DOCSLIB.ORG

Digital Messenger

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Digital Messenger WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 The Messenger P3 “Impartial, Informative, Insightful” GEL 3.00 The #236 (4793) Messenger WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 WWW.MESSENGER.COM.GE Politics Tbilisi City Hall puts the residents of The UNM head Vashadze Africa district on the verge of homelessness, leaves the party dismantles illegally built houses FULL STORY ON Page 2 Economics Team Europe: EIB and Bank of Georgia expand credit line for SMEs and mid-caps with ˆ25 million to aid recovery from COVID-19 pandemic FULL STORY ON Page 3 BY NATALIA KOCHIASHVILI bilisi Municipal Inspection has Tstarted dismantling 12 illegally con- Several days ago, the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre called on Tbilisi City Hall not to start structed residential buildings in the Af- the deconstruction of the illegally constructed buildings as the locals living there will be left without shelter. rica settlement in Tbilisi, which has led to a confrontation between the local popu- lation and law enforcers. before the end of the review. Residents of Africa have been protest- an action is carried out anywhere, it As a general inspection claims, the The situation on the ground became ing against the dismantling of the build- should be prevented,” Kaladze said at a reason for the dismantling is building on tense several times. Residents of nearby ings. According to them, most of the briefing yesterday. the state-owned territory without the per- buildings confronted the law enforcers. buildings’ residents are socially vulner- Hereby, Kaladze emphasized the deci- mission of construction. The people whose Police arrested 8 people during the con- able and their houses have been built sion that 350 million will be the 2021 building is being dismantled say they frontation. According to the Ministry of without permission, and in some cases, budget precisely in the direction of social have applied to the City Hall for legaliza- Internal Affairs, they were arrested on the City Hall has decided to legalize it. and healthcare. tion, but the inspection started the dis- charges of petty hooliganism and disobey- Regarding the Africa settlement, It was also noted that in recent years, mantling process without any warning ing a lawful request of the police. Mayor Kahkha Kaladze announced that citizens who have real estate in the re- no one lives in the houses that were dis- gions, as well as some others in the name mantled: of others, have started illegal construc- “These are the people who have houses, tion on state lands in Tbilisi. these are the people who have lands, and “We have a reasonable suspicion that so on. This is a deliberate seizure of land. we are dealing with a fraudulent scheme I do not rule out that there may be some backed by certain individuals who are forces behind this that are benefiting from pushing citizens to break the law in or- such decisions.” der to obtain economic benefits,” the Kaladze assures that as long as he is mayor said. in charge, he will in no way allow the According to Kaladze, Tbilisi City Hall misappropriation of state property. “And will provide all the materials to the rel- for those who do not have a home, there evant agency to start the investigation of is a shelter, half of which is empty.” the case. “We provide everything. The second Public Defender of Georgia Nino option is that people who have a certain Lomjaria responded to the dismantling problem, are having their house demol- of a residential building in the African ished or so on, the boards will allocate settlement of Samgori district. money for them, we can rent these fami- As Lomjaria noted in her Facebook lies houses so that they do not stay on post, the demolition of the house is re- the street,” he said. lated to the risks of homelessness, which The mayor emphasized that although raises the need for the state to assess the the municipal inspectorate had warned method. If necessary, they should take the offenders several times, both verbally supportive measures and provide appro- and in writing, unfortunately, there was priate shelter. She spoke of the challenges no response to the warning. that shelters are facing and emphasized “We declare with full responsibility that not a single building that was “The principled position of the state is that the implementation of dismantling subject to dismantling was completed and no one lived in it,” said