqyMouQikwJPuh79_xdrYZ4xh/s1600/The_president_of_russian_federation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi42xLq4QrTonXWOJg-gp_n9EZQCpd-eiOeaXLWZFt8HOC5HqLR52t9h6T6aAcKhFnBiZ_HMKbWi3Ar8fuV3CnEDSjswgcCEoFFZnJjX5VWsxDFYBoRraYqyMouQikwJPuh79_xdrYZ4xh/s200/The_president_of_russian_federation.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">By Robert Moore</span></strong><br />
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Thousands of Georgians call on Russia to recognize Georgia`s territorial integrity, pull out its troops from Georgian territory and facilitate repatriation of IDPs to their homes in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.<br />
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<a href="http://uddebatt.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/russia%E2%80%99s-war-in-georgia-and-the-background-chronology-to-it/"><strong>Soviet(Russian) occupation</strong></a> has changed the names into South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the period 1921-1992). The historicaly correct name of South Ossetia is: Shida Kartli or Samachablo). The historically correct name of Abkhazia is Apkhazeti. These regions were always Georgian and never independent states before the August 2008. <br />
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In 1992-1993 and in 2008, Russia organized an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing_of_Georgians_in_Abkhazia"><strong>ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia</strong></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing_of_Georgians_in_South_Ossetia"><strong>South Ossetia</strong></a>. More than 400,000 Georgians were driven out of Abkhazia & South Ossetia and are not allowed to return to their homes until today. <br />
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Two Georgian regions, <a href="http://kazbeginews.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/how-russia-prepared-and-executed-ethnic-cleansing-of-georgians-in-south-ossetia/"><strong>Abkhazia and South Ossetia, remain under Russian occupation</strong></a> and are being militarized further and further. There is no form of human rights whatsoever in these two regions. Neither Russia nor the pro-Russian regimes allow Georgians to return to their homes and property in the regions. Both regions are closed to international organizations and observers. There is no form of economy, no press-freedom. <br />
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<a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2012/02/illegitimacy-of-abkhazias-independence.html"><strong>Abkhazia</strong></a> and South Ossetia have been declared independent by Russia and some dwarf island nations that were paid by Russia to do so. The independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is absolutely illegal and was declared after large-scale ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population. In Abkhazia for example, the number of ethnic <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html"><strong>Abkhazians</strong></a> was 1% of the total population in 1989. This group has been given the right by Russia to make fundamental decisions for the other 99% of the population, like independence. <br />
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Georgian refugees demand from the Russian state to stop the occupation, to let them return to their homes and live a safe life there.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-76054636601924288422012-02-17T04:48:00.002-08:002012-02-17T05:02:49.331-08:00The illegitimacy of Abkhazia's independence<strong>The push for Abkhaz statehood makes a mockery of international law -- and recognition would represent a chilling validation of </strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing_of_Georgians_in_Abkhazia"><strong>ethnic cleansing</strong></a><strong>.</strong><br />
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So-called presidential elections took place last month in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia. The fact that the European Union and the United States rejected them as totally illegitimate, however, did not prevent the proponents of the Abkhaz "cause" from continuing their campaign to achieve recognition as an independent state. Russian ministers, of course, praised the ballot. The international community, however, should not be fooled. <br />
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The Abkhaz regime exists only because Russia backs it with military might and financial support. Calls for international recognition conveniently overlook how it was established: through the killing of around 10,000 civilians in the 1990s and the expulsion of more than 300,000 people from Abkhazia over the past two decades.<br />
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It is for the international courts to define the legal nature of the atrocities committed by the Abkhaz militia and their Russian allies. But no one should ignore these acts while considering the future of a region that has been forcefully emptied of the overwhelming majority of its population.<br />
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The 1992-1993 conflict and the 2008 Russian invasion -- together with the constant harassment and intimidation of the non-Abkhaz civilian population -- have radically altered Abkhazia's demographics. According to Soviet census data, ethnic Abkhaz comprised 17.8 percent of the 525,000 residents of Abkhazia in 1989, while ethnic Georgians accounted for 45.7 percent, numbering roughly 240,000. By 2003, the ethnic Georgian population had decreased by 81 percent to just 46,000 (mostly in the Gali and Tkvarcheli districts); Armenians had been reduced by 41 percent, Russians by 69 percent, Greeks by 87 percent, and others (Ukrainians, Belarusians, Estonians, Jews) by 81 percent.<br />
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In the same period, the Abkhaz were the only ethnic group whose ranks increased -- from the prewar tally of just 17 percent to about half the population. The outrageous process by which this occurred has been denounced as "ethnic cleansing" by the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and many others.<br />
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The Georgian side that participated, mostly in the form of militias, in the war that raged during the early 1990s, was also involved -- like the Abkhaz -- in abject crimes. But since then, Georgia, as a government and society, has held its criminals to account. The militias were dissolved and banned, and their leaders jailed. Nothing similar has happened on the Abkhaz side. Nobody was prosecuted, and criminals were rewarded with fame, medals, and stolen property. Not a single person among the Abkhaz presidential candidates has ever even acknowledged -- let alone condemned -- the ethnic cleansing.<br />
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Meanwhile, proponents of the Abkhaz cause ask a powerful question: Why not apply the precedent of Kosovo, which achieved international recognition after a violent separation from Serbia, to Abkhazia? <br />
But replicating Kosovo (a process of recognition that can hardly be described as flawless) is not applicable. The differences between the two cases are stark. First, the most heinous crimes in Kosovo were committed by Serbians, the adversaries of secession; in Abkhazia, they were committed by the secessionists and their Russian allies. Second, the right of return of refugees to Kosovo was a precondition for self-determination; in Abkhazia, the so-called self-determination is linked with the refusal to allow the return of internally displaced people.<br />
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Put simply, Kosovo's independence was a way of punishing ethnic cleansing. In Abkhazia, such recognition would represent a chilling validation of ethnic cleansing, and a reward to its authors.<br />
