Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

[Federate]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

Looks like Armenia is being used as an evacuation point for foreigners. Does anyone have any idea if Armenians are being evacuated to Armenia and is Armenia accepting Georgian refugees?

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Foreigners flee Georgia

ITALY and Poland today led the evacuation of hundreds of foreign nationals caught up in the Russia-Georgia conflict, while two airlines suspended flights to Georgia.

About 130 of the 200 Italian nationals known to be in Georgia left by bus today for the Armenian capital Yerevan, an Italian foreign ministry spokesman said.

Poland has sent a government plane to Yerevan to collect around 180 evacuees waiting there after completing a 260km crossing by coach from the Polish embassy in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi.

Most are Poles or people of Polish origin, although that figure includes an unspecified number of Czech Republic and Estonian nationals, a consular official said.

Britain's Foreign Office has urged its nationals in Georgia on non-urgent business to "leave as soon as possible", advice echoed by Canada.

"The situation is volatile and could deteriorate without notice," Canada's foreign ministry warned and told nationals that the US embassy is organising an evacuation convoy from Tbilisi to Yerevan tomorrow.

The US State Department issued a travel advisory yesterday to discourage Americans from visiting Georgia or its rebel territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Germany advised its citizens in Georgia to leave the country by travelling overland to Armenia or Turkey. A group of Spanish tourists were also evacuated through Armenia, a Spanish diplomatic source said.

Turkish officials said they were in discussions with neighbouring Azerbaijan should they decide evacuations are necessary, the Anatolia news agency reported.

France along with Spain, Sweden and Greece have also not made any decisions on immediate evacuations as they monitor the crisis.

Russian forces took control of South Ossetia today although Moscow claimed Georgian troops were still fighting in the breakaway enclave. Georgia said it had withdrawn most of its troops from South Ossetia in the face of mounting Russian firepower.

The French foreign ministry advised its nationals currently in Georgia "to remain in their homes and maintain contact with France's embassy".

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner left today on a mission to mediate between Tbilisi and Moscow on behalf of the European Union, as France currently holds the EU presidency.

Turkish Airlines and Austrian Airways today suspended flights in and out of Tbilisi for security reasons.

The Turkish airline said flights to Batumi, in southwest Georgia near the border with Turkey, have been re-routed to Trabzon, a Turkish city on the Black Sea coast. A coach service will take passengers from Trabzon if required, it said.

From http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...012749,00.html

[Federate]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

BTW lsel em te karq meh hayer gnacel en Haravayin Osiayum Hayastanits vorbesi paykarin Vrastani dem.

[Federate]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

MORE GREAT NEWS. RUSSIANS ADVANCING ON GORI

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/wo...5b8c72&ei=5087

Maybe Russia really wants to have a border with Armenia

[HayotzAmrotz]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

Reports on Azerbaijan indicate that the Azeri public opinion with regards to situation in SO and Georgia is split in two. One side, the majority, is supporting Georgia. However, there is a vocal minority that is against what Georgia is doing. In fact this minority is calling on cutting ties with USA and becoming more pro Russian. It is worth noting that the main reason this minority makes such calls is because they are Azeri Islamists who hate the West. In the supporters camp the most vocal anti Russian sentiments (or downright hate) are coming from the pro-Turk Azeris (which is majority of population) and the Azeri Joos.

It is also worth noting that at present Azerbaijan is not in the condition to maintain a war with Armenia. Starting a war is one thing, continuing it is another. Overall the morale in Azerbaijan is at a very low level and in case of a war there will be a mass exodus of young Azeris in order to avoid the draft.

But we are not leting our guard down. That will never happen!

[yerazhishda]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

BTW lsel em te karq meh hayer gnacel en Haravayin Osiayum Hayastanits vorbesi paykarin Vrastani dem.

Lav e lsel. Hopefully they will stay out of the way of Russian bombs. Are they seeking asylum in Armenia?