that land grabbing and illegal construc- Mayor Kaladze. tions should not be allowed and if such CONTINUED ON Page 2 P2 Politics The Messenger WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 the sign for UNM’s dissolution: the elections, when he called for The UNM head Vashadze “When the chairman of the moving street protests to the party leaves the party for spe- negotiations table, implying a cific, declared or hidden reasons, possible end of boycott that was leaves the party it is one of the preconditions for announced by all major opposi- the party’s dissolution.” tion parties following legitimacy The leader of the Georgian concerns of the parliamentary Dream Tea Tsulukiani described polls. Other members of the Grigol Vashadze as a positive fig- UNM said that “the statement ure after leaving the National is Vashadze’s personal opinion Movement and said that he was which was not agreed upon with” acting in the interests of the them. While the members of country. According to other opposition parties who took Tsulukiani, she met Vashadze to the street following the Octo- for the first time during the sign- ber 31 parliamentary elections, ing of the March 8 agreement said that Vashadze’s statement with the opposition. According to was ‘unexpected and confusing.’ the leader of the European Geor- Grigol Vashadze, a former gia, Giga Bokeria, it is notewor- Soviet diplomat, served as a For- thy that Tsulikiani praised eign Minister under the UNM Grigol Vashadze. “It seems that government. He was the 2018 a good opposition for her is an Presidential candidate and was opposition member who leaves elected as the party chairman in politics.” March of 2019, replacing The US Ambassador to Geor- Saakashvili. In the October 31 “I disagree with the recent tactics or the UNM leaders that have been chosen without gia Kelly Degnan commented on parliamentary elections, consultations with party members, as well as the absence of a party strategy. There Vashadze’s resignation as well, Vashadze ran as a majoritarian are odious figures in and around the party who are the part of the past and will never saying he is an outstanding per- MP candidate for the Kutaisi be able to regain the public truth.” son with a long and impressive constituency. The UNM gar- career in the service of his coun- nered 27,18% of votes and 36 MP BY NATALIA KOCHIASHVILI Vashadze apologized to Georgia’s sion proved that “there are dif- try. mandates which the party in- partners. fering opinions in the opposi- The UNM Chairman first tends to reject. rigol Vashadze, Chairman Before this announcement, tion,” including varying views confronted his party soon after Gof the United National Nika Gvaramia, the director of over the current opposition tac- Movement, Georgia’s largest op- Mtavari Arkhi TV criticized tics. position party, announced on De- western diplomats, including MP Irakli Kobakhidze, execu- cember 15 about leaving the facilitators of the recent post- tive secretary of the ruling Geor- party as well as stepping down election talks between the oppo- gian Dream party also com- from all held positions. sition, that boycott election, and mented on the announcement, He wrote in his Facebook post the ruling Georgian Dream saying that political processes that there are aspects to the party. unfold ‘in the right direction.’ He party that he would categorically On December 15, the night noted that the “so-called odious not tolerate. Vashadze said he before Vashadze’s decision was figures” are dissolving [United] does not agree with tactics cho- known, the UNM leader and National Movement and Euro- sen by the majority of the UNM former Georgian President pean Georgia. leadership without consulting Mikheil Saakashvili criticized Parliament Speaker from the party members, and that the German Ambassador Hubert ruling Georgian Dream party absence of a future strategy is Knirsch over his opposition-criti- Archil Talakvadze stated that even more unacceptable to him. cal remarks, questioning his the ‘reasons named by Vashadze Vashadze expressed concerns qualification. behind his resignation are a over ‘the campaign of attacks Politicians from both the rul- deadly diagnosis for the UNM.’ and insults’ against the chiefs of ing party and the opposition re- MP Mamuka Mdinaradze as- UNM criticizes Vashadze: “We can not share the pathos diplomatic missions of strategic acted to Vashadze’s decision. sessed Vashadze’s decision as to and content.” partner countries that were UNM members Roman launched ‘unclear by whom