The News in Brief
Tuesday, September 11
Russia irked by Rasmussen`s statement
Russia voiced yet another message of warning to Georgia after the NATO Secretary General`s visit and after recent statements made in Georgia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia commented on the words of Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who said in Tbilisi that the place of Georgia in the future was in NATO. "Similar statements prove that NATO has failed to learn more from the tragic events of 2008 and they still keep on sending encouraging signals to Tbilisi," the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Aleksandr Lukashevich said in a statement, which was published on the ministry website.
(Rustavi 2)
New deadline of registration for Georgians living abroad
Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia has announced a new deadline for registration. Chairperson of the CEC, Zurab Kharatishvili, told journalists yesterday that Georgian nationals living abroad will be able to undergo registration September 12-13. Citizens of Georgia will have to submit their ID documents at the election stations opened in the country they live. Those voters who are registered at Georgian consulates abroad but will be in Georgia on the day of elections (October 1) will have to lift their registration from the consulates and submit ID documents at the public register services or the ministry of foreign affairs.
(Rustavi 2)
U.S. Interagency Delegation visits Georgia
Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas O. Melia of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, led an interagency delegation that visited Georgia yesterday. The visit's aim was to assess the pre-election environment. The delegation also includes officials from USAID and the Departments of Defense and Justice.
The delegation visited Georgia to highlight the importance of a democratic electoral process that results in a Parliament which reflects the will of the Georgian people.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Melia and the delegation will hold a number of meetings with political parties and governmental authorities.
(Rustavi 2)
No information about when SGS will begin operating at border crossings
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has no information about when the Swiss company SGS will begin operating at border crossings. Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Nino Kalandadze stated at a briefing held yesterday, the clarification of technical details is under way. According to her, after completion of this work, Switzerland will notify the Georgian side. In accordance with the agreement reached between Tbilisi and Moscow and in the framework of the negotiations on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, the Swiss company will monitor the border crossings of Larsi, Psou and Roki.
(IPN)
Body of missing Polish girl found by angler
The body of a Polish girl has been found. The girl was reported missing in Mestia, located in Svaneti, a remote region of Georgia. The rescuers were sent to the ravine near the village of Kala after an angler discovered the corpse of a young girl. Rescuers were searching for the lost girl for a week but the search operation was cancelled. Only after a month, were the remains of the girl found. The girl's body was found eight kilometers from where she was last seen by her friend. The 23 year-old, Ana Nozolevska, was traveling towards Ushguli, when she fell into the ravine of the Engury River near the village of Kala.
The girl`s body was identified according to the descriptions given to rescuers by her friend right after the incident. Today, the girl's family is expected to arrive to provide final confirmation about the identity of the body.
(Rustavi 2)
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has no information about Doku Umarov's brother being in Georgia
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has no information about Doku Umarov's brother being in Georgia at this time, said the Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia, Nino Kalandadze at yesterday's briefing. She said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will recheck this information.
The elder brother of Doku Umarov, the leader of the North Caucasus Islamic militants, Akmad Umarov said to radio "Echo of the Caucasus," that the Georgian side is not responsible for the death of the Chechen mujahadeens in Lopota Gorge. However, according to the radio station, Akhmed Umarov is in Tbilisi. But Akhmad Umarov did not explain what exactly happened in Lopota Gorge. According to him, it is not yet time to reveal the details.
(IPN)
Labour Party leader leaves for Washington
Leader of the Georgian Labour Party, Shalva Natelashvili, left for the United States yesterday morning. Natelashvili said he will attend the conference which is to be held at the Center of National Interests, where he will deliver a speech about the current political situation and the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia.
Natelashvili also has meetings with the Foreign Policy Council on the agenda, but has thus far abstained from reporting the details of the schedule of the visit.
(Rustavi 2)
Prime Minister visited wine factories in Kakheti
Prime Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili visited two private factories in the Kakheti region that are involved in the state program of grapes purchase. Telavi Wine Cellar was the first factory where the prime minister observed the process of grape purchasing. The factory purchases 100 tons of grapes daily and plans to purchase 4,000 tons of harvest in total this season. The prime Minister also visited the Teliani Valley factory and observed the same process. The company receives 50-80 tons of grapes daily and plans to purchase 1,400 tons of grapes this season. Vano Merabishvili viewed the wine cellar at the factory and tasted the wine produced there.