[Federate]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

Israel blocks arms sales to Georgia

Merkava-2

Israel is to stop selling military equipment to Georgia after a complaint from Moscow. The arms ban includes sales of unmanned spy planes – several of which have been shot down over Abkhazia during recent tensions between Georgia and its breakaway republics.

The Ministry of Defence in Israel imposed the weapons embargo after ministers in Jerusalem received complaints from Russia. The ban prohibits the sale of Hermes 450 UAV spy drones, made by Elbit Maarahot Systems Ltd.

The decision to cut the trade is thought to be linked to growing tensions in the Caucasus and Russia’s reaction to flights of unmanned drones over the demilitarized zone between the Georgia and Abkhazia.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livny is reported to have reluctantly made the decision to cut arms supplies to Tbilisi after consultations with Russia.

Moscow reminded the Israeli government that it had refrained from selling certain kinds of weapons to states that could threaten Israel. Russia said it had every right to expect Jerusalem to reciprocate the goodwill.

With tension rising in Georgia’s breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Israel’s leadership has been facing a tricky choice between Russia and Georgia.

Russia’s barely hidden threat had the desired effect and Jerusalem opted for a ban on arms sales to Georgia.

Georgia has become a real goldmine for Israeli arms dealers, who will suffer because of the embargo.

Tbilisi had placed orders with several Israeli military manufacturers. Among the weaponry ordered were 70 million rifle cartridges, Merkava tanks, APCs, helicopters, UAVs, fire control systems and night-vision devices.

From http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/28500

[RSNATION]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

Israel blocks arms sales to Georgia

Merkava-2

Israel is to stop selling military equipment to Georgia after a complaint from Moscow. The arms ban includes sales of unmanned spy planes – several of which have been shot down over Abkhazia during recent tensions between Georgia and its breakaway republics.

The Ministry of Defence in Israel imposed the weapons embargo after ministers in Jerusalem received complaints from Russia. The ban prohibits the sale of Hermes 450 UAV spy drones, made by Elbit Maarahot Systems Ltd.

The decision to cut the trade is thought to be linked to growing tensions in the Caucasus and Russia’s reaction to flights of unmanned drones over the demilitarized zone between the Georgia and Abkhazia.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livny is reported to have reluctantly made the decision to cut arms supplies to Tbilisi after consultations with Russia.

Moscow reminded the Israeli government that it had refrained from selling certain kinds of weapons to states that could threaten Israel. Russia said it had every right to expect Jerusalem to reciprocate the goodwill.

With tension rising in Georgia’s breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Israel’s leadership has been facing a tricky choice between Russia and Georgia.

Russia’s barely hidden threat had the desired effect and Jerusalem opted for a ban on arms sales to Georgia.

Georgia has become a real goldmine for Israeli arms dealers, who will suffer because of the embargo.

Tbilisi had placed orders with several Israeli military manufacturers. Among the weaponry ordered were 70 million rifle cartridges, Merkava tanks, APCs, helicopters, UAVs, fire control systems and night-vision devices.

From http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/28500

A day late and a dollar short Israel. You've already defied Russia and they will not forget.

[North Pole]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

From RT:

“In yesterday’s attack, the advancing tanks were supposedly crewed by Ukrainians. Two unidentified bodies found today are said to have black skin. Possibly they are Americans but we can’t say for sure yet. We will be able to publish the official conclusions after carrying out special tests,” Medoyev said.

http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/28765

[North Pole]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

Georgian troops to be prosecuted for their crimes in South Ossetia

Georgia is guilty of genocide - Medvedev

President Dmitry Medvedev has described Georgia's actions in the conflict zone as genocide. He has ordered Russian prosecutors to collect evidence of the crimes committed there.
”Georgia has exposed South Ossetia to a very crude and cynical aggression. People have died. Russian citizens have died, including local residents and peacekeepers. The actions of the Georgian side cannot be described as anything else but genocide.

“The information we have received suggests that horrible crimes were committed there. People were killed, burnt, run down by tanks, had their throats were cut,” Medvedev said.

