Friday, August 24-September 7, 2007, #162 (1429)

Press Scanner

Headline: Most Russians support an anti-Georgian campaign
24 Saati writes that polling conducted by Russian newspaper Gazeta Rus suggested that most Russians support the anti-Georgian campaign carried out by the government there.

40 percent of respondents said they support Moscow's sanctions on Georgia-but another 47 percent said they'd like to see a stricter policy and the deportation of Georgians from Russia.

13 percent of the polled Russians said their country's attitude towards its southern neighbor is wrong.

According to Gazeta Rus, citizens in Moscow and St Petersburg tend to demand harsher measures towards Georgia, while Russians in rural areas have a more liberal attitude about Georgians.

Headline: Russia can't lead the international neighborhood into misunderstanding
Head of the parliamentary Foreign Relationships Committee Kote Gabashvili dismissed as "feeble" Russian ambassador to the UN Vitali Churkin's claims that his country's planes didn't drop a missile on Tsitelubani, Akhali Taoba reports.

Churkin, speaking at a UN press conference on August 21, declared that Tbilisi faked the incident to damage Russian reputation and credibility.

Gabashvili retorted that Russia's reputation doesn't need to be attacked, as Russian peacekeepers do it themselves by supporting separatists.

"Russia can't lead the international neighborhood into misunderstanding. It's astonishing that this country officially lies to UN tribunals. I advise Russia to stop these absurd games, confess their role in the August 6 events and stop fabricating their so-called conclusions," Gabashvili declared.

Headline: Suspect in murder of 14-year-old girl pleads innocent
Davit Tabidze, charged with murdering 14-year-old Salome Mamatsashvili pleaded innocent in court on August 22, writes Akhali Taoba.

The 19-year-old suspect said he was at the scene of the crime, but wasn't the one who killed Mamatsashvili.

Tabidze's brother, Goga Tabidze, told the newspaper that Davit saw two males at the crime scene after Mamatsashvili was killed, but could not identify them. Police are reportedly looking for the two, using Tabidze's description.

Witness Giorgi Chanturidze was questioned in the court proceedings; he repeated previous evidence, and said he heard the victim say she was under threat from two other girls, one named Tako Gviniashvili.

Gviniashvili, also present at the proceedings, denied threatening or even knowing Mamatsashvili.

The suspect's brother, Goga, later told journalists the two girls threatened to kill Davit if he didn't keep silent about what he knew.

The murder is thought have come from a dispute which began at the Tunnel nightclub. Mamatshavili's body, with a number of stab wounds, was found May 12 on Shalva Dadiani Street. Tabidze was arrested at the scene; a search in his home found a blood-stained shirt and pair of trousers.

Headline: Are patriots drinking dirty water?
Alia reports that the local administration of Lagodekhi, on the border with Azerbaijan in Kakheti province, complain that the water in Rachaubani village and the Hereti youth patriot camp is teeming with unpleasant bacteria, causing intestinal infections holidaymakers there.

The Lagodekhi administration say they've warned camp supervisors about the danger, but people in the youth summer camp say they've had no word and no one is checking the water.

Nukri Khatiashvili, head of the local health and sanitary service department, said they'd be carrying out tests on the water.

"Not only the patriot camp, but also many other places in Lagodekhi may be in danger. The reservoirs are very dirty and the whole district is under threat," said Khatiashvili on August 21.

Lagodekhi district head Tamaz Godziashvili has promised residents everything will be taken care of soon.


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