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The News in Brief

Wednesday, September 21
Militant and mother charged with spying for Georgia, face 20-year sentence

The investigation into the case of a Russian militant and his mother, charged with spying for Georgia, is over in Russia.

The Caucasian Knot says that lieutenant Davit Aliev and his mother Irina Alieva were detained in January.

According to investigators, Davit Aliev was collecting secret information in the army. He was then imparting the information to the Georgian side.

The detainees face up to 20 years imprisonment. The trial is scheduled for 28 September. (IPN)



Prince of Monaco Visits National Museum of Georgia

The depository of Georgia`s national museum, which houses the skulls of the first homo erectus and other unique relics discovered during the archaeological excavations in Dmanisi, was opened exclusively for the Prince of Monaco Albert II. These relics date back to 1,800,000 years ago.

The Minister of Culture and the director of the Georgian National Museum guided the guest in the depository. The royal guest wrote about his impressions in the museum book and decorated the director of the museum with a special order.

The museum also presented the honorary guest with souvenirs and replicas of several exhibits of 1,800,000 years of history. (Rustavi 2)



Georgian Foreign Minister met with UN Secretary General

Grigol Vashadze, Georgian Foreign Minister attended the 66-th General Assembly and met with Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry reports that they discussed the situation in the occupied territories. Vashadze talked about new events concerning human rights violations by the Russian Federation on the territory and about further militarization of the region and terrorist acts.

The parties discussed the Geneva talks and questions concerning an incident prevention group and UN involvement in this process. (GHN)



Charity supper raises large sum for families of killed and wounded soldiers

A total of GEL 1 mln was raised at a charity supper held after the premiere of 5 Days of August three months ago. The money will be handed over to families of soldiers killed or hurt during the August war, the President of the Business Association, Giorgi Chirakadze, said at a press conference yesterday.

The funds will be equally distributed among almost 400 families. Each family will get 2,500 GEL.

1,500,000 GEL was raised at the supper in all. According to Chirakadze, 500,000 GEL will be spent on implementing one more charity project by the end of the year.

The charity supper was held in Tbilisi on 5 June. The event was attended by Hollywood stars Sharon Stone and Andy Garcia. (IPN)



Genady Onishenko: Georgians should practice what they preach

Georgians should prove their willingness to return to the Russian market with action, Genady Onishenko, chief sanitarian doctor of the Russian Federation said.

"Georgian business makes only declarations about aspirations to return to the Russian market," - he said, - "but until now they did not pass technical procedures, which are necessary for return."

"Three Georgian companies are trying to negotiate with us. They are exclusive suppliers. We already met with two of them and suggested the procedures which are necessary for a return to the Russian market," Onishenko said in respect of Georgian mineral water companies.

The same situation holds for Georgian wine, "companies are not making steps other than declarations." They should understand that "the Russian Federation can endure without Georgian mineral waters and wine. No extreme necessity for such goods exist," the sanitarian said. (GHN)



Resistance Movement to hold protest rally in front of Council of Europe office

The Resistance Movement will hold a protest rally with the slogan ‘I am also a refugee’ in front of the Council of Europe office on September 21. The rally is connected to the visit of the Member of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Tina Acketoft, to Georgia.

The participants of the rally will inform the guest of how Saakashvili started the third stage of eviction of IDPs and violation of rights on 18 July.

Tina Acketoft will stay in Georgia for a few days. According to the Resistance Movement, the authorities are going to take her to settlements of IDPs and show how satisfied the IDPs are there. (IPN)