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And there's more that makes the Kosovo parallel problematic. The processes leading to independence and recognition also could not have been more different. Abkhaz leaders have refused several peace plans proposed by the Georgian government, the United Nations, and Germany. In Kosovo's case, however, it was the Serbian government of Slobodan Milosevic that rejected peace efforts. After the war, Kosovo came under U.N. administration for nine years before its independence was recognized by a vast coalition of countries, including the United States and most European nations. In Abkhazia, international organizations have been denied entry, and its so-called independence has been recognized only by Russia and three other non-European countries, which all receive Russian financial support.<br />
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But the <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html"><strong>illegitimacy of Abkhazia's independence</strong></a> is not solely due to the failure of the international community to accept its sovereignty. It stems from deeper problems: the past and current actions of Abkhazia's leaders, their ideology of ethnic supremacy, and the Russian military occupation of its territory.<br />
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The Abkhaz people do need cooperation with Europe, and they deserve to be part of the world community. But the manner in which this happens is crucial. It cannot be done by validating ethnic cleansing, by ignoring the annexation of Georgia's sovereign territory, or by recognizing elections held in a society that is built on apartheid -- where a vast majority of the population has been expelled and most ethnic Georgians still remaining are not allowed to vote.<br />
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Instead, the international community should insist on the implementation of the 2008 cease-fire agreement between Georgia and Russia brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which stipulates the withdrawal of Russian troops. The next steps must be security guarantees and arrangements provided by international organizations, including ensuring the right of return of all internally displaced people.<br />
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Anything short of this throws international law in a waste bin. And any election held before the return of the people who have been expelled can only be a tragic farce.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/09/16/abkhazias_independence_farce" title="Abkhazia's Independence Farce">Abkhazia's Independence Farce</a>CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-89835838539483413352012-02-08T08:25:00.000-08:002012-02-08T08:25:34.470-08:00After banning products made in Georgia, Belarus and Moldova, Russia bans products made in Ukraine and NorwayDiscontented with the policy of its neighbors, Russia uses its main tool to demonstrate it is prior. After banning products made in Georgia, Belarus and Moldova, Russian embargo has now been imposed on products made in Ukraine. <br />
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Russian consumer rights watchdog will impose a ban on imports of cheese produced by some Ukrainian companies that have taken an unconstructive position regarding a solution to problems surrounding the quality of this product, Rospotrebnadzor head and Russia`s chief epidemiologist Gennady Onishchenko announced today. The ban will also refer to Norwegian providers.<br />
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Onischchenko said the laboratory tests found intestinal bacillus in the fish products made in Norway; the Norwegian providers have been already received corresponding letter from Onishchenko`s office.<br />
Ukraine and Russia are currently locked in a lengthy row over the price and volume of Russian natural gas Ukraine purchases.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-16394294670636505442012-02-01T09:24:00.000-08:002012-02-01T09:26:38.257-08:00World Bank: Georgia a model for anti-corruption<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLWOAgm5ltThd33we2UpuZX7CnNzmt_6H-Yb7mxo8gmbwVDrvMvWXO_DZM0kJyoCv34HHVs6W1G418YvGJrpkDKBEoSPeZUDjxBOej1_MpUX9xdCPjYcQbKXS3IXhWbiCPgyDsn1AirxC/s1600/georgia-World-Bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLWOAgm5ltThd33we2UpuZX7CnNzmt_6H-Yb7mxo8gmbwVDrvMvWXO_DZM0kJyoCv34HHVs6W1G418YvGJrpkDKBEoSPeZUDjxBOej1_MpUX9xdCPjYcQbKXS3IXhWbiCPgyDsn1AirxC/s200/georgia-World-Bank.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>WASHINGTON (AP) - The World Bank is praising Georgia's anti-corruption reforms, calling them unprecedented and suggesting they could be a model for other countries. <br />
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In a report released on Tuesday, the bank said President Mikhail Saakashvili's government has tamed corruption that once 'permeated every aspect of life in Georgia.' Georgia 'destroys the myth that corruption is cultural and gives hope to reformers everywhere,' it said. <br />
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Mr Saakashvili has often pointed to the reforms as a sign the country is moving in the right direction. <br />
However critics have said the country remains authoritarian and restrictive of the media. Indeed, the World Bank notes that much of the country's success in reforms was achievable because power was concentrated at the top of the government. <br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_761662.html">Georgia a model for anti-corruption</a>CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-77632949126706243382012-01-05T08:38:00.000-08:002012-01-05T09:42:51.696-08:00iPad helps Georgian police officers monitor the safety<b>TBILISI, GEORGIA - Five thousand Georgian police officers will be equipped with iPads. New police pads were produced in Georgia by the Algorithm Company.</b><br />
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Minister of Interior Vano Merabishvili observe the process of police pad production in the factory personally. <br />
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`I have an honor to inform Georgian society and the officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, that in a few days five thousand police officers will be equipped with such field computers, which will allow the citizens and the police officers to provide services offered by the ministry to our citizens more comfortably,` Minister said adding Georgian police would soon become the most developed and modernized police in the world.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-53962064369107797402011-12-30T11:40:00.000-08:002011-12-30T11:41:27.497-08:00Julio Iglesias arrives in Georgia`s Black Sea town Batumi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fvFx3EDQtFE/Tv4TwfF5hAI/AAAAAAAAAkM/yYuGAWowyNI/s1600/Julio_iglesias_batumi_georgia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fvFx3EDQtFE/Tv4TwfF5hAI/AAAAAAAAAkM/yYuGAWowyNI/s1600/Julio_iglesias_batumi_georgia.jpg" /></a></div><strong>BATUMI, GEORGIA - Famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has arrived in Georgia`s Black Sea town of Batumi. His plane landed in the Batumi airport on Friday evening.</strong> <br />
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Prior to the singer`s arrival, a 25-member group of performers accompanying Iglesias, visited the town. The guests were accommodated in Radisson Hotel of Batumi.<br />
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They are expected to check the technical equipments installed on Batumi`s one of central squares where the concert by Julio Iglesias is supposed to take place at New Year`s night.<br />
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Iglesias is expected to perform together with a 15-member band during the show, which is expected to last for over two hours. <br />
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Eastern Promotion local company is organizing the preparation works for teh show together with foreign colleagues. <br />