(Rustavi 2)
Russia voiced yet another message of warning to Georgia after the NATO Secretary General`s visit and after recent statements made in Georgia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia commented on the words of Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who said in Tbilisi that the place of Georgia in the future was in NATO. "Similar statements prove that NATO has failed to learn more from the tragic events of 2008 and they still keep on sending encouraging signals to Tbilisi," the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Aleksandr Lukashevich said in a statement, which was published on the ministry website.
(Rustavi 2)
New deadline of registration for Georgians living abroad
Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia has announced a new deadline for registration. Chairperson of the CEC, Zurab Kharatishvili, told journalists yesterday that Georgian nationals living abroad will be able to undergo registration September 12-13. Citizens of Georgia will have to submit their ID documents at the election stations opened in the country they live. Those voters who are registered at Georgian consulates abroad but will be in Georgia on the day of elections (October 1) will have to lift their registration from the consulates and submit ID documents at the public register services or the ministry of foreign affairs.
(Rustavi 2)
U.S. Interagency Delegation visits Georgia
Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas O. Melia of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, led an interagency delegation that visited Georgia yesterday. The visit's aim was to assess the pre-election environment. The delegation also includes officials from USAID and the Departments of Defense and Justice.
The delegation visited Georgia to highlight the importance of a democratic electoral process that results in a Parliament which reflects the will of the Georgian people.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Melia and the delegation will hold a number of meetings with political parties and governmental authorities.
(Rustavi 2)
No information about when SGS will begin operating at border crossings
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has no information about when the Swiss company SGS will begin operating at border crossings. Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Nino Kalandadze stated at a briefing held yesterday, the clarification of technical details is under way. According to her, after completion of this work, Switzerland will notify the Georgian side. In accordance with the agreement reached between Tbilisi and Moscow and in the framework of the negotiations on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, the Swiss company will monitor the border crossings of Larsi, Psou and Roki.
(IPN)
Body of missing Polish girl found by angler
The body of a Polish girl has been found. The girl was reported missing in Mestia, located in Svaneti, a remote region of Georgia. The rescuers were sent to the ravine near the village of Kala after an angler discovered the corpse of a young girl. Rescuers were searching for the lost girl for a week but the search operation was cancelled. Only after a month, were the remains of the girl found. The girl's body was found eight kilometers from where she was last seen by her friend. The 23 year-old, Ana Nozolevska, was traveling towards Ushguli, when she fell into the ravine of the Engury River near the village of Kala.
The girl`s body was identified according to the descriptions given to rescuers by her friend right after the incident. Today, the girl's family is expected to arrive to provide final confirmation about the identity of the body.
(Rustavi 2)
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has no information about Doku Umarov's brother being in Georgia
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has no information about Doku Umarov's brother being in Georgia at this time, said the Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia, Nino Kalandadze at yesterday's briefing. She said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will recheck this information.
The elder brother of Doku Umarov, the leader of the North Caucasus Islamic militants, Akmad Umarov said to radio "Echo of the Caucasus," that the Georgian side is not responsible for the death of the Chechen mujahadeens in Lopota Gorge. However, according to the radio station, Akhmed Umarov is in Tbilisi. But Akhmad Umarov did not explain what exactly happened in Lopota Gorge. According to him, it is not yet time to reveal the details.
(IPN)
Labour Party leader leaves for Washington
Leader of the Georgian Labour Party, Shalva Natelashvili, left for the United States yesterday morning. Natelashvili said he will attend the conference which is to be held at the Center of National Interests, where he will deliver a speech about the current political situation and the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia.
Natelashvili also has meetings with the Foreign Policy Council on the agenda, but has thus far abstained from reporting the details of the schedule of the visit.
(Rustavi 2)
Prime Minister visited wine factories in Kakheti
Prime Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili visited two private factories in the Kakheti region that are involved in the state program of grapes purchase. Telavi Wine Cellar was the first factory where the prime minister observed the process of grape purchasing. The factory purchases 100 tons of grapes daily and plans to purchase 4,000 tons of harvest in total this season. The prime Minister also visited the Teliani Valley factory and observed the same process. The company receives 50-80 tons of grapes daily and plans to purchase 1,400 tons of grapes this season. Vano Merabishvili viewed the wine cellar at the factory and tasted the wine produced there.
(Rustavi 2)