Tbilisi, Georgia's former ambassador to Russia Erosi Kitsmarishvili has accused his own country of starting the war in South Ossetia. His comments almost led to a fistfight between politicians.

"It was the Georgian government that launched the military action. It doesn’t matter whether it was provoked or not," he told the Georgian parliamentary commission analysing the August events. "As for the fact that Russia was prepared for it, Moscow was ready to perform the actions it did, because they were part of Russia’s overall plan. I am not saying Georgia is to blame for everything, because Russia was not an innocent lamb either."

Erosi Kitsmarishvili was one of the founders of the ‘Rose Revolution’ and the former head of Georgia's Rustavi-2 TV station. This, however, didn't prevent the anger of one member of the commission on hearing his statement. He threw a pen at the former ambassador and seemed ready to fight.

"Today's session is a vivid example of how the Saakashvili regime is collapsing," commented Pikriya Chikhradze, a leader of the Georgian opposition party, New Rightists. "The behaviour of the commission members who assaulted Erosi Kitsmarishvili, shows that they are interested not in listening to a person who possesses really important information, but in publicly denying it."

Kitsmarishvili had more revelations about his conversations with President Saakashvili.

"The President told me he wanted to relocate the Georgian capital to Sukhum in Abkhazia in August," he said. "I told him there wasn't any peaceful way to reach this goal in four months and asked how we could develop relations with such plans in mind?"

Kitsmarishvili's controversial comments are seen by some as evidence of a growing battle in Georgian politics.

"A tough political fight is developing in Georgia between Saakashvili's team and the opposition. And the Georgian opposition consists of former allies of the incumbent president," said Vladimir Zharikhin, Deputy Head of the Institute of CIS countries. "The West knew that Saakashvili started the war. Yet there was an attempt to tell this story differently. But such distortion of the picture is possible only for a short term."

South Ossetia and Abkhazia were part of Georgia during the Soviet era. After the breakup of the USSR, the two republics pushed for independence resulting in an armed conflict with Tbilisi.

After several years of fighting a Russia- UN peacekeeping force was deployed in the two conflict zones. The growing tensions erupted into a war between Georgia and South Ossetia in August 2008.

The mainly Russian peacekeeping mission in the region deployed troops to push Georgian forces out of South Ossetia.

The republic's authorities claim Georgia’s actions caused the death of more than one and a half thousand civilians.

Despite criticism from the West, on August 26 Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The Georgian parliamentary commission investigating the conflict in South Ossetia is expected to announce its conclusion on what happened and who is to blame in mid- December.

Some findings are already known and according to the head of the commission, a criminal case could be opened against Georgia's former ambassador to Russia for alleged negligence during his work.

11.26.2008  RT

Moscow, The republic of Abkhazia denied on Tuesday reports that the Russian military had increased its presence on the border with Georgia by deploying extra military hardware.

Georgia earlier said 10 armored vehicles and infantry reinforcements had been deployed near the Abkhaz village of Pichori, which borders Georgia's Zugdidi district.

"This is just another item of Georgian disinformation. The area at question has the exact number of Russian troops set out in existing agreements. No additional detachments have been deployed on the border with Georgia," Abkhaz Defense Minister Merab Kishmariya said.

11.24.2008  RIA Novosti

Moscow, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed off on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance treaties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Kremlin press service said on Monday.

The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, ratified the treaties on October 29 and the upper house, the Federation Council, on November 12.

Russia recognized both republics as independent states on August 26, two weeks after the end of a five-day military conflict which began when Georgian forces launched an attack on South Ossetia.

Under the pact, Russia has pledged to help the republics protect their borders, and the signatories have granted each other the right to set up military bases in their respective territories.

The treaty recognizes dual citizenship, as the majority of people living in South Ossetia and Abkhazia are also Russian passport holders. Russia has also agreed to unify its transportation, energy, and communications infrastructure with the republics.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia have so far only been recognized by Russia and Nicaragua. Belarus has said it may recognize in the future, and Venezuela has voiced support for Russia's move.

11.24.2008  RIA Novosti

The Transnistrian Moldovan Republic's Supreme Council today ratified an agreement on key principles of the Community for Democracy and Human Rights, whose members include Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. RBC was told by the Transnistrian parliament that the framework agreement was adopted on November 4, 2007 at a summit of presidents of the three then unrecognized republics. The document provides for cooperation between the community's member states in the political, economic, environmental, humanitarian, and cultural spheres.