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This would be the first performance in Georgia by the Spanish singer who has sold 300 million CDs throughout the world during his career. <br />
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Georgian participants of the concert have already checked the equipments. <br />
All preparation works on the square in front of the Radisson have been completed. The stage and all technical equipments have been installed.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-84768343791907639752011-12-04T08:47:00.000-08:002011-12-13T10:27:25.713-08:00Abkhazians ignore the Circassian genocide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGZp-fhWGrIJfz4XJ1Y05WYbDyE9rbdFHKixX6bopqJqAE28xuEzPGw4WA_g9vLn-gWgodwxgZhchg739pdwMPdn6IAvZVOy_gjhu0_XXjZlf6y5fqCeB4BsGJ6Vu8ALoRA0SWVF_rRQT/s1600/russian_abkhazian_union.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGZp-fhWGrIJfz4XJ1Y05WYbDyE9rbdFHKixX6bopqJqAE28xuEzPGw4WA_g9vLn-gWgodwxgZhchg739pdwMPdn6IAvZVOy_gjhu0_XXjZlf6y5fqCeB4BsGJ6Vu8ALoRA0SWVF_rRQT/s320/russian_abkhazian_union.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><strong>SUKHUMI, ABKHAZIA</strong> - The Abkhaz government has officially distanced itself from <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/07/circassian-genocide-memorial-to-be.html?utm_source=BP_recent"><strong>the Circassian genocide</strong></a>. The former government of Sergei Bagapsh already did this, but now the present government is doing the same. <br />
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It is not only the government, the Abkhaz people also feel harassed by this subject. In May 2011, <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/05/georgia-recognizes-circassian-genocide.html"><strong>Georgia, as the first country in the world, officially recognized the Circassian genocide</strong></a>. This recognition got severe criticism from the Abkhazians. They accused Georgia of trying to hinder <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2010/11/to-recognize-sochi-as-symbol-of.html"><strong>the Sochi Olympic Games</strong></a>. They even stated that Georgia invented the whole Circassian genocide story.<br />
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Abkhazia hopes to boost its economy through these games. They have offered hotels, use of airports and other facilities to the organizers. And exactly at that point, <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/05/georgia-recognizes-circassian-genocide.html?utm_source=BP_recent"><strong>Georgia interferes with their plans</strong></a> by making such a statement. The Abkhaz media avoid mentioning the subject altogether.<br />
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Sochi is a sensitive location in Circassian history anyway, because exactly at that location thousands of people were murdered by the Russian Empire. In fact Abkhazians also suffered in these acts. It is therefore strange that they are not supporting the Circassians now.<br />
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A large group of young Abkhazians gave irritated reactions when asked about the Circassian genocide: “Russia recognized our independence and has helped us liberate Abkhazia from the Georgians. This <strong><a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2010/10/olympics-in-sochi-in-2014-and-genocide.html">Circassian genocide</a></strong> of some 200 years ago should not be brought up. That was the past, today is a different time.” <br />
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Reactions in Georgia are very different. In the 1992-93 conflict, over 300,000 ethnic Georgians were driven from their homes by Abkhazians with Russian military assistance. After this Russia indeed recognized Abkhazia’s independence and started to build and reinforce military bases there. Because of this, many Georgians feel a bond with the Circassians, as two peoples that suffered at the hands of the Russian empire.<br />
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However this may be, Abkhazia keeps its position on this matter.<br />
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© Robert MooreCRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-80264845806386717852011-11-26T06:02:00.000-08:002011-11-26T06:05:31.622-08:00GUAM urges international society to condemn so-called elections in South Ossetia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISnxzJCXu98b-GHEjnLZ7qPH3dFIiAr_FV0f0v4vIL9bAYq61jfGctAM8a7wbnSkoQ8z_Xvx8Q3Y_m2E3TGaLUwjltMkVWXjSOKAcno644gABKqlfmUAZDmQHpEhJViP2-yLHBkhyphenhyphen9g6q/s1600/South_Ossetia_war.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISnxzJCXu98b-GHEjnLZ7qPH3dFIiAr_FV0f0v4vIL9bAYq61jfGctAM8a7wbnSkoQ8z_Xvx8Q3Y_m2E3TGaLUwjltMkVWXjSOKAcno644gABKqlfmUAZDmQHpEhJViP2-yLHBkhyphenhyphen9g6q/s200/South_Ossetia_war.png" width="200" /></a></div>Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) calls on the international society to condemn the so-called presidential elections held in Tskhinvali region / South Ossetia, Georgia, on November 13, 2011, the statement released by the bureau says. <br />
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The document says the organization supports Georgia`s territorial integrity and sovereignty in its internationally recognized border and any elections on the territory of Georgia should be held in accordance with the Georgian legislature and with direct participation of the region`s entire population. <br />
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The statement also says the so-called lections in the occupied territory of Georgia were held without participation of the absolute majority of the local population, mostly Georgians, who subjected to gross and mass violations and were forcibly expelled from their homes as a consequence of severe crimes against humanity - ethnic cleansing.<br />
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<strong>Elections in South Ossetia cannot be considered legitimate in any way, because:</strong><br />
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<strong>1.</strong> after the occupation of the region, the Russian authorities have re-named this historically Georgian region of Kvemo Kartli to 'South Ossetia'. They have carried out assimilation politics, russification and have invented separatism. <br />
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<strong>2.</strong> After the Russian agression against Georgia in 2008, the local Georgian population was driven out of the region through ethnic cleansing. <br />
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<strong>3.</strong> For years, Russia has convinced the West that the war was intended to protect the Ossetian people. Only in November of this year the <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/11/medvedev-tells-truth-about-war-in-south.html"><strong>Russian president has admitted that the goal was to stop NATO enlargement and Georgia's membership of it</strong></a>. <br />
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<strong>4.</strong> Georgian refugees are not allowed to return to their legal homes in the Tkhinvali region. All rights have been denied to them. The region remains under Russian occupation.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-74311120775776682342011-11-25T02:53:00.001-08:002011-11-25T07:46:03.540-08:00Georgia celebrates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s2nRfBZwwp27fBnkNJscHkPL12LaAzO4r8jME5B5t_ju8_T59PFlm3bqTb6kD1PYqhkWWkDgtorpDFq6TcLp_p4rgpTwOKs_93EQdKwr584RzjOjKYDqLlJ1iSyGZKkNpfwHtQck4a1L/s1600/against_gender_violence.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s2nRfBZwwp27fBnkNJscHkPL12LaAzO4r8jME5B5t_ju8_T59PFlm3bqTb6kD1PYqhkWWkDgtorpDFq6TcLp_p4rgpTwOKs_93EQdKwr584RzjOjKYDqLlJ1iSyGZKkNpfwHtQck4a1L/s200/against_gender_violence.gif" width="200" /></a></div>November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. According to the "GHN", the public figures of Sakartvelo cannot miss such date.<br />
