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The News in Brief

Wednesday, March 16
Humanitarian aid and Georgian rescuers ready for Japan

Georgia is ready to send humanitarian aid and 40 rescuers to the disaster-affected Japan.

“We are ready and waiting for the opportunity to fly to Japan,” announced Zurab Utiashvili, the head of department for the management and coordination of emergency of the Ministry of Health of Georgia. According to Utiashvili, the humanitarian aid includes 45 items of medicines and other essential items worth up to GEL 140,000 (US$ 80,000).

According to the head of the Tbilisi emergency services Temur Giorgadze 40 representatives of the emergency department together with technical equipment will be sent to Japan.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nino Kalandadze announced Georgia’s readiness to provide humanitarian and financial assistance to Japan at a briefing held on Monday.

The earthquake of of magnitude 8.9, and tsunami occurred in Japan last Friday.

According to present police reports over 6000 people are considered dead or missing and the number of wounded is around 2000. (Prime-News)



Postponement of Bakradze’s visit is Fuchs-related

On Sunday, the Chancellery of the Chairman of the Israeli Knesset released an official statement confirming that the reason for the postponement Georgian Parliament Chairman Davit Bakradze’s visit to Israel was difference between Georgia and Israel over Fuchs’s case, reports newsru.co.il.

The news released by Reuven Rivlin’s Chancellery says: “Those close to businessman Ron Fuchs are sure that the allegation against the businessman is illegal and that the Georgian government pushed Fuchs into a deadlock. Davit Bakradze was due to visit Israel this week. He was to visit the Knesset on Wednesday. In a telephone conversation Reuven Rivlin, Chairman of the Knesset, asked Bakradze to postpone his visit. Rivlin said it was better to delay the visit because of home and foreign matters. In addition, Rivlin noted that a lot of Israeli citizens were concerned about the fate of Ron Fuchs detained in Georgia and public pressure on the issue was another reason for delaying the visit.”

Israeli businessmen Ron Fuchs and Zeev Frenkiel were detained in October for offering a bribe. (Interpressnews)



Grigol Vashadze – Israel abolished restrictions in connection with Georgia only

Georgia’s FA Minister Grigol Vashadze has commented about the Israeli National Anti-Terrorist Centre’s decision to remove Georgia from the list of dangerous countries. According to Vashadze, the limitation has been annulled in connection with Georgia only. Thus, it implies that there are appropriate legal and security conditions in Georgia.

Two months ago Israel put Georgia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan on a list of states unsafe for Israeli citizens. However, Tel Aviv removed Georgia from the list a couple of days ago. (Interpressnews)



School children injured in road accident

Yesterday a bus carrying about 60 children from Tbilisi public school No. 45 crashed into a Wissol petrol station on the right bank of the Mtkvari River in Tbilisi. Apparently a minibus cut across the road to the bus, the bus driver had to turn the wheel sharply and as a result crashed into the gas station.

Five children have been taken to the Iashvili Children’s Clinic and several others – to the Tbilisi No.2 hospital. It is reported that the children are safe and the injuries are not fatal.

The gas station was also damaged in the crash. Patrol police and emergency brigades appeared at the site shortly after the accident occurred. (Rustavi 2)



Georgian children orphaned by fire in Paris

The health of two Georgian children, who were hospitalized after a fire in a dormitory in Paris on Monday, is satisfactory. Their parents, the Daloyans died in the fire in the seven-storey building.

Most of the residents of the dormitory were immigrants from Africa. An investigation is underway; however, preliminary reports say the cause of fire was faulty electricity. It is reported that the fire broke out in the rooms occupied by the Georgians. (Rustavi 2)