The agreement also indicates that Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria would work together to ensure international peace and security, including through assistance in reaching a final and comprehensive peaceful settlement in the community member countries' relations with Georgia and Moldova. Furthermore, member states have agreed to provide mutual legal support and cooperate in various spheres with other countries, primarily Russia.

11.20.2008  RBC

Russia’s military bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia have been completely manned with military, RIA Novosti reported with reference to General Staff Chief Nikolay Makarov.

Some 3,700 servicemen of Russia have been sent to South Ossetia, and Abkhazia will host equal number of Russia’s military. The RF military bases are located in South Ossetia’s Java and Tskhinval and Abkhazia’s Gudauta.

The process of bases equipment is underway. “I think that, by the end of 2010, the bases will be equipped up to the last word of our construction engineering,” Makarov said.

The friendship and cooperation treaties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia provide for deployment of Russia’s military bases in those republics. The treaties were signed in the fall, after Russia stepped in to oppose Georgia’s attack on South Ossetia in August. Russia was also the first to recognize independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

11.19.2008  Kommersant

The second round of international discussions on the Caucasus concluded successfully at the Palace of the Nations on Friday, a high-placed diplomatic source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. “There was a discussion and exchange of opinions,” the source stated. “All sides took part in the discussion and no one walked out.”

The first round of discussions was cut short on October 15 when the Georgian delegation refused to sit down with representatives of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. To avoid that problem repeating, the discussions were limited to consultations among working groups that never met all at the same time.

“The main questions that were discussed in the working groups were security issues and the problem of temporarily displaced persons and refugees,” the source stated. The members of the working groups dined together after the discussions. The cochairmen of the discussions from the United Nations, European Union and OSCE will hold a press conference later in the day. Russian representative at the discussions Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin is expected to hold a separate press conference after that.

The discussions in Geneva were held in accordance with the plan developed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Representatives of the United States, Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia are also taking part in them. Russia carried out an operation in Georgia after that country attacked South Ossetia on August 8 of this year. Later, Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The EU and U.S. have preferred to recognize the territorial integrity of Georgia.

11.19.2008  Kommersant

Geneva, International talks in Geneva on security in the Caucasus and the return of refugees in the wake of the August Russia-Georgia conflict produced some progress, the UN and EU mediators said on Wednesday.

The European Union, the United Nations, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) co-chaired on Tuesday and Wednesday the second round of talks, involving Russia, the U.S., and Georgia's two disputed regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The UN secretary general's special envoy for Georgia, Johan Verbeke, told a news conference after the meetings that the participants had moved on from procedural discussions and had agreed on steps to demarcate borders and return refugees.

"I'd call this a quantum leap. All of the delegations did speak, all of the delegations listened," he told reporters.

An earlier round of negotiations that began on October 15 was suspended after Georgia refused to attend meetings involving Abkhazia and South Ossetia, both of which were recognized by Russia as independent states after a brief war with Georgia, which attacked South Ossetia on August 8.

EU Special Representative for the Georgia crisis Pierre Morel said working group sessions were held to discuss means of preventing further violence.

"All the participants in these working groups were fully engaged in a productive discussion on the key questions of the security and stability of the region, and of displaced people as well as refugees," he said.

Morel said the situation in the Caucasus remains unstable.

Shootings and abductions have been reported along the de facto border between Georgia and South Ossetia since after the armed conflict, with the sides blaming each other for continuing violence.

The third round of talks has been scheduled for December 17-18, Morel said.

A Russian deputy foreign minister praised the talks, saying Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia had been equally represented.

"It was critically important that all three Caucasus states had absolutely equal representation in all activities, without exception," Grigory Karasin told journalists in Geneva.

Karasin also said Russia would continue to press for an embargo on offensive arms supplies to Georgia, and a legally binding pledge from the ex-Soviet Caucasus state not to use force against South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

A Georgian Foreign Ministry official taking part in the talks, Shota Utiashvili, said: "The process has begun. We welcome this."

However, he said talks on Georgian refugees' return to the disputed areas and the establishment of international monitors' presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which the regions have opposed, would be a lengthy process.

11.19.2008  RIA Novosti

Geneva, International talks on security in the Caucasus in the aftermath of August's Russia-Georgia conflict are to continue in Geneva on Wednesday.