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In particular, the so-called "Women's Fund of Georgia" holds a charity evening in connection with this day in the Georgian capital. It is expected, it would be attended by such musical groups as Kung Fu Junkie and DJ Tomma. Everyone can get to the event for a nominal charity fee 5 GEL.<br />
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According to organizers of the evening, all proceeds from performances will be transferred to local human rights organizations that fight violence against women.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-80921769588643036452011-11-22T00:15:00.000-08:002011-11-22T01:10:26.546-08:00Mikhail Gorbachev: Dmitri Medvedev and Vladimir Putin must resign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb64wR3WAL8ezylufuAWZ0_TLRBdOc2RAs92uA2kNgr49ZGv1rFFQaIURMV6YPWwRHVSGWgE0wuXZcNMKUyf1ChL0d-Mx0HkEMBCxFMEj4dPwsRMH7vxBnk4_dsbci-vH90i9iII9fgTEg/s1600/michail_gorbachev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb64wR3WAL8ezylufuAWZ0_TLRBdOc2RAs92uA2kNgr49ZGv1rFFQaIURMV6YPWwRHVSGWgE0wuXZcNMKUyf1ChL0d-Mx0HkEMBCxFMEj4dPwsRMH7vxBnk4_dsbci-vH90i9iII9fgTEg/s200/michail_gorbachev.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The last president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev has called on Russian president and prime minister to resign. <br />
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Gorbachev made this statement during his visit to Germany. Former soviet leader called Putin and Medvedev the parts of corrupt clans in Russia.<br />
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`Dmitri Medvedev and Vladimir Putin must resign. They have formed a clan, a corrupt network and system, which are based on internal ties. The society should be freed of this. Political changes now depend on a new force, which must come to the power via democratic and free elections. Country`s future is rather dramatic and it is in such a condition, when one day everything may explode,` Gorbachev said.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-58093080937998971482011-11-21T12:29:00.000-08:002011-11-22T01:07:05.683-08:00Medvedev tells the truth about the war in South Ossetia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYuzZgS6hVrHIxds3pXyuKJYOOTLG5jE0RuL0gAcP7XjugOpqcFVWt1z2bJYzxIiGELLtU_rVfI4UlAcdB530nGtST9FZrtCNfLS68uQW9-zbkYRzyAHE2M2YoHakRSfNa8hESZ8MKGBL/s1600/medvedev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYuzZgS6hVrHIxds3pXyuKJYOOTLG5jE0RuL0gAcP7XjugOpqcFVWt1z2bJYzxIiGELLtU_rVfI4UlAcdB530nGtST9FZrtCNfLS68uQW9-zbkYRzyAHE2M2YoHakRSfNa8hESZ8MKGBL/s200/medvedev.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><strong>VLADIKAVKAZ, NORTH OSSETIA</strong> - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev slipped up: he confessed that Russia waged war in Georgia in 2008 against the NATO enlargement. Medvedev visited Vladikavkaz to meet the soldiers. President said the NATO would have borders with North Ossetia unless Russia had launched war against Georgia in August 2008.<br />
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<strong>`If the war against Georgia did not happen, despite Russia`s opposition, several countries would be accepted in NATO together,`</strong> Medvedev announced. He said the geopolitical situation would be different without August war and several countries would be dragged into the alliance forcefully.<br />
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Earlier Medvedev already stated in an interview:<strong> 'we have prepared ourselves long and well for this war, because we knew that Georgia would start this war. We always wanted to be ready to protect the South Ossetian people.'</strong> And: <strong>'The war against Georgia was the answer to NATO's actions in Kosovo'</strong>. <br />
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He also said the Russia evaded direct competition with the NATO, however, added that Russia had absolutely different approach to the security issues. <br />
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Medvedev has finally said the truth, but if real reason of the war was blocking Georgia's NATO ambitions, then it's obvious who was responsible for starting the war?<br />
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It is remarkable that the president of such a large country, always having declared that its goal was to save a small people from oppression, now confesses that the war was actually against NATO. It's a shame as well, because Russia has spent huge amounts of money on media campaigns trying to convince the world of its noble intentions.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-18905585032074204572011-11-17T09:37:00.000-08:002011-11-17T09:45:06.673-08:00Luke Harding's Mafia State - 'It's important to tell the truth about Putin's Russia'Mafia State: How One Reporter Became the Enemy of the Brutal New Russia by Luke Harding.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3WGSxhIFzgk" width="474"></iframe>CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-76976145711270418452011-11-02T08:37:00.000-07:002011-11-17T09:41:40.643-08:00Dutch journalist was refused by Russian authorities to observe the Russian legislative elections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2RxK57vOwZkIv3b87N4stnWLGbkpMDJ-mhZ4J4RspIsji_dqCeedvVCWMfWREKrzQd_l4Fu13MxLJ-4i_66-6WVWMpKm_zOL3PoAIhpxBeQivoIdwm9VCSE361pkfB-RbUTnXHWzZkO9/s1600/alexander+munninghoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2RxK57vOwZkIv3b87N4stnWLGbkpMDJ-mhZ4J4RspIsji_dqCeedvVCWMfWREKrzQd_l4Fu13MxLJ-4i_66-6WVWMpKm_zOL3PoAIhpxBeQivoIdwm9VCSE361pkfB-RbUTnXHWzZkO9/s1600/alexander+munninghoff.jpg" /></a></div><b>THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS - The Dutch journalist Alexander Munninghoff was refused by Russian authorities to observe the Russian legislative elections in December, the Dutch news portal NOS reported on Tuesday.</b><br />
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Munninghoff didn't get permission, despite seven earlier elections observation missions he took part in in Russia and over 20 missions in other parts of the world.<br />
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The Dutch journalist was critical about the Russian political system in the past. In the eighties Munninghoff was put on a black list. "But this is probably not the reason why Russia blocked me, otherwise they would have refused me before." Munninghoff told Dutch media.<br />
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The actual reason wasn't given by Russian authorities, despite a demand for explanation by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Munninghoff added.<br />
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The other three Dutch observers that were selected by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are allowed to observe the elections.<br />
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The OSCE is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization, operating under a United Nations Charter. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections.<br />
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The Netherlands will not select another candidate that could replace Munninghoff.<br />
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Editor: Fang Yang<br />
Source: XinhuanetCRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-30680970408585770662011-11-02T03:36:00.000-07:002011-11-21T15:14:41.138-08:00Russia leads the list of most corrupt countries<strong>CORRUPTION IN RUSSIA</strong> - Russia leads the list of the countries with highest index of corruption among the leading economics on the globe - the recent report made by the Transparency International has shown. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0yOKRI2i-eL7jOA6NJ0OxWLxG2dBmSFzVGJ_usiAOw7RR35nU_ZZ8mLn89Vl8Ljn783eZgUZ0xV3mFb2zui6Hl4eD4eexsKrzUhhZTqz0BD0sKvhuxHAgSbNU2yCZ9Zo1UPHyZou5yBl/s1600/corruption_in_russia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0yOKRI2i-eL7jOA6NJ0OxWLxG2dBmSFzVGJ_usiAOw7RR35nU_ZZ8mLn89Vl8Ljn783eZgUZ0xV3mFb2zui6Hl4eD4eexsKrzUhhZTqz0BD0sKvhuxHAgSbNU2yCZ9Zo1UPHyZou5yBl/s1600/corruption_in_russia.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The international organization has carried out corruption level survey in 28 countries and scored 10 to the countries with the lowest level of corruption, while Russia was scored six and got the last position according to the index of corruption.<br />
