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The News in Brief

Monday, August 16
Illia the Second – Each Person Has a Cross to Bear

Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Illia the Second delivered a solemn service at St. Trinity Cathedral on St. Stephan’s day.

The Patriarch gave a blessing to visit poor people, prisoners and their families, sick people on Wednesdays and Sundays and help them with products, clothing and medicine.

Illia the Second also spoke about repentance.

‘Each person has a cross to bear that must be endured until the end. People must not stop halfway, as God gives us power to bear this cross,’ Illia the Second stated.
(Interpressnews)



EU High Representative concerned about deployment of S-300 missiles in Abkhazia

EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission Catherine Ashton released a statement on Russia's missile deployment in Abkhazia.

'I am concerned about the reported statements that the Russian Federation has deployed a midrange air defence system in the Georgian region of Abkhazia without the consent of the Government of Georgia.

The deployment of such a weapons system in Abkhazia would be in contradiction of the Six-point ceasefire agreement and would risk further increasing tensions in the region.

I call on Russia to fully implement all its obligations under the ceasefire agreement.

The EU reiterates its firm support for the security and stability of Georgia, based on full respect for the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, recognised by international law.

The EU also recalls that official visits to the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia should be made in full respect of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' the statement reads.
(Rustavi 2)



Russia launches ban on grain exports

Russia has imposed a ban on wheat and other grain exports until the end of the year after a severe drought and an outbreak of wildfires destroyed one-third of the harvest and ravaged agricultural land. According to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's decree, Russia will suspend the export of wheat and other grains from August 15 until December 31, 2010.

World Bank Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on exporter countries not to impose bans on grain export. She said the grain export bans may cause global crisis on the world food market, which will first of all affect poor countries. The World Bank calls on exporter countries not to follow Russia's example.

Vladimir Putin issued a decree on August 5, 2010, according to which the ban on wheat and other grain exports will be imposed.
(Rustavi 2)



Kremlin to make public Belarusian President`s statement on separatist regions

The Kremlin intends to make public the shorthand record of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's statements, in which he promises to recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions - Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This is Moscow`s respond to Lukashenko's statement on the possible recognition of the separatist republics.

Presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko threatened to air Luckashenko's other statements also, which he said, would be interesting for the Belarusians as well as for the international community.

'As for the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, we can make public the part of the shorthand record, in which the Belarusian president talks about this issue,' Prikhodko said.
(Rustavi 2)



GEL 400 Penalty Imposed on Detainees on Bush Street

The court imposed a GEL 400 administrative penalty on the detainees of the George Bush Street protest.

Irakli Kakabadze’s lawyer Gela Nikolaishvili assesses the Tbilisi Civil Court decision as illegal.

Nikolaishvili told InterpressNews, the judge took unilateral decision.

‘The judge didn’t wish to see the video material we presented to the trial as evidence of what really happened in the action and only believed to the policemen’s statements,’ the lawyer stated.

He says the court decision will be appealed.

A protest was held on George Bush Street yesterday against the fact that one of the streets in Georgia was named after George Bush.

Demonstrators painted the signboard with George Bush’s photo in black, demanding the street be renamed.

The organiser of the protest Irakli Kakabadze read the poem, ‘Dogs, dogs’ when the patrol police arrived. ‘The poem is dedicated to main dogs of Georgia - Vano Merabishvili and Zurab Adeishvili,’ Kakabadze said.

The police detained Irakli Kakabadze and other demonstrators. They are accused of confronting police.
(Interpressnews)