The President went on to say that “the operation to restore peace will continue and those guilty will be punished”.
Earlier, after visiting a refugee camp in North Ossetia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also accused Georgia of genocide and said those responsible for war crimes should be prosecuted.

http://russiatoday.com/news/news/28777

From kremlin.ru:

August 10, 2008 18:30
Sunday

Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Russian Federation Prosecutor General's Office Committee of Inquiry to document crimes committed in South Ossetia in order to prosecute the perpetrators.

Working meeting with Chairman of the Russian Federation Prosecutor General’s Office Committee of Inquiry Alexander Bastrykin.

Mr Bastrykin will fly to Vladikavkaz to coordinate work in the field on collecting documented evidence of crimes committed by Georgian forces in South Ossetia. This work has already begun. The Investigations Committee is sending another 150 criminal investigation specialists to reinforce the efforts underway. The evidence gathered will be used as the basis for future prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes.


Source: http://kremlin.ru/eng/sdocs/news.shtml#205091

Georgian troops burn South Ossetian refugees alive

Israeli mass media published several articles August 10 dedicated to the war in South Ossetia. Newspapers paid special attention to arms shipments to Georgia, which Israel had made in the past. A former defense ministry official said that the Georgian army had no chances in the opposition to the Russian army.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of encouraging Georgia to interventions and ethnic cleansings in South Ossetia. Russia also claimed that Ukraine had armed Georgia to the teeth. Georgia’s ground forces possess weapons, ammunition, unmanned aircraft, night vision goggles and other equipment made in Israel.

Israel’s Defense Ministry recommended to cease arms shipments to Georgia after the start of military actions in South Ossetia, not to provoke Russia.

Battles in South Ossetia continued throughout the night. Russian sources said that about 2,000 people had been killed in South Ossetia.

Ossetian journalists wrote on their website that Georgian troops had captured a group of refugees from one of the regions of S. Ossetia. The Georgian military men locked them in a house and set the house on fire, burning all the people inside alive. An Ossetian woman informed Russian Prime Minister Putin of the hideous crime during his visit to a refugee camp. Another woman told Putin that she had seen a Georgian tank running over an elderly Ossetian woman who was trying to save two children. The woman was running out of the village, occupied the by the Georgian troops.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner called the hostilities in South Ossetia "massacres" and also said Sunday he would press Georgia and Russia for an immediate end to the violence in the breakaway Georgian province.

Kouchner said the EU cannot allow such a "Middle Age battle" to continue. He spoke in an interview with The Associated Press hours before he and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb left Paris for a meeting with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in Tbilisi.

The EU "cannot accept such a war, a terribly devastating and ... unacceptable war, at our doors," Kouchner said. France has held the EU's six-month rotating presidency since July 1.

French President Sarkozy, who spoke by telephone with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Georgian Mikhail Saakashvili, said an agreement between the two neighbors not to use force against one another would be the best way of making sure any future accord would stick.

READ MORE -- http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/co...6050-georgia-0

[Federate]

Re: Georgian-South Ossetian conflict

Abkhazia Is the Second Front

Panic breaks out on border town of Zugdidi
A second front started against Georgia over the weekend. Abkhazia, “in accordance with alliance obligations to South Ossetia” began an operation “to press Georgian forces out of the upper part of the Kodori Gorge.” Abkhazian armed formations entered the zone of responsibility of peacekeeping forces of in the Gali region. In Tbilisi, they are claiming that the Russian army is taking part in the offensive, that the Russian Air Force is providing air support and that the Black Sea Fleet is providing naval support. Moscow and Sukhumi deny that. Abkhazia has declared its readiness to cross the border and “put in order” the Zugdidi district of Georgia. Panic broke out in Zugdidi in the evening.

