The News in Brief
Thursday, June 9
Russian soldiers install “boundary” banners at the edge of Avnevi village
Armed Russian soldiers in uniforms with accompanying military hardware have shown up at the edge of the village of Avnevi, Kareli. The soldiers installed banners at the edge of the village, where the village residents own agricultural lands.
According to the locals, after the installation of the so-called boundary markers, they will not be able to access their own lands.
The Kareli Governor confirmed the information.
"The so-called Russian border guards installed two new green banners. In that area the village residents own agricultural lands. They had been using these lands in recent years, but the fact is that as a result of installation of these banners they will not be able to access the land anymore,” said Kareli Governor Zaza Gulisahvili. (IPN)
Patriots’ Alliance merges with five parties to create joint bloc
The Alliance of Patriots has created an election bloc together with five other parties. In particular, the bloc unites the following parties: the Alliance of Patriots, Kakha Kukava’s party Free Georgia, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia’s Party of Freedom, Akaki Asatiani’s Union of Traditionalists, Gocha Jojua’s New Democrats and Gia Berdzenadze’s Political Movement of Veterans and Patriots.
The name of the election bloc will be Davit Tarkhan-Mouravi, Irma Inashvili Patriots’ Alliance –United Opposition.
According to Inashvili, they are ready for consultations with other parties too, except for the United National Movement party and the Republican Party.
“Our door is open and we will hold consultations with other parties too. However, I emphasize that we will not talk to the United National Movement. We will not create a bloc with the Republican Party either,” she said. (IPN)
UN General Assembly Passes Georgia IDP Resolution
The UN General Assembly adopted on June 7 Georgia-sponsored resolution reiterating the right of return of all displaced persons and refugees to breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia by a vote of 76 in favour to 15 against, with 64 abstentions.
Similar non-binding resolutions have been passed by the UN General Assembly for nine years in a row – the first one in 2008 was in respect of Abkhazia and all the following ones in respect of both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Georgia says the goal of annually pushing the resolution on the Assembly is to keep the issue high on the international agenda.
Last year, a similar resolution was passed by the UN General Assembly by a vote of 75 in favor to 16 against, with 78 abstentions.
“For eight consecutive years, the General Assembly has been adopting the document before us with an increasing number of positive votes and an encouraging dynamic of support. Countries from all regions of the world vote for the resolution due to its human appeal and humanitarian values,” Georgia’s UN ambassador, Kakha Imnadze, told the Assembly.
“Voting in favour of the present resolution is not about taking sides between the parties, but making the right choice by saying ‘Yes’ to basic human rights and fundamental humanitarian values based on the principles of humanity and of international law,” he said.
Along with Russia, other countries traditionally voting against of the resolution are Armenia, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Laos, Nauru, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Among others who also voted against this year are Burundi and Zimbabwe. South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and which was mostly abstaining from vote in previous years, also voted against this year. Myanmar, which was usually voting against in previous years, was absent this time.
Jamaica, which was abstaining in previous years, voted in favour of this resolution for the first time this year.
Turkey, which has been abstaining up until 2015, voted again in favour like it did last year.
Russia, which has always been strongly against of the resolution, reiterated that pushing of this “politically motivated” issue annually at the UN General Assembly is “counterproductive”, which does not help to solve problems because its goal is not to improve the situation of the displaced, but to divert attention from the real work and to use the Assembly for voicing anti-Russian rhetoric.
At the Geneva talks, which were launched after the August 2008 war, representatives from breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia refuse to discuss issues related with return of IDPs, citing Tbilisi’s attempt to “politicize” the issue by pushing it annually at the UN General Assembly. (Civil.ge)
Armed Russian soldiers in uniforms with accompanying military hardware have shown up at the edge of the village of Avnevi, Kareli. The soldiers installed banners at the edge of the village, where the village residents own agricultural lands.
According to the locals, after the installation of the so-called boundary markers, they will not be able to access their own lands.
The Kareli Governor confirmed the information.
"The so-called Russian border guards installed two new green banners. In that area the village residents own agricultural lands. They had been using these lands in recent years, but the fact is that as a result of installation of these banners they will not be able to access the land anymore,” said Kareli Governor Zaza Gulisahvili. (IPN)
Patriots’ Alliance merges with five parties to create joint bloc
The Alliance of Patriots has created an election bloc together with five other parties. In particular, the bloc unites the following parties: the Alliance of Patriots, Kakha Kukava’s party Free Georgia, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia’s Party of Freedom, Akaki Asatiani’s Union of Traditionalists, Gocha Jojua’s New Democrats and Gia Berdzenadze’s Political Movement of Veterans and Patriots.
The name of the election bloc will be Davit Tarkhan-Mouravi, Irma Inashvili Patriots’ Alliance –United Opposition.
According to Inashvili, they are ready for consultations with other parties too, except for the United National Movement party and the Republican Party.
“Our door is open and we will hold consultations with other parties too. However, I emphasize that we will not talk to the United National Movement. We will not create a bloc with the Republican Party either,” she said. (IPN)
UN General Assembly Passes Georgia IDP Resolution
The UN General Assembly adopted on June 7 Georgia-sponsored resolution reiterating the right of return of all displaced persons and refugees to breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia by a vote of 76 in favour to 15 against, with 64 abstentions.
Similar non-binding resolutions have been passed by the UN General Assembly for nine years in a row – the first one in 2008 was in respect of Abkhazia and all the following ones in respect of both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Georgia says the goal of annually pushing the resolution on the Assembly is to keep the issue high on the international agenda.
Last year, a similar resolution was passed by the UN General Assembly by a vote of 75 in favor to 16 against, with 78 abstentions.
“For eight consecutive years, the General Assembly has been adopting the document before us with an increasing number of positive votes and an encouraging dynamic of support. Countries from all regions of the world vote for the resolution due to its human appeal and humanitarian values,” Georgia’s UN ambassador, Kakha Imnadze, told the Assembly.
“Voting in favour of the present resolution is not about taking sides between the parties, but making the right choice by saying ‘Yes’ to basic human rights and fundamental humanitarian values based on the principles of humanity and of international law,” he said.
Along with Russia, other countries traditionally voting against of the resolution are Armenia, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Laos, Nauru, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Among others who also voted against this year are Burundi and Zimbabwe. South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and which was mostly abstaining from vote in previous years, also voted against this year. Myanmar, which was usually voting against in previous years, was absent this time.
Jamaica, which was abstaining in previous years, voted in favour of this resolution for the first time this year.
Turkey, which has been abstaining up until 2015, voted again in favour like it did last year.
Russia, which has always been strongly against of the resolution, reiterated that pushing of this “politically motivated” issue annually at the UN General Assembly is “counterproductive”, which does not help to solve problems because its goal is not to improve the situation of the displaced, but to divert attention from the real work and to use the Assembly for voicing anti-Russian rhetoric.
At the Geneva talks, which were launched after the August 2008 war, representatives from breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia refuse to discuss issues related with return of IDPs, citing Tbilisi’s attempt to “politicize” the issue by pushing it annually at the UN General Assembly. (Civil.ge)