The News in Brief
Tuesday, June 10
Georgian military presence in Afghanistan decreases
The mission of Georgian Armed Forces in Afghanistan is changing.
From the beginning of next year, the number of Georgian troops serving in Afghanistan will drop and those who remained will no longer take part in combat operations but embark on a new mission to train Afghan security forces.
At a meeting today led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the Georgian Government’s State Council on Security and Crisis Management discussed changes to Georgian Armed Forces' presence in Afghanistan and their role abroad. One of the changes was to reduce the amount of Georgian Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan. More specifically, it was decided the Georgian presence would be reduced by half from January 1, 2015.After the meeting, head of the Council Mindia Janelidze said before the number of Georgian military serving in Afghanistan could be halved, appropriate procedures would have to be obeyed under Georgian law."Georgia’s President will be undoubtedly involved in these issues and the Security Council and Parliament as well. However, there is a plan to halve the contingent from the beginning of the next year to 700 soldiers,” Janelidze said. Defence Minister Irakli Alasania said the remaining soldiers’ contingent would no longer take part in combat operations but embark on a new mission to train Afghan security forces."We will continue our mission with about 750 soldiers who will train the Afghan peacekeepers with the new format beginning from January 1,” Alasania said. He said this was a consistent policy which was previously discussed with NATO and American experts. At the meeting, Council members also discussed current political and security issues and other topics. The meeting was attended by Alasania, Interior Minister Alexandre Chikaidze, Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, Parliament Chairman David Usupashvili, head of the Intelligence Service David Sujashvili and Members of Parliament David Berdzenishvili and Tinatin Khidasheli. (agenda.ge)
Natural disaster inflicts serious harm on the Borjomi region
Strong Rain and hail have severely damaged the Borjomi region. As an InterPressNews correspondent informs, floodwater has heavily damaged houses, gardens and traffic roads in the region.
As secretary of the Governor of the Borjomi Municipality, Revaz Kaladze, has pointed out that work to rectify the situation within the region is underway and it will be wrapped up in about ten days. As for the damage the region has sustained, it has not been calculated thus far. As per the secretary of the Governor, the hailstorm blocked roads in the region and in the wake of this damage has not been calculated yet. As the locals inform, hailstorm devastated their houses as well as their harvest and if the situation in this direction is not changed for the better, the visitors willing to spend their vacations in Borjomi will encounter some grave problems. (IPN)
Georgian President in Ukraine for Poroshenko Inauguration
Georgian President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, arrived in Kiev on Friday to attend inauguration ceremony of the Ukrainian president-elect Petro Poroshenko on June 7.
President Margvelashvili met on Friday Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk and discussed “the need to deepen cooperation,” according to the Georgian president’s administration.
It also said that the Georgian President noted importance of democratically held presidential election in Ukraine, which “demonstrated the Ukrainian people’s strong will to build strong, free, democratic and united European country.”
In Kiev the Georgian President is accompanied by secretary of National Security Council Irine Imerlishvili; his foreign policy advisor Vano Matchavariani, as well as lawmakers from ruling GD coalition, vice-speaker Zviad Dzidziguri and Tedo Japaridze, chairman of parliamentary committee of foreign affairs. (civil.ge)
Russia may put Mikheil Saakashvili and Davit Kezerashvili on wanted list
Russia’s Investigative Committee does not rule out that Georgia’s Former President Mikheil Saakashvili may be put on the international wanted list. ,, ITAR TASS’’ has disseminated this information.
As the authority’s representative Vladimir Markin stated, Russia also does not rule out to put former Georgian officials on the international wanted list, who are responsible for the events in South Ossetia in 2008.
“The investigation has the information that Georgia’s top-ranking officials, including President Saakashvili, Defense Minister Kezerashvili, Interior Minister Merabishvili and others, followed the aim of complete elimination of Ossetians living in the territory of South Ossetia,” Markin said to ITAR TASS.
According to him, the conflict in South Ossetia was provoked by the Georgian side. Also, Markin said that representatives of Ukraine’s nationalistic organization, UNA-UNSO participated on Georgia’s side.
"As the president and government in Georgia have changed, the person involved in the crimes in the territory of South Ossetia have lost their positions, and the Investigative Committee is considering presenting to them the charges and putting them on the international wanted list,” – Vladimir Markin declared. (IPN)
The mission of Georgian Armed Forces in Afghanistan is changing.