and Gotziridze and Salome why’. Vashadze considers such Samadashvili have praised moves as damaging to Georgia’s Vashadze’s chairmanship of the Tbilisi City Hall puts the residents relations with the western part- party, stating that he has made ners. According to him, it cre- the party stronger in the past 3 ates impressions that creators of years. On the other hand, UNM of Africa district on the verge of this campaign have never heard member Khatia Dekanoidze said that attacking an ambassador that Vashadze’s claim on attacks homelessness, dismantles illegally equals attacking a state they on the diplomatic corps was represent. “This is the state wrong, as well as his decision to which has been guarding Geor- leave the party without consult- built houses gia state and its territorial in- ing with its members first.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • News Digest on Georgia
    NEWS DIGEST ON GEORGIA November 28 – December 1 Compiled by: Aleksandre Davitashvili Date: December 2, 2019 Occupied Regions Tskhinvali Region (so called South Ossetia) 1. Another Georgian Sent to Pretrial Custody in Occupied Tskhinvali Georgian citizen Genadi Bestaev, 51, was illegally detained by the „security committee‟ (KGB) of Russia- backed Tskhinvali Region across the line of occupation, near Khelchua village, for “illegally crossing the state border” and “illegal drug smuggling” today. According to the local agency “Res,” Tskhinvali court sentenced Bestaev, native of village Zardiantkari of Gori Municipality, to two-month pretrial custody. According to the same report, in the past, Bastaev was detained by Russia-backed Tskhinvali authorities for “similar offences” multiple times (Civil.ge, November 29, 2019). Foreign Affairs 2. Citizens of Switzerland can enter Georgia with an ID card Citizens of Switzerland can enter Georgia with an ID card, Georgian PM has already signed an official document. „Citizens of Switzerland can enter Georgia on the basis of a travel document, as well as an identity document showing a person‟s name, surname, date of birth and photo,‟ the official document reads. The resolution dated by November 28, 2019, is already in force (1TV, December 1, 2019). Internal Affairs 3. Members of European Parliament on Developments in Georgia On November 27, the European Parliament held a debate on developments in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries at its plenary session in Strasbourg. Kati Piri (Netherlands, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats): “Large protests are currently held in Tbilisi since the government failed to deliver on its commitment to change the electoral code in 2020 to full proportional system.
    [Show full text]
  • Interim Report
    Media Monitoring for 2018 Presidential Elections Interim Report Media Monitoring for 2018 Presidential Elections in Georgia Interim Report on Election Monitoring of TV News 18 June - 15 October Prepared with the assistance of the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Contents of the report are the sole responsibility of the Georgian Charter for Journalistic Ethics and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union (EU) and UNDP. Tbilisi 2018 Introduction The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics is monitoring the primetime news releases and talk shows on 8 TV channels, within the frameworks of the UNDP project Media Monitoring for the 2018 Presidential Elections, with the support from the European Union. The following channels are monitored: Channel One of the Public Broadcaster, Rustavi 2, Imedi, TV Pirveli, Maestro, Obiektivi, Iberia, Ajara TV. The present report provides analyses of the programmes for the period of 18 June-15 October. Methodology Monitoring consists of quantitative and qualitative components. The quantitative components are: the time allocated to subjects, direct and indirect speech and the coverage tone. The elements of the qualitative monitoring are: balance, accuracy, fact-based reporting, and manipulation with images and music. The coverage tone was evaluated when someone spoke about the monitoring subject, when the subject talked about itself, and when the subject talked about other subjects or general issues. Three categories of the tone are presented on the charts: positive (green), neutral (yellow) and negative (red). When the time allocated to the subject is counted, the tone is also assessed. The attention is paid to the texts of journalists and respondents as well as the context of the story.