The two-day talks, co-chaired by representatives of the European Union, the United Nations, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, involve Russia, Georgia, and the U.S., as well as Georgia's two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

A diplomatic source told RIA Novosti that the sides would focus on ensuring security in the region and the problem of displaced persons.

An earlier round of negotiations that began on October 15 was suspended after Georgia refused to attend meetings involving Abkhazia and South Ossetia, both of which were recognized by Russia as independent states after the conflict.

The talks will be closed to the media. However, it is expected that representatives of the EU, the UN, and the OSCE will hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. (14:00 GMT). At 4:00 p.m., the head of the Russian delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, will hold a joint press conference with representatives from South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Although Tuesday saw the sides hold a series of informal meetings, no official announcements were made. However, the Georgia Foreign Ministry said shortly before the talks began that it would press for an international peacekeeping presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to replace Russian peacekeepers.

Russia handed control of buffer zones adjacent to Abkhazia and South Ossetia over to EU and OSCE monitoring missions in Georgia on October 8. The measures are part of international efforts to stabilize the region following Georgia's attack on South Ossetia in August, which triggered the five-day conflict with Russia.

The EU mission is tasked with ensuring security along the border with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Both republics are reluctant to allow EU observers on their territory.

The Russian and French presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy, agreed in September that Russia's full withdrawal from undisputed parts of Georgia must take place by October 10. EU monitoring teams were deployed in Georgia on October 1 in preparation for the handover.

11.19.2008  RIA Novosti

Geneva, Moscow hopes that the participants of the international discussion on the Caucasus situation, which began in Geneva, will meet informally on Tuesday evening, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin.

"We hope that the informal meeting will be held tonight. But we cannot count on that as there are other delegations, which have their own goals," he told Interfax on Tuesday.

Commenting on the media reports that some of the events planned as part of the Geneva discussions were postponed 'for technical reasons,' the deputy minister said: "This is all insinuations and rumors, which are apparently being initiated deliberately to warm up interest to the subject."

"In fact, delegations from Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been here since yesterday and are actively preparing for the meeting," he said.

Apart from the informal meeting on Tuesday evening, there will be the discussions in two working groups, on security and stability, as well as the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, scheduled for Wednesday evening, he said.

"As far as I know, all delegations are involved in very thorough preparations for these discussions," Karasin said.

"South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Russia are very keen to resolve the practical issues of security in the areas adjacent to the borders with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as was provided in the agreements between the Russian and French Presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy," he said.

"As for other participants, probably it is too early to say where they stand. But I assume that some might be interested in seeing these discussions never get to a level of substantial talks," Karasin said.

Asked what status the Abkhazian and South Ossetian delegations have at the discussion in Geneva, the deputy minister said: "It is for this purpose that the formula of informal discussions has been invented, so that the talks of substance are not hampered by status issues, the ones that are causing major political problems."

11.18.2008  Interfax

Moscow, Abkhazian border guards killed one and injured three "Georgian saboteurs" on Saturday in a shootout in the Gal district of the republic, an Abkhazian presidential representative said on Ekho Moskvy radio.

"At approximately 1 p.m. [10:00 GMT] a group of Georgian saboteurs attempted to cross the border near the village of Soberiya. They were noticed and there was a skirmish as a result of which one of the Georgians was killed and three were wounded," said Ruslan Kishmariya, the Abkhazian president's representative in the Gal district.

The shootout occurred when a border guard patrol came across an armed group of six people, police spokesman Lourens Kogoniya, adding that the Georgians fled back across the de facto border to the undisputed part of Georgia.

Kishmariya said the Abkhazian authorities were strengthening the border with Georgia, which he accused of continuing subversive activity.

"The Georgian special services have one goal - to find out how Abkhazia is strengthening the border with Georgia," he told RIA Novosti.

Abkhazia broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union in an armed conflict that claimed thousands of lives.

Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war after Georgia attacked South Ossetia, on August 8. Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states in late August. The majority of residents in both provinces have had Russian citizenship for a number of years.

11.15.2008  RIA Novosti

Sukhum, Abkhazia announced on Friday it has received an official invitation to a Caucasus security meeting to be held in Geneva on November 18.

The first round of talks on the August Caucasus conflict began on October 15, but was suspended after the Georgian delegation refused to sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba told reporters that the invitation from the meeting's organizers will allow the republic's delegation full participation in the talks.