From the beginning of next year, the number of Georgian troops serving in Afghanistan will drop and those who remained will no longer take part in combat operations but embark on a new mission to train Afghan security forces.
At a meeting today led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the Georgian Government’s State Council on Security and Crisis Management discussed changes to Georgian Armed Forces' presence in Afghanistan and their role abroad. One of the changes was to reduce the amount of Georgian Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan. More specifically, it was decided the Georgian presence would be reduced by half from January 1, 2015.After the meeting, head of the Council Mindia Janelidze said before the number of Georgian military serving in Afghanistan could be halved, appropriate procedures would have to be obeyed under Georgian law."Georgia’s President will be undoubtedly involved in these issues and the Security Council and Parliament as well. However, there is a plan to halve the contingent from the beginning of the next year to 700 soldiers,” Janelidze said. Defence Minister Irakli Alasania said the remaining soldiers’ contingent would no longer take part in combat operations but embark on a new mission to train Afghan security forces."We will continue our mission with about 750 soldiers who will train the Afghan peacekeepers with the new format beginning from January 1,” Alasania said. He said this was a consistent policy which was previously discussed with NATO and American experts. At the meeting, Council members also discussed current political and security issues and other topics. The meeting was attended by Alasania, Interior Minister Alexandre Chikaidze, Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, Parliament Chairman David Usupashvili, head of the Intelligence Service David Sujashvili and Members of Parliament David Berdzenishvili and Tinatin Khidasheli. (agenda.ge)
Natural disaster inflicts serious harm on the Borjomi region
Strong Rain and hail have severely damaged the Borjomi region. As an InterPressNews correspondent informs, floodwater has heavily damaged houses, gardens and traffic roads in the region.
As secretary of the Governor of the Borjomi Municipality, Revaz Kaladze, has pointed out that work to rectify the situation within the region is underway and it will be wrapped up in about ten days. As for the damage the region has sustained, it has not been calculated thus far. As per the secretary of the Governor, the hailstorm blocked roads in the region and in the wake of this damage has not been calculated yet. As the locals inform, hailstorm devastated their houses as well as their harvest and if the situation in this direction is not changed for the better, the visitors willing to spend their vacations in Borjomi will encounter some grave problems. (IPN)
Georgian President in Ukraine for Poroshenko Inauguration
Georgian President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, arrived in Kiev on Friday to attend inauguration ceremony of the Ukrainian president-elect Petro Poroshenko on June 7.
President Margvelashvili met on Friday Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk and discussed “the need to deepen cooperation,” according to the Georgian president’s administration.
It also said that the Georgian President noted importance of democratically held presidential election in Ukraine, which “demonstrated the Ukrainian people’s strong will to build strong, free, democratic and united European country.”
In Kiev the Georgian President is accompanied by secretary of National Security Council Irine Imerlishvili; his foreign policy advisor Vano Matchavariani, as well as lawmakers from ruling GD coalition, vice-speaker Zviad Dzidziguri and Tedo Japaridze, chairman of parliamentary committee of foreign affairs. (civil.ge)
Russia may put Mikheil Saakashvili and Davit Kezerashvili on wanted list
Russia’s Investigative Committee does not rule out that Georgia’s Former President Mikheil Saakashvili may be put on the international wanted list. ,, ITAR TASS’’ has disseminated this information.
As the authority’s representative Vladimir Markin stated, Russia also does not rule out to put former Georgian officials on the international wanted list, who are responsible for the events in South Ossetia in 2008.
“The investigation has the information that Georgia’s top-ranking officials, including President Saakashvili, Defense Minister Kezerashvili, Interior Minister Merabishvili and others, followed the aim of complete elimination of Ossetians living in the territory of South Ossetia,” Markin said to ITAR TASS.
According to him, the conflict in South Ossetia was provoked by the Georgian side. Also, Markin said that representatives of Ukraine’s nationalistic organization, UNA-UNSO participated on Georgia’s side.
"As the president and government in Georgia have changed, the person involved in the crimes in the territory of South Ossetia have lost their positions, and the Investigative Committee is considering presenting to them the charges and putting them on the international wanted list,” – Vladimir Markin declared. (IPN)