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The News in Brief

Thursday, September 13
American experts to help Georgia with developing air defence

The Group of Experts from the United States has paid an official visit to Georgia on September 12 . The goal of the visit is to launch the implementation of a 6 point plan reached in the field of defence between Georgian and U.S. presidents, the Ministry of Defence reports.

Under the agreement, the U.S.-Georgia partnership moves to the next phase of defence collaboration. In the beginning, the U.S. experts will provide assistance to the Georgian side in strengthening of air defence capabilities.

The visit to Georgia aims to provide a close study of air-defence capabilities on the ground and to analyze the existing environment while considering the potential threats.

After inspecting the situation on the ground, the U.S. experts will elaborate on the Doctrine which will foster the further development and improvement of Georgia’s air-defence potential.

At the next phase, the American experts will start implementation of the Doctrine. The key aspects of U.S.-Georgia defence cooperation include: Operational air surveillance/air defense training and education; Defensive combat engineer training and education; Utility helicopter aviation training support; Coastal surveillance training and education; Tactical level train-the trainer instruction for NCOs and junior officers; Brigade command and staff training.

The 6 point cooperation plan provides enhancement of air-defence capabilities, defensive combat engineer training and education and utility helicopter aviation training which are of crucial importance for national security. In September, another group of experts will arrive in Georgia to prepare the Georgian military engineers in combat engineering capabilities.

Execution of the 6 point agreement will significantly contribute to the enhancement of security and stability in Georgia. More exactly, Georgia will be protected from all directions-from land, sea and air. Strengthening of national security and defensive potential is envisaged by the Total Defence which is one of the components of “3Ts” Concept of Ministry of Defence of Georgia. (IPN)



Carl Bildt just got interested if we were going to hold street protests or not - Bidzina Ivanishvili

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt just got interested if we were going to hold street protests or not. Thus, Bidzina Ivanishvili responded to information released yesterday as per which the Swedish diplomat warned Georgian opposition forces of futility of street protests.

Ivanishvili said that he had not seen Bildt's statement yet and that he would make an analysis about it later.

"As for rallies, Carl Bildt just asked a question about it and I explained that nothing like this had been planned. I said that the government was trying to spread a lie," said Ivanishvili.

According to Russian media, during his recent visit to Georgia, Carl Bildt said that any street demonstrations by the opposition after the elections would be

counter-productive. "We have noted this statement by the head of the Swedish Foreign Ministry. He is known for his support for the "arab revolutions" and similar protests elsewhere. Therefore the attempts to limit any reaction to possible violations of democratic norms during the elections in

Georgia look at least like inconsistencies in the views of the Minister," the statement of Lukashevich, published on the Russian Foreign Ministry website, read. (IPN)



Prime Minister visited Dusheti

Prime Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili arrived in Dusheti on Wednesday and viewed the construction works of the Aragvi Hydro Electric Power Station. The project was launched in April and is due to be over in January 2013.

Vano Merabishvili said the country, which is the second with its hydro-resources around the world on per person, has appropriated only 20% of these resources. To meet the requirements on the electricity power, the government is constructing 17 hydro electric power stations in various regions of the country. He said similar projects would be implemented in the future too. Aragvi of 8 megawatts will generate 50 million kilowatts of power annually. 11 million dollars were invested in the project employing 122 persons.

Within the visit to Dusheti, Prime Minister also visited a family-hotel Aragvi in the village of Naghvarevi. Vano Merabishvili introduced a new initiative of the government, which aims at supporting family-hotel business throughout the country.

Prime Minister emphasized that the number of tourists from Russia has been seriously increased after Georgia unilaterally lifted visa regime for the citizens of Russia. He said the government was now planning to rehabilitate road infrastructure to the region, which will facilitate growth of the number of tourists to this region. The new concrete road will be ready in April 2013. Prime Minister said the new road infrastructure and the increased interest of tourists to the region will mean more benefit to locals. (Rustavi 2)



Goran Bregovic arrives in Tbilisi, Georgia

One of the most internationally known modern Serbian musicians and composers Goran Bregovic arrived today in Tbilisi Georgia within his ongoing European tour.

The musician told the Good Morning, Georgia show of the Rustavi 2 TV-station in his exclusive interview that he is going to perform a new program at the concert, which will be held at the Meidan square of Tbilisi on Thursday (September 13).

Bregovic told the show that along with his famous hits, he will suggest the new program to the Georgian audience.

"It will be a very interesting evening", he said adding that he has been planning his tour since April and now the time for Georgia has come. (Rustavi 2)



Two Georgians were arrested for bulglaries in Italy

Ten people were arrested in the large-scale special anti-crime operation carried out by Italian law enforcers. Reportedly, two of the suspects are Georgian nationals. The Georgian suspects were nabbed in the city of Bari. Italian police report that the gang was robbing houses in various cities of Italy. The police have also found over 50 kilograms of stolen jewelry. The investigation was underway for a long period of time, as a result of which the police have also arrested owners of two stores, who were selling the stolen things. (Rustavi 2)