The News in Brief
Thursday, May 13
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania sign new agreement in energy sector
Tbilisi hosted a Ministerial on the implementation of the Georgian-Azerbaijani-Romanian project on the transportation of Azerbaijani liquefied natural gas to Europe on May 12. The three countries have signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture on transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe.
Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, his Georgian counterpart Alexander Khetaguri and Romanian Minister of Economy, Trade and Business Adrean Vidianu represented the three countries. The parties agreed that the new joint venture deal will answer specific questions on the project. It was be established within 30 days.
The project involves delivering natural gas from Azerbaijan to Georgia to the Black Sea coast, where a factory will be built to process natural gas into liquefied gas. Then it will be delivered via tanker to Romania, where a re-gasification plant will be built.
"This is a very important project and it will further diversify the Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe. We believe diversification of oil and gas supply routes to Europe is one of our most urgent priorities," Aliyev said.
Khetaguri said that all the transit routes which pass through its territory are important for Georgia "These give economic benefits and increase our energy security," he said.
Vidianu said that the Azerbaijani gas will go some way to securing Europe's energy supplies. "Romania intends to play an active role in this process and this project is part of this policy," he added.
Romania, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed a memorandum on cooperation on the transportation of liquefied gas in Bucharest on April 13. (Rustavi 2)
Peter Semneby holds further meetings in Tbilisi
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby attended the Donors’ Coordination Council for the South Caucasus held at the Tbilisi Marriot on May 12. Georgian Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Tkeshelashvili also attended this event, sponsored by the World Bank. The meeting was dedicated to the discussion of road development projects, funded by donor organisations.
Peter Semneby plans to meet representatives of the Georgian Foreign Ministry and opposition and non-governmental organisations. He has already held a meeting with Vice Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze. Their discussion concerned the treaty scheduled to be concluded between Georgia and the EU, the forthcoming local government elections and the current situation in Georgia’s occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Peter Semneby stated that Europe was interested in holding fair and democratic elections in Georgia. (Prime News)
Gia Baramia met with IDPs in Batumi
Head of the legal Abkhazian Government Gia Baramia has paid a visit to Batumi. Together with head of the Adjara Government Levan Varshalomidze he visited the IDPs who live on Lermontov Street and saw the conditions they live in. These rooms were given into the possession of the IDPs a while ago.
At the meeting with the IDPs, the Minister listened to the problems of the residents. The heads of the two autonomous regions presented the IDPs with food.
"Today we met the IDPs. They have very many problems and we are trying to improve their living conditions. These people should know that the Government is continually trying to solve their problems," Baramia said.
Today Gia Baramia will visit Khobi and Poti in the Samegrelo Region and meet the IDPs there. (Rustavi 2)
Labour Party objects to NDI poll
The Georgian Labour Party has objected to the results of the public opinion poll published by the National Democratic Institute which give the ruling party a high rating. Nestan Kirtadze voiced the party's position at a briefing yesterday, accusing international organisations and political bodies of interfering in Georgia's internal affairs.
Kirtadze said that such polls influence the mood of the voters in advance of the election and thus facilitate ballot rigging. The Labour Party pledged to fight to return the right of the Georgian people to freely elect their chosen candidates. (Rustavi 2)
Gia Karkarashvili proposes to refound Movement of Veterans
High ranking military officers are proposing to refound the Movement of Veterans, Gia Karkarashvili, head of the corresponding initiative group, has told Interpressnews. He explained that the group contains 11 Generals, Colonels and Majors, most of whom were dismissed from the armed forces after the Russian-Georgian war.
Gia Karkarashvili made a special statement on this yesterday at the Interpressnews office. (Interpressnews)
Tbilisi hosted a Ministerial on the implementation of the Georgian-Azerbaijani-Romanian project on the transportation of Azerbaijani liquefied natural gas to Europe on May 12. The three countries have signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture on transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe.
Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, his Georgian counterpart Alexander Khetaguri and Romanian Minister of Economy, Trade and Business Adrean Vidianu represented the three countries. The parties agreed that the new joint venture deal will answer specific questions on the project. It was be established within 30 days.
The project involves delivering natural gas from Azerbaijan to Georgia to the Black Sea coast, where a factory will be built to process natural gas into liquefied gas. Then it will be delivered via tanker to Romania, where a re-gasification plant will be built.
"This is a very important project and it will further diversify the Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe. We believe diversification of oil and gas supply routes to Europe is one of our most urgent priorities," Aliyev said.
Khetaguri said that all the transit routes which pass through its territory are important for Georgia "These give economic benefits and increase our energy security," he said.
Vidianu said that the Azerbaijani gas will go some way to securing Europe's energy supplies. "Romania intends to play an active role in this process and this project is part of this policy," he added.
Romania, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed a memorandum on cooperation on the transportation of liquefied gas in Bucharest on April 13. (Rustavi 2)
Peter Semneby holds further meetings in Tbilisi
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby attended the Donors’ Coordination Council for the South Caucasus held at the Tbilisi Marriot on May 12. Georgian Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Tkeshelashvili also attended this event, sponsored by the World Bank. The meeting was dedicated to the discussion of road development projects, funded by donor organisations.
Peter Semneby plans to meet representatives of the Georgian Foreign Ministry and opposition and non-governmental organisations. He has already held a meeting with Vice Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze. Their discussion concerned the treaty scheduled to be concluded between Georgia and the EU, the forthcoming local government elections and the current situation in Georgia’s occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Peter Semneby stated that Europe was interested in holding fair and democratic elections in Georgia. (Prime News)
Gia Baramia met with IDPs in Batumi
Head of the legal Abkhazian Government Gia Baramia has paid a visit to Batumi. Together with head of the Adjara Government Levan Varshalomidze he visited the IDPs who live on Lermontov Street and saw the conditions they live in. These rooms were given into the possession of the IDPs a while ago.
At the meeting with the IDPs, the Minister listened to the problems of the residents. The heads of the two autonomous regions presented the IDPs with food.
"Today we met the IDPs. They have very many problems and we are trying to improve their living conditions. These people should know that the Government is continually trying to solve their problems," Baramia said.
Today Gia Baramia will visit Khobi and Poti in the Samegrelo Region and meet the IDPs there. (Rustavi 2)
Labour Party objects to NDI poll
The Georgian Labour Party has objected to the results of the public opinion poll published by the National Democratic Institute which give the ruling party a high rating. Nestan Kirtadze voiced the party's position at a briefing yesterday, accusing international organisations and political bodies of interfering in Georgia's internal affairs.
Kirtadze said that such polls influence the mood of the voters in advance of the election and thus facilitate ballot rigging. The Labour Party pledged to fight to return the right of the Georgian people to freely elect their chosen candidates. (Rustavi 2)
Gia Karkarashvili proposes to refound Movement of Veterans
High ranking military officers are proposing to refound the Movement of Veterans, Gia Karkarashvili, head of the corresponding initiative group, has told Interpressnews. He explained that the group contains 11 Generals, Colonels and Majors, most of whom were dismissed from the armed forces after the Russian-Georgian war.
Gia Karkarashvili made a special statement on this yesterday at the Interpressnews office. (Interpressnews)