    [Show full text]
  • AZERBAIJAN-GEORGIA-TURKEY: an Example of a Successful Regional Cooperation
    November 2015 04 AZERBAIJAN-GEORGIA-TURKEY: An Example of a Successful Regional Cooperation Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Caucasus has been a region of conflict and competition on the international political agenda. Through 20 years of struggle for independence, the countries of the South Caucasus have failed to create an area of prosperity that encompasses the whole region. Political differences among these countries have prevented the establishment of regional prosperity through economic cooperation. In this unstable context, political, social, economic, and commercial ties between Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey have led to the creation of an exemplary cooperation mechanism and environment. This paper assesses how and why bilateral relations initiated among Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey in the 1990s have transformed into a trilateral strategic relationship, and through which priority areas this trilateral partnership has been deepened and enhanced. Keywords: Caucasus, Trabzon Declaration, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Cooperation, regional cooperation Mitat Çelikpala and Cavid Veliyev CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Strategic Transformation from Bilateral Relations to Trilateral Cooperation ............................. 3 Trilateral Cooperation between Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan ................................................ 8 The Batumi Summit of Ministers of Foreign Affairs ...................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS Interim Report
    CAMPAIGN FINANCES IN GEORGIA’S 2018 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS Interim Report TBILISI 2018 Author Gigi Chikhladze Co-author and research supervisor Levan Natroshvili This report was made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed in the report belong to Transparency International Georgia and may not reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. CONTENTS Key Findings ______________________________________________________________________ 4 Introduction ______________________________________________________________________ 7 Chapter I. General Legal Framework ______________________________________________ 9 Chapter II. Candidates’ Campaign Revenues ______________________________________ 10 1. Donations ______________________________________________________________________ 13 1.1. Commercial interests of donors and non-competitive government contracts _____ 15 1.2. High-risk donations ____________________________________________________________ 15 1.2.1. Possibly third-party donations _______________________________________________ 15 1.2.2. Donors contributing to more than one political party _________________________ 15 Chapter III. Candidates’ Campaign Expenditures _________________________________ 18 Chapter IV. Transparency and Monitoring of Campaign Finances __________________ 24 Recommendations _______________________________________________________________ 25 KEY FINDINGS TI Georgia has been monitoring campaign revenues and
    [Show full text]
  • Chronicle: the Caucasus in the Year 2009
    Chronicle: The Caucasus in the year 2009 January 2 January 2009 Greece, which takes over the OSCE chairmanship from Finland, declares diplomatic efforts will continue to reach a consensus on the extension of the OSCE mission in Georgia 4 January 2009 Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs says Georgian police post was attacked in the village of Ganmukhuri at the Abkhaz administrative border 6 January 2009 Azerbaijan Democratic Party condemns the closure of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan 6 January 2009 Georgian public TV announces Georgia’s participation in the Eurovision song contest in Moscow in May 8 January 2009 An inter-agency anti-corruption council is set up in Georgia to upgrade the national anti-corruption strategy and action plan 9 January 2009 US and Georgian officials sign a bilateral charter on strategic partnership 9 January 2009 Transit of Russian gas to Armenia is halted after a gas pipeline is damaged in Southern Georgia 10 January 2009 Russian state-controlled electricity trader Inter RAO signs a memorandum of understanding with Georgia on the exploitation of the Enguri hydro power plant (HPP) 12 January 2009 Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava rules out early elections 12 January 2009 Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey visits Georgia to sign agreement with Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze on the protection of Georgia’s interests in Russia by Switzerland 12 January 2009 Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves visits Azerbaijan 13 January 2009 Opposition parties in Georgia criticize the government for striking
    [Show full text]
  • Russia-Georgia Conflict in August 2008
