The News in Brief
Tuesday, November 15
The Georgian Section of the Swiss Embassy in Moscow Functions Poorly
As Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nino Kalandadze stated during a regularly scheduled briefing on Monday, on 11 November, the Swiss Ambassador was summoned to the Department and asked to provide uninterrupted consular services in the Georgian section of the Swiss Embassy in Moscow. Kalandadze said that if this attempt does not improve the services of the Georgian section of the Swiss shows no results, Georgia will have to take other steps.
For example, electricity was suspended to the Georgian section of the Swiss Embassy in Moscow on 21 October and although Georgia negotiated with Swiss and Russian Foreign Departments to restore utilities, the Russian Federation didn’t take any measures. “When the agreement was signed between Georgia and Switzerland, and Switzerland and Russia, on Switzerland providing consular functions after the 2008 war, our main goal was for our Consulate to work without hindrances to protect the interests of citizens of Georgia and Russia--not to result in damaging the interest of citizens due to the interruption of diplomatic relations. It was the only reason we agreed to sign the agreement, however this most important function of the Georgian Consulate functions poorly now," Kalandadze said.
(Interpressnews)
Catherine Ashton to Visit Georgia on 16 November
Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will visit Georgia on 16 November in the framework of a regional visit, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nino Kalandadze. She said Ashton will meet President Mikheil Saakashvili and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze.
“Such a high level visit indicates that the EU has particular interests in Georgia”, Kalandadze said. It’s is the second visit of Catherine Ashton to Georgia. She was in Batumi in July 2010, where she opened negotiations on EU Associate Membership.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian Foreign Department to publish Georgian-Russian freight turnover monitoring maps
The Georgian Department of Foreign Affairs will publish freight turnover monitoring maps with exact geographic locations, once technical issues are solved. Deputy Minister Nino Kalandadze said that Georgia managed to persuade Russia into agreeing on Georgian conditions regarding Russia’s entry to the WTO and that according to the agreement, geographic indications must be made for the localties of Psou, Roki and Larsi. .“It is a big achievement, as it was emphasized that Russia partially recognizes this as Georgian territory”, she said., declaring that the final stage of Russia’s accession to WTO will be over in December, with the meeting of the WTO General Council.
(Interpressnews)
Davit Bakradze Refrains from commenting on the Patriarch’s statement
Chair of Parliament, Davit Bakradze, refrained from commenting on the statement by the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia . “I have a personal attitude to the Patriarch and I can not make a political comment”, Bakradze said. Ilia II considers that businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian citizenship must be restored . Patriarch spoke about this during the Sunday Church service in Tblisi. "There is much talk about whether Bidzina Ivanishvili should have or not the Georgian citizenship. Of course he should have it, because he is Georgian. I think that each Georgian whether born in Georgia or not, who is Georgian with flesh and spirit should be a Georgian citizen,” Ilia II said during his Sunday sermon at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. “I am very concerned that this simple issue caused so much argument, undesirable argument. I am sure, that our President will take it into consideration and grant him the citizenship", said His Holiness.
(Interpressnews and Civil.ge)
Snow falls in most regions of Georgia
Snows fell in most regions of Georgia on Sunday and continue in some areas. Vehicles driving from Eastern Georgia westwards were blocked at the Rikoti Pass, where road department brigades worked all night cleaning main highways. Department authorities decided to re-open the Rikoti Tunnel temporarily, which eased movement on the mountain bypass road. Traffic is restricted in the Jvari and Nakerala Passes, where cars must use chains.
It is still snowing hard in the mountainous Adjara Region, with drifts up to one meter, while on the Goderdzi Pass it reached two meters. The central highways have been cleared although teams continue to work to keep highways clear. The snow damaged electricity networks in the region, and most villages still have no electricity due to the bad weather. In Tbilisi it snowed as well and forecasts say the weather will worsen, with temperatures falling from -3 to -8 grades Celsius.
(Rustavi 2)
As Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nino Kalandadze stated during a regularly scheduled briefing on Monday, on 11 November, the Swiss Ambassador was summoned to the Department and asked to provide uninterrupted consular services in the Georgian section of the Swiss Embassy in Moscow. Kalandadze said that if this attempt does not improve the services of the Georgian section of the Swiss shows no results, Georgia will have to take other steps.
For example, electricity was suspended to the Georgian section of the Swiss Embassy in Moscow on 21 October and although Georgia negotiated with Swiss and Russian Foreign Departments to restore utilities, the Russian Federation didn’t take any measures. “When the agreement was signed between Georgia and Switzerland, and Switzerland and Russia, on Switzerland providing consular functions after the 2008 war, our main goal was for our Consulate to work without hindrances to protect the interests of citizens of Georgia and Russia--not to result in damaging the interest of citizens due to the interruption of diplomatic relations. It was the only reason we agreed to sign the agreement, however this most important function of the Georgian Consulate functions poorly now," Kalandadze said.
(Interpressnews)
Catherine Ashton to Visit Georgia on 16 November
Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will visit Georgia on 16 November in the framework of a regional visit, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nino Kalandadze. She said Ashton will meet President Mikheil Saakashvili and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Grigol Vashadze.
“Such a high level visit indicates that the EU has particular interests in Georgia”, Kalandadze said. It’s is the second visit of Catherine Ashton to Georgia. She was in Batumi in July 2010, where she opened negotiations on EU Associate Membership.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian Foreign Department to publish Georgian-Russian freight turnover monitoring maps
The Georgian Department of Foreign Affairs will publish freight turnover monitoring maps with exact geographic locations, once technical issues are solved. Deputy Minister Nino Kalandadze said that Georgia managed to persuade Russia into agreeing on Georgian conditions regarding Russia’s entry to the WTO and that according to the agreement, geographic indications must be made for the localties of Psou, Roki and Larsi. .“It is a big achievement, as it was emphasized that Russia partially recognizes this as Georgian territory”, she said., declaring that the final stage of Russia’s accession to WTO will be over in December, with the meeting of the WTO General Council.
(Interpressnews)
Davit Bakradze Refrains from commenting on the Patriarch’s statement
Chair of Parliament, Davit Bakradze, refrained from commenting on the statement by the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia . “I have a personal attitude to the Patriarch and I can not make a political comment”, Bakradze said. Ilia II considers that businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian citizenship must be restored . Patriarch spoke about this during the Sunday Church service in Tblisi. "There is much talk about whether Bidzina Ivanishvili should have or not the Georgian citizenship. Of course he should have it, because he is Georgian. I think that each Georgian whether born in Georgia or not, who is Georgian with flesh and spirit should be a Georgian citizen,” Ilia II said during his Sunday sermon at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. “I am very concerned that this simple issue caused so much argument, undesirable argument. I am sure, that our President will take it into consideration and grant him the citizenship", said His Holiness.
(Interpressnews and Civil.ge)
Snow falls in most regions of Georgia
Snows fell in most regions of Georgia on Sunday and continue in some areas. Vehicles driving from Eastern Georgia westwards were blocked at the Rikoti Pass, where road department brigades worked all night cleaning main highways. Department authorities decided to re-open the Rikoti Tunnel temporarily, which eased movement on the mountain bypass road. Traffic is restricted in the Jvari and Nakerala Passes, where cars must use chains.
It is still snowing hard in the mountainous Adjara Region, with drifts up to one meter, while on the Goderdzi Pass it reached two meters. The central highways have been cleared although teams continue to work to keep highways clear. The snow damaged electricity networks in the region, and most villages still have no electricity due to the bad weather. In Tbilisi it snowed as well and forecasts say the weather will worsen, with temperatures falling from -3 to -8 grades Celsius.
(Rustavi 2)