The Abkhazian delegation will include Deputy Foreign Minister Maxim Gunjia, Abkhaz presidential adviser Vyacheslav Chirikba, and Foreign Ministry envoy to Germany Zeki Kapba, Shamba said.

Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war after Georgia attacked South Ossetia on August 8. Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states in late August.

11.14.2008  RIA Novosti

Sukhum, Due to the diplomatic relations established between Abkhazia and Russia, Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh signed a decree opening a republican embassy in Moscow. The president appointed Igor Akhba as an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Abkhazia in the Russian Federation.

Akhba, who was born in 1949, graduated from the law department of the Moscow State University. In 1975 he passed a post-graduate course at the Institute of State and Law with the speciality of state international law. Since 1992 up to now an Abkhazian plenipotentiary representative in Russia has the rank of extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador.

11.14.2008  Itar-Tass

Moscow, Russia and Abkhazia are in talks on establishing a permanent Russian naval presence in Abkhazia, the Abkhazian foreign minister said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day Vladimir Komoyedov, a Russian Communist Party lawmaker and former Black Sea Fleet commander, said that Russia was considering opening a base at Ochamchira.

"This [Ochamchira] is a very comfortable place for basing naval forces. We have spoken about it on many occasions and if Russia makes a relevant decision we will be definitely interested in it. The talks on the issue are underway," Minister Sergei Shamba said.

Speaking about the possible number of warships that could be deployed in Ochamchira, Shamba said Abkhazia was ready to accept any proposal.

"The most important for us [Abkhazia] is security provision. We are ready to cooperate with Russia in all directions in this sphere," the minister said.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet uses a range of naval facilities in Ukraine's Crimea as part of a 1997 agreement, under which Ukraine agreed to lease the bases to Russia until 2017.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko announced in the summer that Ukraine would not extend the lease of the base in the Crimean city of Sevastopol beyond 2017, and urged the Russian fleet to start preparations for a withdrawal.

Although the agreement for Russia's use of the base foresees a possible extension of the lease, and Moscow has repeatedly said it wants negotiations on the issue, Ukraine reiterated its position last month that it would not permit an extension of Russia's naval presence in the country after 2017.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine heightened when several Black Sea Fleet warships dropped anchor off the Georgian coast during and after the August armed conflict with Georgia over South Ossetia.

A source in the Russian Defense Ministry said last week that Russia planned to open in 2009 one base in Gudauta, in the west of Abkhazia, and another in Tskhinval, the capital of South Ossetia.

Russian General Staff chief Gen. Nikolai Makarov told journalists in Moscow in October that in line with friendship and assistance treaties, concluded with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, 3,700 service personnel would be deployed at each base.

11.12.2008  RIA Novosti

Moscow, The upper house of the Russian parliament ratified friendship treaties with South Ossetia and Abkhazia on Wednesday.

Russia recognized both republics as independent states on August 26 after the end of a five-day conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi, which launched an attack on South Ossetia in early August.

Under the pact, Russia has pledged to help the republics protect their borders, and the signatories have granted each other the right to set up military bases in their respective territories.

The treaty recognizes dual citizenship, as the majority of people living in South Ossetia and Abkhazia are also Russian passport holders. Russia has also agreed to unify its transportation, energy, and communications infrastructure with the republics.

Senator Vasily Likhachev, deputy chairman of the Federation Council's international affairs committee, said the agreements were an aspect of the "implementation of President [Dmitry Medvedev's] proposal on a new European security treaty."

The treaties have to be signed by the president to enter into force.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia have so far only been recognized by Russia and Nicaragua. Belarus has said it may recognize the both republics in the future, and Venezuela has voiced support for Russia's move.

11.12.2008  RIA Novosti

The second round of Caucasus negotiations under Medvedev-Sarkozy peace deal that has been slated for November 14 is under the wreckage threat. Spokesmen of the EU, U.N. and OSCE visited Sukhum yesterday to urge Abkhazia’s leadership to attend the talks, to no avail though.

The first round of Caucasus negotiations was held in Geneva October 15 and its results could be hardly regarded as promising. Abkhazia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba that headed Sukhum delegation marched out of the negotiating hall together with the delegation of South Ossetia headed by Vice Premier Boris Chochiev.

Shamba attributed his demarche to the status proposed to Abkhazia, whereby its delegation was unable to take part in the plenary sitting, confining to speaking in time of the expert discussions without specifying the country’s origin of speechmakers.