    = :88.&8*47,.&=43+1.(9=.3=:,:89=,**2a= 439*=9=&3)=251.(&9.438=+47=_ _=39*7*898= .2=.(-41= 5*(.&1.89=.3= :88.&3=&3)=:7&8.&3=++&.78= &7(-=-`=,**3= 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 18/1**= <<<_(78_,4;= -.0+2= =*5479=+47=43,7*88 Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress :88.&8*47,.&= 43+1.(9=.3=:,:89=,**2a=439*=9=&3)= 251.(&9.438=+47=__= 39*7*898= = :22&7>= In the early 1990s, Georgia and its breakaway South Ossetia region had agreed to a Russian- mediated ceasefire that provided for Russian “peacekeepers” to be stationed in the region. Moscow extended citizenship and passports to most ethnic Ossetians. Simmering long-time tensions escalated on the evening of August 7, 2008, when South Ossetia and Georgia accused each other of launching intense artillery barrages against each other. Georgia claims that South Ossetian forces did not respond to a ceasefire appeal but intensified their shelling, “forcing” Georgia to send in troops. On August 8, Russia launched air attacks throughout Georgia and Russian troops engaged Georgian forces in South Ossetia. By the morning of August 10, Russian troops had occupied the bulk of South Ossetia, reached its border with the rest of Georgia, and were shelling areas across the border. Russian troops occupied several Georgian cities. Russian warships landed troops in Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region and took up positions off Georgia’s Black Sea coast. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, serving as the president of the European Union (EU), was instrumental in getting Georgia and Russia to agree to a peace plan on August 15-16.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia [Republic]: Recent Developments and U.S
    Georgia [Republic]: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests Jim Nichol Specialist in Russian and Eurasian Affairs May 18, 2011 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov 97-727 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Georgia [Republic]: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests Summary The small Black Sea-bordering country of Georgia gained its independence at the end of 1991 with the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. The United States had an early interest in its fate, since the well-known former Soviet foreign minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, soon became its leader. Democratic and economic reforms faltered during his rule, however. New prospects for the country emerged after Shevardnadze was ousted in 2003 and the U.S.-educated Mikheil Saakashvili was elected president. Then-U.S. President George W. Bush visited Georgia in 2005, and praised the democratic and economic aims of the Saakashvili government while calling on it to deepen reforms. The August 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict caused much damage to Georgia’s economy and military, as well as contributing to hundreds of casualties and tens of thousands of displaced persons in Georgia. The United States quickly pledged $1 billion in humanitarian and recovery assistance for Georgia. In early 2009, the United States and Georgia signed a Strategic Partnership Charter, which pledged U.S. support for democratization, economic development, and security reforms in Georgia. The Obama Administration has pledged continued U.S. support to uphold Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States has been Georgia’s largest bilateral aid donor, budgeting cumulative aid of $2.7 billion in FY1992-FY2008 (all agencies and programs).
    [Show full text]
  • Public Opinion Survey Residents of Georgia
    Public Opinion Survey Residents of Georgia May 20 – June 11, 2019 Detailed Methodology • The field work was carried out by Institute of Polling & Marketing. The survey was conducted by Dr. Rasa Alisauskiene of the public and market research company Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization on behalf of the International Republican Institute’s Center for Insights in Survey Research. • Data was collected throughout Georgia between May 20 and June 11, 2019, through face-to-face interviews at respondents’ home. • The sample consisted of 1,500 permanent residents of Georgia aged 18 or older and eligible to vote. It is representative of the general population by age, gender, region and size of the settlement. • A multistage probability sampling method was used with random route and next-birthday respondent selection procedures. • Stage one: All districts of Georgia are grouped into 10 regions. All regions of Georgia were surveyed (Tbilisi city – as separate region). • Stage two: Selection of the settlements – cities and villages. • Settlements were selected at random. The number of selected settlements in each region was proportional to the share of population living in a particular type of the settlement in each region. • Stage three: Primary sampling units were described. • The margin of error does not exceed plus, or minus 2.5 percent and the response rate was 68 percent. • The achieved sample is weighted for regions, gender, age, and urbanity. • Charts and graphs may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding. • The survey was funded by the
    [Show full text]
  • Detailed Information About Vitaly Shklyarov from Wikipedia Russia
    Detailed Information about Vitaly Shklyarov from Wikipedia Russia Vitaly Valentinovich Shklyarov (born July 11, 1976, Gomel, BSSR, USSR) is a Belarusian political consultant and political strategist. Vitaly Shklyarov started his career as a political consultant in Germany. He graduated From the University of Fechta [en] with a degree in Social and political science in 2002. During his studies, Vitaly worked For the campaign of Angela Merkel[1]. In 2008, he moved to the United States where he became a volunteer at the presidential campaign headquarters of Barack Obama. Despite his experience in Germany, Vitaly started his career in the United States as a Field agitator[2]. At the beginning of his work at the Obama headquarters, Vitaly made calls from the basement located in the call center of the headquarters of the Democratic national Committee. [3] In 2012, Shklyarov became the head of the field Department for the Tammy Baldwin campaign. He was responsible for creating field infrastructure and a network of agitators in the state of Wisconsin. [3] The campaign was won, and Tammy Baldwin became the First ever Female Senator From Wisconsin, as well as the First openly gay Senator. In 2012, Shklyarov was also responsible for the mobilization part of Barack Obama's campaign in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. [4] The campaign to mobilize voters beFore polling day (GOTV) in the city oF Milwaukee won two awards from the American Association of politicalconsultants(AAPC). In 2014, he worked on Ro Hanna's campaign For the US Congress. He was responsible For the Internet campaign and was chieF oF staFF in Cupertino, CaliFornia.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia: Background and U.S