Yesterday morning, Abkhazian forces struck at Georgian positions in the upper part of Kodori Gorge with missile artillery “Abkhazian forces were given the task of dislodging Georgian armed formations out of the area, where they have been located since 2006 in violation of the 1994 agreement on the disengagement of the sides and ceasefire,” Abkhazian Defense Minister Sergey Shamba told Kommersant. “At present, the artillery is undergoing preparation.” Earlier, Abkhazia demanded that Georgian authorities “withdraw all armed formations from the upper part of Kodori Gorge, including border forces and the so-called marionette government of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic.” Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh stated yesterday that “Georgia still has time.” Bagapsh noted that “When the main phase of this operation begins, you will know.” On Monday, martial law will be imposed in several districts of Abkhazia for ten days and a partial mobilization is being declared.

Sukhumi has officially asked UN military observers to leave Kodori Gorge. Assistant to the secretary general of the UN Edmund Mulet stated that Abkhazian authorities refused to explain the reason for their request. He said that the UN was extremely concerned about the expansion of the conflict.

Abkhazian forces simultaneously entered the collective peacekeeping forces’ zone of responsibility in Gali District of the republic and took up positions on the border with Georgia along the Inguri River. “The goal of the operation is to bring order to the zone of responsibility of the peacekeeping forces both on the territory of Abkhazia and on the territory of Zugdidi District in Georgia,” Bagapsh stated. Slightly later, his official representative Kristian Bzhania explained that “At this stage of the operation, the Abkhazian army does not plan to cross into Georgian territory.”

By that time, however, speaker of the Georgian parliament David Bakradze had already announced, citing certain informational sources, an offensive by Russian-Abkhazian forces against Georgian Zugdidi. In that city, which has a population of 100,000, panic began.

Rumors circulated of a large presence of Russian infantry brought to the Abkhazian port of Ochamchire by the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Tornike Keburia, a member of the Zugdidi city administration, told Kommersant that “A significant part of the population has left to the nearest villages where they have relatives or homes.”

According to the city official, Zugdidi is under the control of the Georgian police. No additional armed Georgian forces have been introduced there, since Zugdidi is within the security zone of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, as defined in the 1994 Moscow agreement. Keburia acknowledged that Russian peacekeepers have given assurances that, if the necessity arises to defend the city, they will not allow Abkhazian armed formations to enter it. The public is placing greater hopes on the nearby large Georgian military base in Senaki.

Both Sukhumi and Moscow deny that Russian forces are taking part in the actions of the Abkhazian army. “We do not intend to take the initiative in escalating the conflict in that area [i.e., Abkhazia],” Anatoly Nogovitsyn, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces stated yesterday. “We are interested foremost in stabilization there.” The Abkhazian president’s representative stated yesterday that additional Russian peacekeepers were introduced into the unrecognized republic yesterday. “The Russian peacekeepers are making efforts not to allow a repetition of the tragedy in South Ossetia, where the peacekeeping forces were attacked by Georgian subdivisions” Bzhania said. “Under its mandate, up to 3000 peacekeepers can be located in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone, but there number has not exceeded 2500 until recently.”

The Russian fleet has not remained on the side in the conflict either. “The flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the missile cruiser Moskva, arrived in the assigned area [the eastern part of the Black Sea] from Sevastopol on Sunday morning, along with the patroller Smetlivy and escort vessels,” a source in the Russian Navy stated yesterday. He said that three large infantry ships are also located in the area. They arrived earlier from Sevastopol and Novorossiisk. “The purpose of the location of the group of Black Sea Fleet vessels in that area is preparedness to provide assistance to refugees,” the source said. Chief of the Georgian National Security Council Alexander Lomaya claims, however, that the Russian ships are blockading the main Georgian port of Poti. “The Russians are not allowing Georgian ship loaded with grain and fuel into Georgia,” he stated.

Most experts say that, in the event that the conflict is expanded, it will be extremely difficult for the Georgian army to wage war on the two fronts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Tbilisi is under no illusions of it either, although for different reasons. “If Russia has decided to occupy Georgia, not only on two fronts in the war, but on one front with Russia we will have little chance,” a high-placed Georgian Foreign Ministry official told Kommersant.

From http://www.kommersant.com/p1010060/S...rgia_conflict/