A delegation of big-name diplomats of Europe, including EU Special Representative for the crisis in Georgia Pierre Morel, arrived in Sukhum yesterday. The diplomats negotiated with Shamba in the morning and met with Abkhazia’s President Sergei Bagapsh after it.

Abkhazia’s participation in negotiations is questionable, Bagapsh made clear after the talks. The president said they would attend provided they had equal rights. “We don’t intend to sit on the bench of unrecognized. Abkhazia’s authorities aren’t particularly willing to carry on dialogue with the current criminal regime of Georgia, but made this step in Geneva out of respect for such world leaders as Medvedev and Sarkozy.”

Another demand of Bagapsh is that the spokesmen of Georgia-oriented temporarily administrations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia would leave the negotiating table.

The equal status of Abkhazia’s and Georgia’s delegations wouldn’t mean Abkhazia’s recognition by other nations, Sergei Shamba explained. “We only demand a seat at the negotiating table and to recognize us an equal party. We have had that status even in time of direct negotiations of Tbilisi and Sukhum,” the minister pointed out.

In the RF Foreign Ministry, they said that the arrangers of Geneva talks are to directly solve their difficulties with Abkhazia and Moscow won’t act as an intermediary. “Our standing is permanent. We will take part in the meetings, where Abkhazia and South Ossetia are represented, and won’t attend any other events. We won’t be bound by the decisions taken in our absence,” a top-ranked diplomat from the ministry said.

11.11.2008  Kommersant

Moscow, The Federation Council's related committees recommend that the Russian parliament's upper house approve agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid between Russia and Abkhazia and Russia and South Ossetia, member of the Federation Council's legal and court issues committee Amir Gallyamov told journalists, noting that the upper house is set to consider the documents at a plenary session on Wednesday.

The 10-year extendable agreements were signed in Moscow on September 17, 2008 and ratified by the State Duma on October 29. The accords lay down the legal framework for the deployment of Russian military units to the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whose presence is necessary to maintain peace in the region and ensure consistent security of the parties, the senator stressed.

11.10.2008  RBC

Sukhum, The European Union must recognise Abkhazia for peace talks in Geneva to go ahead, Abkhazia's foreign minister told an EU envoy here Monday.

"The only thing we want from the EU is a recognition of the reality that Abkhazia is now an independent state," Sergei Shamba said at a meeting with Pierre Morel in the Abkhaz capital Sukhum, Interfax news agency reported.

Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh said Abkhaz officials would not attend the peace talks on November 18 if Abkhazia, which was recognised by Russia in the wake of a conflict with Georgia in August, was treated as a part of Georgia.

"If someone thinks of presenting Abkhazia as a region of Georgia then it will not happen," Bagapsh said at a separate meeting with Morel in Sukhum.

Peace talks in Geneva on October 15 fell apart because of disagreements over the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another rebel province of Georgia.

11.10.2008  EU business

EU and UN envoys are on a visit to Abkhazia ahead of next week's international consultation on the Caucasus, where Abkhazia wants to participate as an equal partner.

They will be meeting the president of the newly independent state, who is expected to raise the question of Abkhazia's participation in the upcoming Geneva event.
 

On Friday Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh told the UN Secretary-General's envoy for Georgia, Johan Verbeke, that the Abkhazian side is ready to take part in the meeting only as an equal.
 

The envoys will also be discussing security in the region following the recent war in South Ossetia.
 

Russia recognised the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the conflict, triggering international criticism. However, Western attitudes have shown a shift lately, with Tbilisi's actions in the war beginning to be questioned.
 

The EU says it is now ready to re-launch talks on a new partnership agreement with Moscow - the deal is expected to be discussed in Geneva next week.

11.10.2008  Russia Today

Moscow, Lebanon wants to establish contacts with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and may consider recognizing the two republics as independent, Russian daily Vremya Novostei reported on Monday.

Russia recognized the republics as independent after its brief war with Georgia, which attacked South Ossetia on August 8. Nicaragua is so far the only other country to have recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The paper quoted Saad Hariri, leader of the Lebanese parliamentary majority Future Movement, as saying: "The recognition issue will be decided at the top level of government. We are about to start establishing contacts with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Delegations of our businessmen will soon be sent there."

At a meeting with Hariri last Friday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pledged Moscow's economic and political assistance to Beirut.

Hariri told the paper that supplies of military hardware had been discussed, and would be considered in detail during a visit to Russia by Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr in November or early December.