    Georgia: Background and U.S. Policy Cory Welt Specialist in European Affairs Updated October 17, 2019 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R45307 SUMMARY R45307 Georgia: Background and U.S. Policy October 17, 2019 Georgia is one of the United States’ closest partners among the states that gained their independence after the USSR collapsed in 1991. With a history of strong economic aid Cory Welt and security cooperation, the United States has deepened its strategic partnership with Specialist in European Georgia since Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia and 2014 invasion of Ukraine. U.S. Affairs policy expressly supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its [email protected] internationally recognized borders, and Georgia is a leading recipient of U.S. aid to For a copy of the full report, Europe and Eurasia. please call 7-.... or visit www.crs.gov. Many observers consider Georgia to be one of the most democratic states in the post- Soviet region, even as the country faces ongoing governance challenges. The center-left Georgian Dream- Democratic Georgia party (GD) holds a dominant political position, with about 70% of seats in parliament. Although Georgia faces high rates of poverty and underemployment, its economy has performed better since 2017 than it did in the previous four years. The GD led a coalition to victory in parliamentary elections in 2012 amid growing dissatisfaction with Georgia at a Glance the former ruling party, Mikheil Saakashvili’s center- Population: 3.72 million (2019 est.) right United National Movement, which came to Comparative Area: slightly larger than West Virginia power as a result of Georgia’s 2003 Rose Revolution.
    [Show full text]
  • IFES Faqs on Elections in Georgia
    Elections in Georgia 2018 Presidential Election Frequently Asked Questions Europe and Eurasia International Foundation for Electoral Systems 2011 Crystal Drive | Floor 10 | Arlington, VA 22202 | www.IFES.org October 22, 2018 Frequently Asked Questions When is Election Day? ................................................................................................................................... 1 Who are citizens voting for on Election Day? ............................................................................................... 1 Why is the presidential election important? ................................................................................................ 1 What is the current political situation in Georgia? ....................................................................................... 1 Will there be public candidate debates ahead of the election? ................................................................... 2 When will the results be announced? .......................................................................................................... 3 What if there is a second round? .................................................................................................................. 3 What laws regulate the presidential elections in Georgia? .......................................................................... 3 Who is eligible to run for office?................................................................................................................... 3 Who are the
    [Show full text]
  • Russia Intelligence
    N°40 - January 15 2009 Published every two weeks / International Edition CONTENTS GEORGIA P. 1 GEORGIA c What form of strategic part- c What form of strategic partnership with nership with the United States? the United States? P. 2 KAZAKHSTAN c A contrasting economic One of the last official acts of the US State Department has been the “Strategic Partnership and industrial landscape Charter” with Georgia signed in Washington on January 9 by Condoleezza Rice and the new IRAN Georgian foreign affairs minister, Grigol Vashadze who was appointed last December. The c The supreme leader in sup- agreement was spoken of by Mikheil Saakashvili as a founding act implying the end of Russ- port of Ahmadinejad ian influence in Georgia. But its true importance is not easy to make out. The charter reaf- ALERT firms US support for Georgia’s integration into “Euro-Atlantic institutions” and its backing for c Inter Rao to jointly manage Tbilisi’s bid to join NATO. It makes a barely veiled reference to continuing military coopera- Inguri power plant tion between Georgia and the United States as part of the fight against “global threats”. P. 3 SOUTH OSSETIA c Trouble brewing between During the short signing ceremony at the State Department, Condoleezza Rice stressed that the Kremlin and “President” the United States “supports and will always support Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial Eduard Kokoyty integrity”, and will do everything to keep the spirit of the “Rose Revolution” alive. Concern- BEHIND THE SCENE ing NATO membership, Condie Rice stressed that this depended on “the desires of the Geor- gians themselves and their ability to meet NATO standards”.
    [Show full text]