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The survey shows that Russian companies pay largest bribes to work abroad. Dutch and Swiss companies were given highest scored for the lowest level of corruption. Belgian, German and Japanese companies got neutral scores in these ratings.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-69455919227057673652011-11-01T15:37:00.000-07:002011-11-17T09:40:06.867-08:00The FBI has released Russian spy scandal videoThe FBI has released sensitive footage of Russian spies holding secret trysts, brush pasts and covert meetings in America. Report by Lindsay Brown.<br />
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<iframe width="475" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZAtgr89NntU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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The FBI has published the surveillance material as part of a Freedom of Information request. <br />
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FBI agents claim the 10 spies never passed to the Russians any sensitive intelligence. They lived in the U.S. as "illegals," that is, without diplomatic immunity.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-75989180236385809882011-10-27T02:48:00.000-07:002011-11-01T15:37:31.355-07:00Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov slams Russia`s policy towards Georgia<strong>WASHINGTON, USA</strong> - <strong>Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov delivered a speech critisizing Russia at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC. The one-day conference, titled the Risks of the Reset: Why Washington Must Watch Its Step With Moscow, addressed issues of the US-Russian “Reset” in light of Vladimir Putin’s decision to return to the presidency in 2012.</strong> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwu2ZD5eh30jWyPMhCHT9LI6IJNxotvyRF25_CrxuXjYmjjDRf04mrR0RGkBwrIIIx1jvpLSALwRshWx7noNYuF8Yzcj7eOcl8KsXhyphenhyphengBJM0eOZ9cH5086Rz5Nua8v7I5MtjLK__Bj1s7k/s1600/kasparov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwu2ZD5eh30jWyPMhCHT9LI6IJNxotvyRF25_CrxuXjYmjjDRf04mrR0RGkBwrIIIx1jvpLSALwRshWx7noNYuF8Yzcj7eOcl8KsXhyphenhyphengBJM0eOZ9cH5086Rz5Nua8v7I5MtjLK__Bj1s7k/s1600/kasparov.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
"Despite heavy pressure from Putin’s Russia, Georgia has remained staunchly pro-democratic and pro-western, and yet it appears that getting Russia into the WTO is of greater importance to this US administration that protecting the rights and territory of an ally.<br />
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"Georgia is currently under great pressure from the US and others to allow Russia to join the World Trade Organization, despite two large pieces of Georgian sovereign territory being occupied by Russian forces."<br />
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"Many in the media and even some governments refer to Abkhazia and South Ossetia as "disputed territories," not occupied, ignoring the fact they were taken by military force. Often this is the same media that refers to parts of Palestine as "occupied" by Israel. Despite heavy pressure from Putin’s Russia, Georgia has remained staunchly pro-democratic and pro-western, and yet it appears that getting Russia into the WTO is of greater importance to this US administration that protecting the rights and territory of an ally", Kasparov said.<br />
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"Putin’s administration has been quick to boast of this success, celebrating how they kept Georgia and Ukraine out of NATO. WTO membership will be another feather in this cap. Putin is making no concessions on Georgia and so far, his belief that doing business with Russia will trump protecting Georgia seems well founded. Even when a series of terror bombings in Tbilisi were tied to Russian intelligence, Hillary Clinton only politely hinted at this atrocity, at least in public. This is just the sort of display of weakness, a fear of public confrontation, that feeds the sense of impunity that has empowered dictators throughout history. The American “reset” policy with Russia began right after the Russian-Georgian war, spitting on the deal negotiated by Sarkozy and giving a clear indication of the Obama administration’s priorities in the region."<br />
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"I have no qualms about using that word, “dictator” when referring to Vladimir Putin, and nor should anyone else at this point. What has been clear to the Russian opposition for a decade should now be clear to any casual observer. Putin has no intention of ever giving up power. That Russia has these spectacles they call elections does not change anything. To make it clear, I have a picture here of a Russian polling station, updated again for the upcoming election", Kasparov said.<br />
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"Stand up for your principles. Make a reset that supports the Russian people, not our oppressors. Make that distinction clear. As in 1987, resolve is required. You must never be afraid to confront dictators because strength is the only language they understand.<br />
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To remove a dangerous virus, a reset or a reboot is not enough. The entire system must be replaced, and that is what we hope to do."CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-42550409976044032662011-10-26T07:07:00.000-07:002011-10-26T07:13:01.376-07:00Georgia's ranking improved in World Bank business environment survey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTJ643B_HhDJhKiIqtXx-tog8Obxd4vFQy8rr2590FXVg3k8a09nudl6XkiEK7PeNA6Ge9fa7qHYJvc2SYt9MdslMFMMhhaQ7f28HumSzGv-VEUdZv-2TszLcNPjCRDWlcxCQ96L5JEBa/s1600/world_bank_georgia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTJ643B_HhDJhKiIqtXx-tog8Obxd4vFQy8rr2590FXVg3k8a09nudl6XkiEK7PeNA6Ge9fa7qHYJvc2SYt9MdslMFMMhhaQ7f28HumSzGv-VEUdZv-2TszLcNPjCRDWlcxCQ96L5JEBa/s200/world_bank_georgia.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Georgia has landed on the overall 16th position of the World Bank Doing Business 2012 survey, with its overall rating one place better higher than last year.<br />
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The survey gauges the ease of doing business in 183 economies in the world by measuring the capacities in 10 categories. It ranks the ease of doing business in these economies from 1 to 183. Higher ranking on the survey indicates that the environment surveyed is more conducive to starting and operating a business in the economy surveyed.<br />
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Georgia chalked up a "1" in the Registering Property category, a "4" in the Dealing With Construction Permits category, a "7" in the Starting a Business category and an "8" in the Getting Credit category for the country's 16th overall position among the 183 economies.<br />
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Compared with the 2011 edition of the World Bank survey, Georgia made improvement in eight of the 10 categories, such like Paying Taxes (by 20 places) and Getting Credit (by 13 places).<br />
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Georgia was low in the category of Resolving Insolvency where it scored a "109" out of 183, while dropped in the categories of Trading Across Borders (by 20 places) and Enforcing Contracts (by 1 place).<br />
