Daily News August 16, 1999	Days:  12 13 16 17 18

politics

MANY FOREIGN OBSERVERS WILL ATTEND GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

As the press-service of the Georgian Parliament informed, the head of the supreme legislation body Zurab Zhvania officially invited representatives of the European Council Parliamentary Assembly, OSCE, CIS countries Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, different European Parliaments, Black Sea countries Parliamentary Assembly. They will observe the course of elections to be held on October 31.




ASSISTANT COMMANDER OF GENERAL STAFF OF RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES INSPECTED RUSSIAN PEACE-KEEPING CONTINGENTS IN ABKHAZIA

Assistant Commander of General Staff of Russian Armed Forces General Alexander Arinakhin with a group of officers visited Abkhazia at the end of last week. The purpose of the visit was inspection of Russian peace-keeping contingents, as well as settlement of a few issues regarding make-peace forces mandate extension.




RUSSIAN MILITARY EXPERTS COMPLETED LOCAL INVESTIGATION OF THE AIR RAID OF AUGUST 9 IN AKHMETA REGION

Having completed the investigation in Georgia, the group of Russian military experts left for Moscow. The report on the results of their work will be handed over to the Russian Defense Minister.




ACCORDING TO VALERI CHKHEIDZE GEORGIAN AND RUSSIAN FRONTIER BODIES HAVE REACHED A COMPLETE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING

This announcement has been made by the Commander-in-chief of the Georgian frontier bodies Valeri Chkheidze at the end of the negotiations, with the head of interntional-pactional department of the Federal Frontier Service (FPS) of Russia Alexander Maniloff. Maniloff was on a 3-day working visit in Tbilisi.




THE FIRST JOINT GEORGIAN-AMERICAN NAVAL TRAINING HAS COME TO AN END IN POTI

According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, 5 battle boats of Georgian naval forces and the coastguard ship of the USA's naval forces Dallas with the helicopter on the board took part in the training. During the training, the plan on the seaboard line protection has been worked out and the disembarkation of descent demonstrated.




COMMUNIST PARTY OF ABKHAZIA WILL SUPPORT VLADISLAV ARDZINBA IN THE FORTHCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

As we have come to know from a source in Abkhazia, such decision was made at the plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in Sukhumi. Enver Kapba, the first secretary of the Central Committee, addressed the plenum participants with the proposal to support the president of self-proclaimed republic of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba at the upcoming elections.

economics

THE MAIN PART OF THE FIRMS PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC ENERGY AND GAS MIGHT GET PERMANENT LICENSES

This is the information delivered to Sarke by the National commission on regulating the energetics in Georgia Elizbar Eristavi, he noted that 100, out of 130 firms provides ands distributes electric energy and 30-gas. He complained about the management of many firms and declared that they might be deprived of licenses if they do not meet the demands of the commission.

business

SHELL IS INTERESTED IN CO-OPERATING WITH GEORGIA

As the vice-president of the British company Shell Frank Tafield declared during his meeting with the Georgian State Minister Vazha Lortkipanidze, they would like to facilitate to the economic progress of Georgia. He noted the importance of Georgia’s geopolitical location and stressed the necessity of holding negotiations on co-operation with the government.

society

HEARING OF GURAM ABSANDZE’S CASE DEFERRED FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME

Today, Georgian Supreme Court satisfied the motion of the defense to except the judge who conducted Guram Absadze’s case. As we have already informed, the defendant, the former minister of finance in Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s government, received charges of treason, embezzlement of state property, financing and preparation of the terrorist act against the President of Georgia of February 9, 1998.




CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE SAINT VIRGIN ASCENSION OPENED IN OLD TBILISI

On August 15, Jovanni Batista Re, the Pope's Deputy Secretary of State, who is currently on an official visit to Tbilisi, sanctified the Church. It was built in 1808, but in 1920s Georgian Catholics were devoid of the church and for many years it was used as a gym, then workshop.