Prospects for negotiations at the Geneva discussions on security and stability in Transcaucasia, the next round of which is scheduled for the end of March, were discussed at a meeting of the RF Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin with co-chairs of the talks.
Statement by the Minister of Defence of Georgia Mr. Alasania has expressed the same position declared by the Georgian authorities for several years, that Tbilisi is ready to sign a document on non-use of force, if Russia signs it, too.
This has been reported IA "Res" by Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev.
It should be noted that in an interview with BBC the Georgian Defense Minister Irakly Alasania has declared that Tbilisi is ready to sign a declaration of non-use of force, if Russia does the same.
A well-known Ossetian grappler – the World Champion Rustam Chsiev will hold his next fight in February. According to the sportsman, on February 9 he will meet with the American athlete, a black belt owner in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Drew Puzon.
Statement of the Republican Political Party "Unity"
Republican political party "Unity" is concerned about the activity of the Georgian Church, seeking for all possible means "to restore the integrity of Georgia."
Catholicos of Georgia Ilia II, who has recently addressed a request to the U.S. President Bush for help in restoring the integrity of Georgia, is currently working in the Russian political platform.
Flash-poll: In Moscow has been held a meeting of Ilia II with representatives of Georgia, living in Moscow, among whom were also members of the Moscow Ossetian community - Amirkhan Torchinov, Gocha Dzasokhov and Nugzar Juruli. How would you comment on the meeting and the statements of those persons, made on behalf of the Ossetian people, in particular, the "restoration of former friendship between the two peoples, in spite of the misunderstandings, (!) between Ossetians and Georgians."
Speaker of the Parliament of South Ossetia, the leader of the Communist Party Stanislav Kochiev:
This was an ordinary private meeting. So I don`t attach great importance to it. The interests of the people of South Ossetia are represented by the appropriate authorities, in this case by the Parliament. If some people in a warm friendly atmosphere exchange kissing hands, it does not concern us. Let they have it on their conscience. And their statement also is private and has no relation to the Ossetians, because kissing the hands that are stained with blood of the Ossetians – is a sign of short-sightedness. And reassuring Ilya II in the warmest feelings of the Ossetian people to Georgia – is not true. We know that the hands stained with blood, cannot be kissed by the real mouthpieces of the interests of the people of South Ossetia. Ilia II, probably, has forgotten how he treated us in the recent past, calling for killing Ossetians, how he declared an anathema on everybody who killed only Georgians. May be we have forgotten it, like Ivan, without kith or kin? South Ossetian leadership has repeatedly voiced its relation to these people and to these events.
The Georgian Patriarch Ilia II has not prestige in South Ossetia. This has been said IA "Res" by Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of South Ossetia Yuri Dzitstsoity, commenting on the meeting of the head of the Georgian church with the Moscow Ossetian community. He has recalled that Patriarch Ilia II during his visit to Moscow met with the Georgians, living in Moscow, among them were also members of the Moscow Ossetian community - Amirkhan Torchinov, Gocha Dzasokhov and others.
Republican political party "New Ossetia" with great amazement has perceived the information about the meeting of a number of members of the Moscow Ossetian community with Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II, which took place "in a warm and friendly atmosphere." This is expressed in the today`s official statement of the party.
Professional boxer from South Ossetia Marat Kulumbegov has been training intensively in the Crimea (Ukraine) for his rating match in March.
As a coach of the athlete Robert Pliev said IA "Res", "Kulumbegov has been training intensively in the popular Crimean resort Balaklava. The training course is focused on improving the functional training skills of the athlete. February 110 he will fly to Mexico for the month training."
The draft Concept of socio-economic development of South Ossetia to 2030 was approved by the Cabinet at a government meeting held yesterday in Tskhinval under the chairmanship of President Leonid Tibilov. The issue for discussion was brought up by Minister for Economic Development of South Ossetia Zalina Khugati. She has noted that almost all ministries and agencies of the Republic were working on this document.
Georgian armed forces, located at the border of South Ossetia, pose a threat to security of the Republic and not contribute to stability in the South Caucasus. This was said the reporters by the South Ossetian head of the delegation, the RSO Deputy Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement Khokh Gagloyty after the meeting of participants of Mechanisms on Prevention and Reaction to Incidents (MPRI), held today in the village of Ergneti.