11.10.2008  RIA Novosti

Moscow, Abkhazia and South Ossetia should take part in the Geneva consultations on November 18 as equal partners only, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"South Ossetia and Abkhazia can take part only they have equal status, because the Geneva meeting provided by the Medvedev-Sarkozy agreements is dedicated to ensuring security in the region, and the discussion cannot be productive without the equal participation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," Lavrov told journalists in Moscow on Sunday.

11.09.2008  Interfax

Moscow, Lebanon is going to establish contacts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia; however, Beirut has yet to decide on whether to recognize the independence of the two South Caucasian republics, said Saad Hariri, leader of Lebanon's parliamentary majority.

"The recognition issue will be solved at the highest state level. But we will fine-tune contacts with South Ossetia and Abkhazia now. For example, delegations of our businessmen will leave for there soon," Hariri told the Vremya Novostei newspaper.

"Lebanon feels what situation South Ossetia was stuck in," he said.

"Lebanon is also a small state which comes under threats. On one side there is Israel, which has attacked us many times. On the other side there is Syria which threatens Lebanon from time to time," the Lebanese politician said.

"Russians were taking measures to protect their citizens and local residents in South Ossetia," he said.

"Russia is one of the states which in no way wants to get involved in military conflicts," Hariri said.

"Moscow's negative attitude to the beginning of the war in Iraq and efforts made to prevent military scenario in Iran's situation are examples for this. Russia advocates peaceful resolution everywhere," Hariri said.

11.09.2008  Interfax

Sukhum, The Abkhaz prime minister announced on Friday that the republic of Abkhazia was planning to reinforce its border with Georgia, saying that the current situation was similar to the period leading up to the August attack on South Ossetia.

"We will set security conditions to ensure a normal life for the people," Alexander Ankuab said at talks with Johan Verbeke, the UN Secretary-General's special representative for Georgia.

Georgia launched an attack on South Ossetia on the night of August 7, sparking a five-day war with Russia. Russia then recognized South Ossetia, along with uAbkhazia, as independent states.

A ceasefire, hammered out in mid-August between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French leader Nicolas Sarkozy, ended major hostilities between Georgia and Russia. However, sporadic shootings and bombings along the poorly secured border separating Georgia and Abkhazia continue.

11.07.2008  RIA Novosti

Moscow, Russia will open military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in 2009, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.

The source said the ministry plans to open one base in Gudauta, in the west of Abkhazia, and another in Tskhinval, the capital of South Ossetia.

Georgia attacked South Ossetia on August 7-8 in an attempt to regain control over the republic, which, along with Abkhazia, split from Georgia in the early 1990s. Russia then launched a military operation to "force Georgia to peace," which concluded on August 12, with Russian forces ending up deep in Georgian territory.

In accordance with a French-brokered peace deal, Russia withdrew its forces from Georgian buffer zones ahead of an October 10 deadline. The peacekeepers were replaced by an EU monitoring mission to Georgia.

Under the same agreement Russia is due to withdraw the majority of its troops currently deployed in Abkhazia, leaving about 4,000 military personnel at the former Soviet base in Gudauta.

Russian General Staff chief Gen. Nikolai Makarov told journalists in Moscow in October that in line with friendship and assistance treaties, concluded with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, each base will deploy some 3,700 service personnel.

11.07.2008  RIA Novosti

Moscow, At a plenary session next Wednesday, November 12, the Federation Council (FC) upper house of the Russian parliament will consider ratification of Russia's treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, an official in the press service of the House has told Itar-Tass.

The agenda also includes an item concerning a law on Federal budget for 2009 and for the 2010-2011 plan period. The document with a volume of about 3,000 pages has been received by the House and is currently under study by the relevant committees. The State Duma lower house of parliament passed the budget in the final reading on October 31.

The agenda includes an item concerning ratification of agreements connected with the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, a law on arrangements for local self-government in Ingushetia and Chechnya.

11.06.2008  Itar-Tass

Tbilisi, A delegation from the Georgian Orthodox Church set off on a visit to Moscow on Tuesday, the first such trip since the August five-day war between Russia and Georgia.

"The goal of the visit is to establish the canonical rights of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the conflicts of the region, and to regulate existing misunderstandings," the Georgian Patriarchy said in a statement.

The delegation will be led by Bishop Gerasim of Zugdid and Tsaishi, and will include former Georgian ambassador to Russia, Zurab Abashidze.

