The News in Brief
Wednesday, September 17
NATO member states must assist in deepening democratic processes in Georgia – Burjanadze
NATO member states must assist in deepening democratic processes in Georgia, the President of the Fund for Democratic Development and former Chair of the Parliament of Georgia Nino Burjanadze said after a meeting with representatives of a NATO delegation at the Fund for the Study of Strategy and International Relations of Georgia on September 16. Experts and representatives of the non-governmental sector were present at this meeting.
“As NATO is an organization which guarantees not only stability and security, for one of its main priorities is democratic values. That’s why NATO states must assist the deepening of democratic processes in Georgia,” Burjanadze stressed. The delegation of NATO representatives headed by Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived in Georgia on Monday to participate in the NATO Council sitting held in Tbilisi on September 15-16.
Expert Nika Chitadze considers that Georgia has a great chance of getting its MAP in December. “Naturally, the process of becoming a fully-fledged member of the alliance will be a long one,” he stated. Fellow analyst Givi Khutsishvili said that despite Russia’s attempts to persuade some NATO members, Georgia’s friends would do everything possible to enable Georgia to become a member of the alliance.
“Countries with a friendly attitude towards Georgia will do everything possible to see Georgia to get a MAP in December. But this does not mean that everything is guaranteed. Russia will continue to work to make some countries go against this decision. How much this work will be successful, we will see during the forthcoming months”, Khutsishvili noted. (Black Sea Press)
Russian President invites his Azerbaijani counterpart for talks
The situation in the Caucasus and prospects of a widening of bilateral trade and economic partnership will be discussed at a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Azerbaijani President Ilhan Aliev in Moscow on Tuesday.
As RIA Novosti informs, the leader of Azerbaijan has arrived in Moscow on the invitation of his Russian counterpart. This will be the third meeting between the Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents this year. (Prime-News)
Greece to send eight observers to Georgia
Greece will send eight observers to Georgia within the framework of the European Union mission and will promote the deployment of observers by sea, Foreign Minister of Greece Dora Bakoyannis stated on Monday after a meeting of Foreign Ministers of EU countries in Brussels.
The Foreign Ministers of 27 countries formally approved sending the EU mission of 200 observers to Georgia. They are expected to start working in most of Georgia, and the buffer zones contiguous to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, on October 1. “We consider it important that the European observers will leave for Georgia next month at the same time that the second mission of OSCE observers will go to Georgia. Greece will participate in these European efforts”, Bakoyannis said, as relayed by her Press Service
The EU is committed to sending 200 observers to Georgia as a guarantee that Georgia will not assault South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This was agreed at the talks between President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and President of France Nikolas Sarkozy. In turn, Russia promised to withdraw its troops from its buffer zones during the ten days after the observers have arrived. (Black Sea Press)
NATO member states must assist in deepening democratic processes in Georgia, the President of the Fund for Democratic Development and former Chair of the Parliament of Georgia Nino Burjanadze said after a meeting with representatives of a NATO delegation at the Fund for the Study of Strategy and International Relations of Georgia on September 16. Experts and representatives of the non-governmental sector were present at this meeting.
“As NATO is an organization which guarantees not only stability and security, for one of its main priorities is democratic values. That’s why NATO states must assist the deepening of democratic processes in Georgia,” Burjanadze stressed. The delegation of NATO representatives headed by Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived in Georgia on Monday to participate in the NATO Council sitting held in Tbilisi on September 15-16.
Expert Nika Chitadze considers that Georgia has a great chance of getting its MAP in December. “Naturally, the process of becoming a fully-fledged member of the alliance will be a long one,” he stated. Fellow analyst Givi Khutsishvili said that despite Russia’s attempts to persuade some NATO members, Georgia’s friends would do everything possible to enable Georgia to become a member of the alliance.
“Countries with a friendly attitude towards Georgia will do everything possible to see Georgia to get a MAP in December. But this does not mean that everything is guaranteed. Russia will continue to work to make some countries go against this decision. How much this work will be successful, we will see during the forthcoming months”, Khutsishvili noted. (Black Sea Press)
Russian President invites his Azerbaijani counterpart for talks
The situation in the Caucasus and prospects of a widening of bilateral trade and economic partnership will be discussed at a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Azerbaijani President Ilhan Aliev in Moscow on Tuesday.
As RIA Novosti informs, the leader of Azerbaijan has arrived in Moscow on the invitation of his Russian counterpart. This will be the third meeting between the Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents this year. (Prime-News)
Greece to send eight observers to Georgia
Greece will send eight observers to Georgia within the framework of the European Union mission and will promote the deployment of observers by sea, Foreign Minister of Greece Dora Bakoyannis stated on Monday after a meeting of Foreign Ministers of EU countries in Brussels.
The Foreign Ministers of 27 countries formally approved sending the EU mission of 200 observers to Georgia. They are expected to start working in most of Georgia, and the buffer zones contiguous to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, on October 1. “We consider it important that the European observers will leave for Georgia next month at the same time that the second mission of OSCE observers will go to Georgia. Greece will participate in these European efforts”, Bakoyannis said, as relayed by her Press Service
The EU is committed to sending 200 observers to Georgia as a guarantee that Georgia will not assault South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This was agreed at the talks between President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and President of France Nikolas Sarkozy. In turn, Russia promised to withdraw its troops from its buffer zones during the ten days after the observers have arrived. (Black Sea Press)