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Source: China DailyCRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-70174435971305771782011-10-21T02:24:00.000-07:002011-10-23T03:24:48.871-07:00European Parliament calls on Russia to pull out its troops from Georgian regions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5FrRIBNFcXNM5L6SdM-FtTufPMlzvXszgGHHVr3E88nt9KM097w92IiOkM1hrpGxIB8Og3HodgaNYgYLfpdJXrQcu3EUWxT89km6EwoXbUA3SvMlSF3H6OHUriEcQ5nMqv4TQFex9VIp/s1600/european-parliament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5FrRIBNFcXNM5L6SdM-FtTufPMlzvXszgGHHVr3E88nt9KM097w92IiOkM1hrpGxIB8Og3HodgaNYgYLfpdJXrQcu3EUWxT89km6EwoXbUA3SvMlSF3H6OHUriEcQ5nMqv4TQFex9VIp/s1600/european-parliament.jpg" /></a></div>After two-day debates, European Parliament approved the draft resolution on the on the situation in Georgia at the session of the foreign relations committee today.<br />
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The main reporter at today`s session of the committee was Polish MP Kshishtof Lisek, who assessed the resolution as a revolutionary one. <br />
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In the draft resolution presence of the Russian troops in <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html"><strong>Georgia`s breakaway regions is assessed as the occupation of the territories of sovereign state</strong></a>; the MPs also focus on the refusal of Russia to fulfill the terms of international agreements in regards with the conflict regions; the reforms implemented by Georgian government and the Georgia-EU relations is also referred in the resolution.<br />
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The draft resolution will be adopted at the session of the European Parliament in November.<br />
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Georgian lawmakers have hailed the supportive resolution on Georgia adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday. `This is the demonstration of the firm position and yet another diplomatic pressure on Russia from European states,` - Georgian authorities have said.<br />
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The resolution, in which the word occupation is mentioned in regards with Georgia`s two breakaway regions for the first time, was adopted by the foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament. The resolution also calls on Russia to fulfill its obligations and pull out its troops from Georgian regions.<br />
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The document also hails the reforms implemented by Georgian government in recent years and the EU-Georgia relations. The resolution will be discussed and voted by the European Parliament in November.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-485022178107788762011-10-14T05:34:00.000-07:002012-01-22T04:23:08.380-08:00WHY ABKHAZIA'S INDEPENDENCE IS A FAKE<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em>While trying to enter Abkhazia, I was stopped by Russian military, who seem to be guarding the border of this tiny "independent nation". My camera was studied intensively and I was told not to take any pictures. I kept wondering what the Russian border guards are doing there. Here's what I found.</em> By Robert Moore</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhw09sBvmPCxnIIcAmDT8kCBrkTNAA4lT1ETKip_Ni_RZIEf7KE-p4giuZvGlF56808Z0uI9A_5wmanBZCaZlOXX9i8eZK-r9JTMYZ6EwXR_ta2Cv4bmKxVGKEyskTXhcLjG8BfqLzhKH/s1600/ablhazia1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhw09sBvmPCxnIIcAmDT8kCBrkTNAA4lT1ETKip_Ni_RZIEf7KE-p4giuZvGlF56808Z0uI9A_5wmanBZCaZlOXX9i8eZK-r9JTMYZ6EwXR_ta2Cv4bmKxVGKEyskTXhcLjG8BfqLzhKH/s1600/ablhazia1.png" /></a></div><br />
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<b>What is Abkhazia historically?</b><br />
Abkhazia is a small region on the East Coast of the Black Sea, in the Caucasus Region. The historical name of the region is Apkhazeti, Abkhazia is the name Russia gave it. Long before the Russian Empire ever set foot in the Caucasus region, Apkhazeti was part of Georgian culture and sphere of influence. For centuries it was part of a Georgian Kingdom, at other times Georgian noblemen ruled the region more or less independently. The inhabitants of Apkhazeti were ethnically mixed: many were Georgian (i.e. Kartvelian, this includes several ethnic subgroups), Greek, or of other origins such as Armenian or North Caucasian. <br />
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<b>Who are 'Abkhazians' historically?</b><br />
Historically, any inhabitant of the region of Apkhazeti was an Apkhazetian, or Abkhazian if you will. The people who call themselves Abkhazians today, are called Apsua in their own language. This ethnic group has its home in the North Caucasus (Russian Federation), but has been driven South by war and conflict in Russia from the nineteenth century. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtk_2S9wBN0tKEMlRl8Flvd_0xkI0g9csO-2sR34YsR1LGrITIlCFlnJy3h3m2ohQvMV3YEzIDMVJVNbWuscaEhxzLiEDcWBDvMI0E6BOER90YvwV0eO8kTXz1lL47xzx74tnd_zWWFkLr/s1600/georgia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtk_2S9wBN0tKEMlRl8Flvd_0xkI0g9csO-2sR34YsR1LGrITIlCFlnJy3h3m2ohQvMV3YEzIDMVJVNbWuscaEhxzLiEDcWBDvMI0E6BOER90YvwV0eO8kTXz1lL47xzx74tnd_zWWFkLr/s200/georgia.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>There are no archeological finds, historic monuments or literature connecting the Apsua with present-day Abkhazia. However there are many archeological finds, writings and historic monuments of Georgian origin and in the Georgian alphabet in Apkhazeti. (Be aware of recent changes, where Georgian inscriptions on monuments are being erased or replaced and history writing is being falsified. In fact, a lot of material created or reprinted from the nineteenth century until today is manipulated in some way.)<br />
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<b>Who are 'Abkhazians' today?</b><br />
In the nineteenth century, the Russian Empire occupied the Caucasus region. To establish its power ans sphere of influence, a movement of 'divide and rule' and russification was started. This was in part politics, in part nationalism-chauvinism of the Russian intelligensia, also found in many European countries in the nineteenth century. Under this movement, the label "Abkhazian" was put exclusively on an ethnic group called the Apsua. Since the Apsua (unlike the Georgians, Armenians and Caucasian Albanians) did not have an alphabet for their language, an 'Abkhazian' one was created for them on the basis of the Cyrillic (Russian) alphabet. With this, an 'Abkhazian' literature could be created. It also effectively prepared the road to russification for the Apsua.<br />
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In the Soviet Union, this operation continued. Every soviet citizen had their nationality stated in their passport. Ethnic Apsua were registered as 'Abkhazians'. In addition - because the number of Apsua was too low - the Soviets offered the title "Abkhazian" to numbers of Megrelians (a Kartvelian subgroup, historically Georgian) in exchange for privileges such as priority access to a home or car (which was a major thing in the Soviet-Union). Other ethnic groups living in Abkhazia were designated as 'Georgian', 'Russian', 'Armenian' etcetera, thus giving the impression that they were somehow foreign there. As an extra safety precaution, the Russian authorities and intelligensia made huge efforts to prove that Megrelians (the added artificial 'Abkhazians') are ethnically entirely different from Georgians.<br />
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<b>Why is this significant?</b><br />
Through the powerful soviet system of propaganda and censorship in a closed society, this was just one element of a general policy of maintaining power and ultimately russification through creating differences and potential conflict between 'nationalities'. Divide and rule, for short. In this way, the 'great Russia' is always needed as a 'peace keeper' over those crazy Caucasian peoples who cannot take care of themselves. Stalin (being Georgian himself) knew and feared the Georgian independence movement. The Georgian intelligensia (although decimated in the early days of the soviet occupation) and Georgian national identity were strong, too strong to russify. Stalin and Beria (a Georgian / Megrelian) and their successors therefore paid particular attention to keeping Georgia weak and divided. Besides the operation in Abkhazia they also created South Ossetia out of the historically Georgian province of Samachablo.<br />
