The News in Brief
Wednesday, January 16
Baltic presidents to attend Saakashvili’s inauguration
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, will attend Mikheil Saakashvili’s inauguration ceremony, expected to take place on January 20, an Estonian government spokesman confirmed.
His Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts, Valdis Zatlers and Valdas Adamkus respectively, are also expected to attend.
According to official figures, ruling party leader Mikheil Saakashvili was reelected on January 5 with 53.47 percent. (Prime News)
Armenian Foreign Minister to attend Saakashvili’s inauguration
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will take part in Saakashvili’s inauguration ceremony, according to the press office of the Armenian Foreign Ministry.
“We have received an invitation and on January 19 the Armenian delegation, including Oskanyan, will leave for Georgia,” said Foreign Ministry press secretary Vladimir Karapetian, according to the news agency Novosti Armenia. (Black Sea Press)
Bakradze: government in talks with Sokhumi
The government is conducting confidential negotiations with Sokhumi on a range of issues, State Minister for Conflicts Resolution David Bakradze told journalists.
“Even before the presidential election we had set up bilateral talks on a number of issues…I am ready to continue this contact,” Bakradze said.
De facto Abkhaz president Sergey Bagapsh recently ruled out the possibility of a dialogue with Mikheil Saakashvili, who was officially confirmed to be the winner of the January 5 presidential election by the Central Election Commission. (Black Sea Press)
French court to begin discussing Okruashvili case in ten days
A French court will begin discussing the case of former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili in ten days, his defense lawyer Eka Beselia told the television station Mze.
“French defense lawyers are preparing to appeal the arrest of Okruashvili…In about ten days a preliminary hearing will be held,” Beselia said.
She also said that Georgian authorities have not yet submitted an extradition request to Paris. (Black Sea Press)
NATO hopes to promote conflict resolution in Black Sea region
Robert Simmons, NATO’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia, hopes the alliance can promote peace in the Black Sea region, he said in an address to an international conference, “Enlarged Black Sea Region: Prospects of International and Regional Security.”
“NATO can play a significant role in establishment of stability in the region,” Simmons said.
The two-day conference began on January 14 in Yerevan and is supported by NATO, the OSCE, the Association of the Graduates of Yerevan State University and the Dutch Embassy.
Roelofs takes part in Orthodox New Year celebrations at Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan
On January 13 Sandra Roelofs, wife of president-elect Mikheil Saakashvili, took part in old New Year celebrations organized by the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan, as part of her recent visit to Baku.
According to the news agency News-Azerbaijan, wives of the Russian, Bulgarian, Polish and Belarusian ambassadors were also present.
The first lady of Georgia presented her autobiographical book, “The Story of an Idealist,” to the Russian embassy. (Black Sea Press)
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, will attend Mikheil Saakashvili’s inauguration ceremony, expected to take place on January 20, an Estonian government spokesman confirmed.
His Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts, Valdis Zatlers and Valdas Adamkus respectively, are also expected to attend.
According to official figures, ruling party leader Mikheil Saakashvili was reelected on January 5 with 53.47 percent. (Prime News)
Armenian Foreign Minister to attend Saakashvili’s inauguration
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will take part in Saakashvili’s inauguration ceremony, according to the press office of the Armenian Foreign Ministry.
“We have received an invitation and on January 19 the Armenian delegation, including Oskanyan, will leave for Georgia,” said Foreign Ministry press secretary Vladimir Karapetian, according to the news agency Novosti Armenia. (Black Sea Press)
Bakradze: government in talks with Sokhumi
The government is conducting confidential negotiations with Sokhumi on a range of issues, State Minister for Conflicts Resolution David Bakradze told journalists.
“Even before the presidential election we had set up bilateral talks on a number of issues…I am ready to continue this contact,” Bakradze said.
De facto Abkhaz president Sergey Bagapsh recently ruled out the possibility of a dialogue with Mikheil Saakashvili, who was officially confirmed to be the winner of the January 5 presidential election by the Central Election Commission. (Black Sea Press)
French court to begin discussing Okruashvili case in ten days
A French court will begin discussing the case of former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili in ten days, his defense lawyer Eka Beselia told the television station Mze.
“French defense lawyers are preparing to appeal the arrest of Okruashvili…In about ten days a preliminary hearing will be held,” Beselia said.
She also said that Georgian authorities have not yet submitted an extradition request to Paris. (Black Sea Press)
NATO hopes to promote conflict resolution in Black Sea region
Robert Simmons, NATO’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia, hopes the alliance can promote peace in the Black Sea region, he said in an address to an international conference, “Enlarged Black Sea Region: Prospects of International and Regional Security.”
“NATO can play a significant role in establishment of stability in the region,” Simmons said.
The two-day conference began on January 14 in Yerevan and is supported by NATO, the OSCE, the Association of the Graduates of Yerevan State University and the Dutch Embassy.
Roelofs takes part in Orthodox New Year celebrations at Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan
On January 13 Sandra Roelofs, wife of president-elect Mikheil Saakashvili, took part in old New Year celebrations organized by the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan, as part of her recent visit to Baku.
According to the news agency News-Azerbaijan, wives of the Russian, Bulgarian, Polish and Belarusian ambassadors were also present.
The first lady of Georgia presented her autobiographical book, “The Story of an Idealist,” to the Russian embassy. (Black Sea Press)