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The News in Brief

Monday, February 9
50-year-old man killed in Abasha

A 50-year-old man has been killed in the village of Ketilari, Abasha.

“A suspect has been detained”, a representative of the Georgian Interior Ministry told Frontnews on Saturday. A criminal investigation has been launched.

According to reports, after the murder, he stole the farmer’s 30 cows.
(Frontnews)



Two Georgians living in Gali detained

Two Georgian citizens Gela Korkelia and Nukri Korkelia living in the Gali region have been detained.

According to Abkhazian media, occupied Abkhazia’s so-called law enforcement officers and the Russian FSB officers carried out a joint special operation on Friday.

“The detainees are accused of assisting armed criminal gangs operating in the territory of the Gali district”, Abkhazian media reported.

On January 12, three Georgian citizens D. Akubardia, L. Khargelia, N. Khurtsilava as well as occupied Abkhazia’s Counterterrorism Center’s officer Eduard Nersesian and officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service, Andrei Udaltsov were killed during a special operation in Gali.

According to Abkhazian media, “D. Akubardia, L. Khargelia, N. Khurtsilava were the members of the gangs operating in Gali”.
(Frontnews)



President may not present speech in Parliament in February

Reports say the President may not present his speech in the Parliament in February.

This is not confirmed by President’s Parliamentary Secretary Giorgi Kverenchkhiladze, however, the date of the President’s visit, as well as the format of his speech has not been ascertained yet.

''The format is to be decided by the Parliament. I can confirm the President’s readiness to take part in any format, including in political debates. As for the date, consultations are underway with the Parliament and it will soon be known to the public", - said Kverenchiladze.

Earlier reports said the President would present his report in February.
(IPN)



Russian Diplomat: NATO’s Planned Training Center in Georgia ‘Provocative’

NATO’s intention to establish a training center in Georgia is a “provocative” step, which will worsen regional security, Alexander Grushko, Russia’s permanent representative at NATO said.

“The training center in Georgia is a step which cannot be evaluated otherwise than provocative. There is no need for NATO to set up any centers. Of course, we will be clarifying what is that all about,” Grushko said, according to the Russian news agencies.

“Emergence of NATO military facilities in Georgia is a step towards escalation of tension and worsening of regional security,” he said.
(Civil.ge)



NATO, Georgia Defence Ministers Discuss Substantial Package

More than a dozen NATO allies are contributing to implementation of a substantial package of cooperation with Georgia, which among other measures also includes setting up of a joint training center in Georgia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on February 5.

“Several of them announced contributions during the meeting today,” he said at a news conference after NATO-Georgia Commission meeting at the level of defense ministers in Brussels.

“They will partly contribute by providing personnel and partly they will contribute by providing financial support. In addition the United States will also be a key when it comes to NATO exercise in Georgia,” Stoltenberg said.

“This training center is important for Georgia because they are going to train their troops there. It is important for NATO because we are going to train our troops there. And it is important for several partner countries which will also be able to train their troops in the new training center in Georgia,” he said and also stressed that this is “a training center, not a military base.”

Substantial package, which was endorsed by NATO leaders at the summit in Wales in September, 2014, also includes sending team of NATO advisers to the Georgian Ministry of Defense.

In a joint statement, released after the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting, the Alliance “noted the positive trends in Georgia’s democratic development.”

It also calls on Georgia “to continue implementation of reforms, including consolidating democratic institutions, taking forward judicial reforms, and ensuring full respect for the rule of law.”

In the statement, NATO defense ministers “condemn steps taken by Russia in Georgia which are in breach of Russia’s international obligations and commitments.”

The NATO Secretary General said that Russia’s treaty with breakaway Abkhazia on “alliance and strategic partnership” and planned new treaty with breakaway South Ossetia “are part of a disturbing pattern of destabilizing Russian behavior in its neighbourhood.”
(Civil.ge)