Georgian press digest: excerpts
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Subject: Georgian press digest: excerpts
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Georgian press digest: excerpts
ANNOTATED DAILY HEADLINES OF THE GEORGIAN PRESS
Compiled by the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and
Development (CIPDD)
Text: Tamara Shamil
English version: Guram Dumbadze
Editor: Emil Adelkhanov-Steinberg
February 1, 1999
......................
2. NGOs' APPEAL
In their appeal to Georgian citizens, the Parliament and the President
the 19 most active NGOs of Georgia claim that the item "ethnicity" in
the citizen's IDs or other papers violates the constitutional
principle of equality and may give birth to privileged groups of
population. If the President or the Parliament revise the new law that
is currently in force and restore this item in papers, the NGOs will
appeal to the Constitutional Court.
"Shavi Dge" No. 12, February 1-2, p. 3
......................
4. RUSSIA'S ROLE IN THE WAR IN ABKHAZIA: SECRET FILES BEAR OUT THAT IT
WAS DECISIVE
According to the newspaper, Tbilisi has got documentary evidence that
Russian official structures backed Abkhazia both economically and
militarily during the war. However, the Georgian government is still
hesitating to make those documents public. On the one hand, Georgia
tries to prove the genocide of the Georgians in Abkhazia to the world
community, on the other hand, it conceals the information about the
Russian aggression and about the documents Russia and Abkhazia signed
bypassing Georgia!
Zviad Pochkhua. "Resonance" No. 27, February 1, p. 3
------------------------
February 2, 1999
1. THE UN: PROCURATOR OF THE ABKHAZ PEACE
According to the newspaper, the January 29 resolution of the UN
Security Council on Abkhazia suggests that
the UN already views Georgia as a confederation of two equal states.
The resolution says nothing about the
genocide of the Georgians in Abkhazia but emphasises the problem of
landmines instead. Thanks heaven, it does not say that it is we
Georgians who mine the territory. They seem to expect us to be
grateful for the mere fact that it prolongs the mandate of the UN
observers in the region for yet another six months. So the resolution
has frustrated every Georgian citizen, including the President, the
newspaper argues. Instead,
it is welcomed by Russia.
Tengiz Gogotishvili. "Droni" No. 11, February 2-4, p. 1
2. IS THE COMMANDER OF THE FOREST BROTHERS GOING TO SURRENDER TO
ABKHAZ AUTHORITIES?
Dato Shengelia, nicknamed Cobra, the commander of the Georgian
guerrilla unit Forest Brothers and former
Mkhedrioni member, is going to surrender to Abkhaz authorities in an
attempt to escape prosecution in Georgia, the newspaper writes. Facing
the danger of arrest, he has allegedly fled to Russia and is now
negotiating the conditions of his surrender with Abkhaz officials. The
head of the Svaneti-Samegrelo regional police denies, however, that
the Georgian law-enforcement bodies want Shengelia.
Mate Kervalidze. "Alia" No. 18, February 2-3, p. 2
......................
5. THE OSCE DISPROVES OF ABKHAZIA'S UNILATERAL INITIATIVE ON THE
REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES
At the January 26 session of the standing council of the OSCE
Jean-Michel Lacomb, the head of the OSCE mission
in Georgia, said he was satisfied with the progress in settling the
Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The donor countries should, however,
intensify their efforts to improve the post-conflict situation and
repatriate the
refugees. As to Abkhazia, he considers it necessary to restore the
OSCE office in the Gali district. He also
says Sukhumi's unilateral initiative on the repatriation of refugees
cannot be put in practice without co-
ordination with the Georgian government.
"Sakartvelos Respublika" No. 28, February 2, p. 1
------------------------
February 4, 1999
......................
5. THE PEACEKEEPERS WAITING FOR THE "LAST ACCORD"
According to Lev Mironov, the special envoy of the Russian Foreign
Ministry, the Russian peacekeeping troops will be called off from
Abkhazia unless the coming summit of the CIS leaders prolongs their
mandate by the end of February. Tbilisi considers it necessary to
extend the mandate over the whole Gali district of Abkhazia.
Otherwise, their mission must be terminated.
Prime-News agency. "Alia" No. 19, February 4-5, p. 1
6. GEORGIANS TO BE EXCHANGED FOR COSSACKS
According to the press centre of the Intelligence Department, seven
Georgians are currently held captive
in Abkhazia. By the end of the week three of them will be exchanged
for three Cossacks, residents of Abkhazia.
Besides, on February 5-6 the Abkhaz authorities will pass on the
bodies of the former chairman of the Council of Ministers of the
Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia Zhiuli Shartava (who was shot when
Sukhumi was taken by the Abkhaz troops) and his two bodyguards.
Kavkaz-press agency. "Alia" No. 19, February 4-5, p. 1
7. WILL THE HAGUE ARREST ARDZINBA?
The Resistance Committee of Abkhazia has resolved to appeal to the
Hague Court demanding it to punish the organisers of the genocide of
the Georgians in Abkhazia.
Kavkaz-press agency. "Alia" No. 19, February 4-5, p. 1
------------------------
February 5, 1999
......................
7. "DJAVAHK" GETTING READY FOR A NEW PROVOCATION
A new political organisation - "Unified Georgia" - has emerged in
Samtskhe-Djavakheti recently. In spite of its name, the fact put many
on their guard: it was on the base of the local Armenian nationalistic
organisation "Djavahk" that it was created. The newspaper suggests
that the Ministry of Justice should not register the new organisation,
while the parliament, in its opinion, must ban creation of political
parties on ethnic bases.
Merab Gaprindashvili. "Meridiani 44" No. 14, February 5-8, p. 1
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