The Georgian church officials will meet with Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II, and with representatives of the Georgian diaspora. The visit will continue until November 9.

Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia after a five-day war over South Ossetia in August that saw Russia recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. The conflict began when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in a bid to regain control over the republic.

11.04.2008  RIA Novosti

Tbilisi, Georgia is ready to take a constructive part in discussions in Geneva on security and stability in the Caucasus region scheduled for November 18, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

"Georgia is ready to take part in a regular round of Geneva talks November 18, in a format coordinated with all parties to the talks. We express the hope that Russia will participate in the plenary session, which will show its attitude toward the peace process," the ministry said.

Russia's foreign minister warned Georgia last week that its refusal to attend Geneva talks along with South Ossetian and Abkhazian representatives would threaten regional security.

Sergei Lavrov was asked by reporters to comment on remarks by Grigol Vashadze, a Georgian deputy foreign minister, that Tbilisi was ready for discussions in Geneva, scheduled for November 18, but opposed the participation of representatives from Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

"If Georgia really refuses to participate in the Geneva discussions while South Ossetian and Abkhazian representatives attend, this is sad. It is an outright challenge to all those concerned about regional security," Lavrov said following Russia-EU talks.

However, another Georgian deputy foreign minister said later that Tbilisi was ready to attend an informal meeting with representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia but had set certain conditions for its participation.

Giga Bokeria said Georgian officials were ready to meet with representatives of South Ossetia's and Abkhazia's de-facto governments as part of informal working groups if the meeting was also attended by representatives of "the legitimate authorities from these regions" (i.e., the Abkhazian government in exile and the South Ossetian Tbilisi-backed interim administration).

The first round of international talks on the Georgian conflict in Geneva in October was suspended until November, over what Pierre Morel, EU special representative for the crisis in Georgia, described as "procedural difficulties."

The talks were to focus on security arrangements for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as on Georgian and Western concerns over the Russian military presence in the region. Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war after Georgia attacked South Ossetia on August 8 and Russia interfered to force Georgia to peace. Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states in late August.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, who led the Russian delegation, explained that two sessions had been scheduled for October 15 and that the Russian delegation refused to attend the first because representatives from Abkhazia and South Ossetia were not invited to participate.

Georgia refused to take part in the second session, which involved all the parties to the conflict and the intermediaries - the UN, the EU, and the United States.

11.03.2008  RIA Novosti

Ethnic Ossetians are leaving Georgia in search of somewhere to live in South Ossetia. Refugees claim they're being forced out of their homes and villages in Georgia, where most of them have spent all their lives.

"It's impossible to live in Georgia. They stole our cows. They openly curse Ossetians in the streets. We were afraid of them," said 70-year-old Venera Khachmazova.

She said that she had had to sell her house and a large fruit garden cheaply and escape from the country.

Tensions still remain between Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Abkhazian authorities recently announced that Georgia had "launched a terrorist campaign" in Abkhazia and have accused the Georgian side of violating ceasefire agreement.

In turn, the Georgian side claims that Abkhazia is deliberately exaggerating.

"Such statements are intended to destabilise the situation and again introduce extra (Russian) troops in the parts of Georgia, from where they had been pulled back,” said Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman, Shota Utiashvili.

11.03.2008  RT

Moscow, Nicaragua, which joined Russia in recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, will have contact with the republics via Russia and later establish direct diplomatic relations, the foreign minister said.

Nicaragua is the only country other than Russia to have recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia recognized them on August 26, two weeks after its five-day war with Georgia that followed Tbilisi's attack on South Ossetia.

Foreign Minister Samuel Santos Lopez told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow: "The decision to recognize these two republics was just and appropriate. They need time for self-organization, and when the moment is right we will agree on the conditions or opportunities for establishing direct diplomatic ties."

Lavrov expressed his thanks to Nicaragua for the country's recognition of the two republics, calling it "a step aimed at supporting justice in international affairs, the rights of peoples to their development, and activities to block attempts to solve conflicts by force."

Western nations have strongly criticized Russia for its "disproportionate" response to Georgia's attack and the subsequent recognition the republics.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who led a Soviet-backed government that battled U.S.-supported Contra rebels in the late 1980s, has sharply criticized the West for attempting to surround Russia and investing millions of dollars through NATO to "build a military fence against Russia."

11.01.2008  RIA Novosti