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You could argue that this is negative speculation of anti-Russian nature. But little interpretation is necessary. Russian sources literally describe these goals and policies. Take for example this text from a 1961 Report of the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Michael Suslov: "Some day the Georgians will start to fight communism in order to regain their independence. How can we counter this? We should start the fight against the Georgians through Abkhazia. We have to convince the Abkhazians that the Georgians have moved to Abkhazia to occupy the land. Megrelia and Svanetia should be offered the status of Autonomous Republics. And their nationalist feelings should be raised to the same level as the Georgian feelings. Western Georgia should be set against Eastern Georgia. And then make sure that we Russians have the role of mediators." Or this quote from Nikita Khrushchev in the early 1960s: "Beware, Georgians, or I will send the Abkhazians at you!". Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, little has changed in Russian thinking about the Caucasus region, except for the 'human rights'-vocabulary that the Kremlin sometimes uses. <br />
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The Russian version of 'Abkhazia' has been particularly succesful so far. Most ordinary Russians believe in it and are convinced to the core that Georgians are primitive and dangerous. Particularly worrying is that some Western scholars and Western media seem to serve Russian puposes on this subject. The Russian view on the situation in the Caucasus is presented as the objective truth. The British linguist George Hewitt is a good example of this. He is a specialist of Caucasian languages, but puts most of his effort into proving that Georgians are evil and that Megrelian is not Georgian. Did anyone bother to ask the Megrelians themselves if they need such a fuss about their origins? Why do they need a Brit to fight this battle for them? In the German media it is remarkable how often this Russian propaganda is written as if it were objective fact. One can only speculate as to why this is: don't these journalists research their subjects well enough? Or is this part of the information war? There is ample evidence of Russian secret services paying Russlandsdeutsche or native Westerners to work as propagandists in the Internet and other media, preferably under the most common Western names. <br />
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<b>The civil war in 1992-1993</b><br />
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the declaration of independence of Georgia, Russian forces were able to capitalize on two centuries of investment into the division of the Caucasus region. It took little to create a huge fear with the Apsua of the 'evil' Georgians - who were at the time in a state of nationalistic euphoria and internal power struggle over their newly found independence). Then a little support for the 'Abkhaz' army by the Russian army and out went the ethnic Georgian population. About 300,000 Georgians had to flee their homes to avoid marauding Abkhaz (as well as Russian and Armenian) troops. Until today they have not had the right to return. <br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing_of_Georgians_in_Abkhazia">THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF GEORGIANS IN ABKHAZIA</a> has been officially recognized by the OSCE conventions in 1994, 1996 and again in 1997 during the Budapest, Lisbon and Istanbul summits and condemned the “perpetrators of war crimes committed during the conflict.” On May 15, 2008, the UN General Assembly adopted (by 14 votes to 11, with 105 abstentions) a resolution A/RES/62/249 in which it “Emphasizes the importance of preserving the property rights of refugees and internally displaced persons from Abkhazia, Georgia, including victims of reported “ethnic cleansing”, and calls upon all Member States to deter persons under their jurisdiction from obtaining property within the territory of Abkhazia, Georgia in violation of the rights of returnees”.<br />
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<b>Recent events</b><br />
The present-day inhabitants of Abkhazia - except the ones that are somehow related to the regime and have special privileges - are in distress. The Abkhazian government is a puppet regime that is instructed by Moscow. During the 2008 war with Georgia (which by the way had the familiar characterics of a Russian-provoked conflict), the Russian leaders seized the opportunity to enter Abkhazia with large numbers of tanks and weapons and reinforce the Russian military bases in Abkhazia. <br />
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<b>Present situation in Abkhazia</b><br />
Abkhazia is a dangerous place, where people (including the few tourists that dare to enter) are robbed and murdered over small amounts of valuables. There is no trade, no renovation of the war-torn (1992-1993) buildings, no adequate education, no health-care for the people. International organizations such as the OSCE are denied access. Those who can, flee the region, many to Russia and some also to other parts of Georgia. <br />
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The Georgian language and Georgian currency are strictly forbidden, but the Apsua language is also under threat of extinction. The population of Abkhazia has dropped from 525.000 population in 1989 (soviet census) to an estimated 100.000 to 150.000 today. The situation is ready for Russian annexation and repopulation. This has already started: the families of the many Russian military stationed in Abkhazia are being invited to settle there. Victims of all this are the many honest and innocent people who committed no crime other than living in Abkhazia.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">Here are quantitative indices (in percentage) of ethnic Georgian population based on the statistic data of 1989:</span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYzBUHys7Ei0bm0dZoWTN55dnYlxzLrX42InhMAF9tY7uU_s6vty6EnJxdkTFOjdJjqh7MuBVwMg4ixo_4RUeHyNWomeMMF_n0f5LPB7yAwf2TB5U4l1eSuSyZUu-WB81caF1ZDIeYuNw/s1600/Abkhazia_1989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYzBUHys7Ei0bm0dZoWTN55dnYlxzLrX42InhMAF9tY7uU_s6vty6EnJxdkTFOjdJjqh7MuBVwMg4ixo_4RUeHyNWomeMMF_n0f5LPB7yAwf2TB5U4l1eSuSyZUu-WB81caF1ZDIeYuNw/s1600/Abkhazia_1989.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">Here are the latest data of Georgian population by percentage index in the occupied Abkhazia according the municipalities:</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij15CRwsDIVHzlnmm_DQdyEddOKzDe7D-Mkwt-jKuynxyri3CIEfB8mSLEPhEtjldsTFFZHtZHOEp48L4NubsCHeruQj1A0FUtGOfX80GdmTdSO0uZOm-wGqX2AtFNeQVDmmS5jNiFbOJo/s1600/Abkhazia_today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij15CRwsDIVHzlnmm_DQdyEddOKzDe7D-Mkwt-jKuynxyri3CIEfB8mSLEPhEtjldsTFFZHtZHOEp48L4NubsCHeruQj1A0FUtGOfX80GdmTdSO0uZOm-wGqX2AtFNeQVDmmS5jNiFbOJo/s1600/Abkhazia_today.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Abkhazia's declaration of independence</b> <br />
After its actions in 2008(the August 2008 war), Russia effectively lost its status as a peace-keeper in the region. <br />
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It has become a party in the conflict, the enemy of the republic of Georgia. The Russian Federation troups lost any right to be in Abkhazia and the South Caucasus. <br />
