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
January 11, 1999
1. VAZHA LORTKIPANIDZE TRYING TO RESTORE GEORGIA'S ECONOMIC
SOVEREIGNTY IN SOUTH OSSETIA
A group of Georgian ministers led by State Minister Vazha
Lortkipanidze held talks with the leadership of the self-proclaimed
South Ossetian republic in Tskhinvali on December 9. The Ossetian
party considers it irrelevant to negotiate a political status of South
Ossetia unless Tbilisi makes real steps towards economic revival of
the former autonomy. So economic issues were discussed, including the
possibility of joint control over the Roki Tunnel (a part of the
Russian-Georgian border) - an alleged route of cross-border smuggling.
Levan Mrevlishvili. "Meridiani 44" No. 3, January 11, p. 1
2. "GOD WILL NOT FORGIVE US IF WE FORGET WHAT THE ABKHAZ HAVE DONE
WITH US"
In his interview with the newspaper, Tamaz Nadareishvili, the chairman
of the Tbilisi-based Supreme Council of Abkhazia and the leader of the
newly created Party for the Liberation of Abkhazia (PLA), claims the
number of the PLA members to have reached 10 thousand only in Tbilisi.
The PLA, in his words, aims to regain Abkhazia by force.
Dito Chubinidze. "Shvidi Dge" No. 3, January 11-12, pp. 1, 3
----------------------------
January 12, 1999
1. BRIEF NEWS
"Genocide of the Georgians in Abkhazia": this will be the first topic
to discuss at one of the coming sessions of the Tbilisi-based Supreme
Council of Abkhazia.
Refugees from Abkhazia pin great hopes on the session of the UN
Security Council scheduled for January 31. One the issues on its
agenda is: The Genocide of the Georgians in Abkhazia.
"Alia" No. 6, January 12-13, p. 2
...........................
5. THE ABKHAZ WON'T YIELD THEIR POSITIONS
Groups of Abkhaz gunmen accompanied by armoured cars of
the Russian Peacekeeping Force entered the Georgian-poulated
villages of Pirveli Otobaia, Meore Otobaia, Pichora, Ganakhleba
and Kvemo Bargebi in the Gali district of Abkhazia on January 5.
The Abkhaz units also keep their positions in the vicinity
of the Khurcha village of the Zugdidi district and Nabakevi
village of the Gali district, digging trenches there,
though their withdrawal was stipulated in a Georgian-
Abkhaz agreement.
Gea news agency. "Resonance" No. 7, January 12, p. 2
----------------------------
January 13, 1999
...........................
2. OUTRAGES OF ABKHAZ GUNMEN
Having entered the Gali district of Abkhazia on January 6, Abkhaz
gunmen are terrorising local Georgian civilians. On January 7 they
robbed and beat two Georgian families: that of Revaz Djakhia in the
village of Saberio and that of Djaniko Markhulia in Parto Nokhori. The
residents of the Charcha village were threatened with deportation
unless they regularly provide them with food and monthly tribute: 500
Russian Roubles. The gunmen also carried off lots of cattle out of the
villages of Tagiloni, Kvemo Bargebi and Zemo Bargebi. Several dozens
of local residents fled across the Enguri River to the Zugdidi
district.
Sakinform news agency. "Svobodnaya Gruzia" No. 7, January 13, p. 1
----------------------------
January 15, 1999
1. NADAREISHVILI SAYS THOSE REFUGEES WHO WILL AGREE TO TAKE THE ABKHAZ
CITIZENSHIP WILL BE DECLARED TRAITORS
None of the Georgian politicians welcomed the Abkhaz leader Vladislav
Ardzinba's recent statement that the Georgian refugees could get back
to the Gali district of Abkhazia provided they agree to take the
Abkhaz citizenship. Tamaz Nadareishvili, the chairman of the
Tbilisi-based Supreme Council of Abkhazia, says those who will take
the citizenship will be charged with high treason and may be revenged
by Georgian guerrillas. All those commenting claim the repatriation
unacceptable unless there are reliable security guarantees. The
leaders of the Popular, Labour and National Democratic opposition
parties call upon the refugees "to reject Ardzinba's provocative
statement".
Michael Esargia. "Resonance" No. 10, January 15, p. 2
2. OSSETS RESORT TO ULTIMATUMS
According to the newspaper, at his recent press-conference Kosta
Dzugayev, Chairman of Parliament of the self-
proclaimed South Ossetian republic, said unless the Georgian
Parliament recognises independence of South Ossetia, the forthcoming
summit of the Georgian and South Ossetian presidents may be called
into question.
Tbilisi news agency. "Akhali Taoba" No. 12, January 15, p. 2
3. THE AUTHORITIES' ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS DESTROYING THE GEORGIAN
NATION
Removing the paragraph "ethnicity" from our Ids was another
anti-Georgian step of the "factual government of Georgia" aimed to
make the Georgians "tenants" in their own country, Zaza Davitaia,
activist of the pro-Zviadist Ilia Righteous Society and Vice-President
of the All-Georgian Human Rights Association, says. The first step, in
his opinion, was the law on unrestricted sale of non-agricultural
lands.
Gea news agency. "Akhali Taoba" No. 12, January 15, p. 2
4. "WHEN WE ARE THE MAJORITY, WE WILL SURELY REVISE THE LAW ON
CITIZENSHIP"
Shalva Natelashvili, the leader of the Labour Party, censured the law
which removed imformation on ethnicity from the IDs and birth
certificates, and said the party would propose revising the law at the
spring parliamentary session. In his words, when the Labour become the
parliamentary majority, they will change the law.
Gea news agency. "Akhali Taoba" No. 12, January 15, p. 3
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