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So to solve this problem, Moscow instructed the Abkhazian government to declare independence shortly after the war with Georgia. And to hold a referendum about this independence, in which only 14% of the population - the ones in favour of independence - could take part. The remaining group of ethnic Georgians in the district of Gali are excluded. An independent state can invite Russians if they want to, right? The next step will be for Abkhazia to join the Russian Federation and to sell off Georgian and Abkhazian property to Russian citizens. <br />
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Only certain residents of Abkhazia are allowed to take part in the vote. The ethnic Georgians who bravely remain in situ on their own land in their own country are forbidden to take part. The thousands of residents expelled from Upper Abkhazia during the August 2008 war are not allowed a say. Nor are the almost four hundred thousand removed in previous conflicts. During the 2009 vote, the EU rightly argued that<strong><u> “elections in this region of Georgia can only be valid after all refugees and internally displaced persons are given the right to a safe, secure and dignified return to their homes in Abkhazia”.</u></strong><br />
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<b>Why Abkhazia's independence is fake?</b><br />
Abkhazia's independence is a fake by the simplest norms of human rights and democracy. <br />
<strong>1.</strong> The majority of the population was excluded from the referendum. Many are not even allowed to return to their own homes. <br />
<strong>2.</strong> De facto there is no independent Abkhazia: the region is under Russian miltary rule. <br />
<strong>3.</strong> The present government is not chosen by the people, it is a puppet regime that receives instructions from Moscow.<br />
<strong>4.</strong> There is no democracy and no basic rights for the people remaining in Abkhazia. They are in poverty and under threat.<br />
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<b>How to help the Abkhaz people to gain back their freedom and human rights</b><br />
<b>1.</b> Acknowledge and explain the manipulation of people that has happened over the last two centuries. Do this actively through school curricula and the media;<br />
<b>2.</b> Stop talking about it as an ethnic conflict or a conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia;<br />
<b>3.</b> Send Russian troops and military bases out of Abkhazia. Place an international mission of truly neutral parties in charge of this transition;<br />
<b>4.</b> Organize the return of the refugees to their homes;<br />
<b>5.</b> Let all the people of Abkhazia (including the refugees) decide on their future. With all options objectively open.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-76091491646659320472011-10-04T11:55:00.000-07:002011-10-04T12:02:29.985-07:00New Gas Dispute between Russia and UkraineThe controversy about the cost of natural gas between the Ukraine and Russia continues, Russian media has reported the new details of the visit of Ukraine`s president to Moscow where he met with president Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin.<br />
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Reportedly, President Yanukovich voiced his ultimatum to the Russian leaders demanding the reduction of the natural gas tariff, otherwise, Ukraine`s president threatened to oust the Russian fleet from Sevastopol and to locate anti-missile systems in Ukraine.<br />
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In his turn, Putin proposed Ukraine`s leader to join the Customs Union as Ukraine was not invited to the European Union and that Europe would never oppose to the interests of Russia. Yanukovich rejected the offer of the Russian prime minister saying Russia might maintain the current tariff of gas, but it would lose Ukraine.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-46494581380124577822011-09-30T06:05:00.000-07:002011-10-14T05:20:14.070-07:00Nicola Sarkozy to visit Georgia on 7 October<b>TBILISI, GEORGIA - French President Nicola Sarkozy will visit Georgia on 7 October, the Embassy of France to Georgia says on its Facebook page . Nicola Sarkozy will deliver a speech to people in the Freedom’s Square at 17:30.</b><br />
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The French embassy in Tbilisi announced on its Facebook page on Friday, that President Sarkozy would be making a public speech on Freedom Square in Tbilisi, Georgia.<br />
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Any citizen can go to the Square and listen to Sarkozy’s speech. The Embassy of France asks Georgian citizens and French residents of Georgia to gather in the Freedom’s Square from 17:00.<br />
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Earlier, on October 2nd, there will be a concert of the Paris group Gotan Project, in the main hall of the Tbilisi Philharmonic theatre. They will be performing from their latest album Tango 3.0.CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440400912681548813.post-16685965465963411942011-09-23T13:23:00.000-07:002011-10-23T03:22:15.314-07:00Russia manipulates Pacific Islands into recognizing occupied territories of GeorgiaThe tiny Pacific Republic of Tuvalu has become the sixth country to recognize <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html"><strong>Georgia`s occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia</strong></a>, Russian media report.<br />
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The report has not been officially confirmed. Politicians in Tbilisi think the Kremlin is attempting to buy a vote of another tiny republic in return for its support.<br />
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Georgian politicians assume this on the basis of a case in 2009, when another tiny Pacific Republic of Nauru recognized the independence of Georgia`s occupied territories. About one week after the recognition, foreign media reported that Moscow bought Nauru`s vote for 50 million US dollars.<br />
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Tbilisi does not rule out that the false reports on Tuvalu`s recognition of the two occupied regions of Georgia have been released on purpose, because a few months ago similar reports regarding another tiny Republic of Vanuatu were also released, although in about a week the reports were denied as Vanuatu said it had not recognized the independence of Georgia`s occupied regions.<br />
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<a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html"><strong>Independence of Abkhazia</strong></a> and South Ossetia was first recognized by Russia in 2008, after the brief war between Georgia and Russia. Later, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru also recognized the two regions. <br />
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We would like to point out that the independence of both territories of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are an absolute fake, because they happened after an ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population of these areas. <a href="http://dailygeonews.blogspot.com/2011/10/while-trying-to-enter-abkhazia-i-was.html"><strong>The Georgian refugees from Abkhazia</strong></a> and South Ossetia are legitimate inhabitants of the regions. Without their vote, any independence of the regions is illegitimate. The international community still requires the Russian occupying army to retreat and to let the Georgian refugees return to their homes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RFw2t51Md4DaH96_Er2ILRuTnVfkFT1vND3dwkEwFgAqIg0aBYi8vQ7_UWtUFPNzCB7kEaslzu2o-wnMd9ruhEGkTuWo4MHUXGxyosfwMCy4St6u-7ocN_9ctZhCIkOB-VZgVktCyE1O/s1600/demographic_abkhazia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RFw2t51Md4DaH96_Er2ILRuTnVfkFT1vND3dwkEwFgAqIg0aBYi8vQ7_UWtUFPNzCB7kEaslzu2o-wnMd9ruhEGkTuWo4MHUXGxyosfwMCy4St6u-7ocN_9ctZhCIkOB-VZgVktCyE1O/s320/demographic_abkhazia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>CRN Caucasushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12212328930269250448noreply@blogger.com