Οι δυνάμεις ασφαλείας της αυτονομημένης περιοχής της Νοτίου Οσετίας συνέλαβαν σήμερα μία ομάδα γεωργιανών αστυνομικών στην νοτιοσετική κοινότητα Μουγκούτ, ανακοίνωσε ο υπουργός Εσωτερικών της περιοχής Μιχαήλ Μιτζνάγεφ.
«Σήμερα μία ομάδα από γεωργιανούς αστυνομικούς διείσδυσε παράνομα στη νοτιοσετική κοινότητα Μουγκούτ. Συνελήφθησαν από τις δυνάμεις ασφαλείας της δημοκρατίας», τόνισε ο Μιτζνάγεφ, μιλώντας στο πρακτορείο Ιντερφάξ, χωρίς όμως να προσδιορίσει τον αριθμό των συλληφθέντων Γεωργιανών. Όπως τόνισε ο ίδιος, σύντομα πρόκειται να ξεκινήσουν διαπραγματεύσεις με τις γεωργιανές αρχές για την επικείμενη επιστροφή των αστυνομικών στο γεωργιανό έδαφος που ελέγχουν οι δυνάμεις του Τμπιλίσι.
Παράλληλα, ο υφυπουργός Αμύνης της έτερης αυτονομημένης περιοχής της Αμπχαζίας Ανατόλι Ζαΐτσεφ κατηγόρησε το Τμπιλίσι ότι «συγκεντρώνει δυνάμεις» κοντά στα φαράγγια Κοντόρι, μία διαφιλονικούμενη περιοχή της Αμπχαζίας.
«Διαθέτουμε πληροφορίες για τη μετακίνηση γεωργιανών δυνάμεων σ’ έναν τομέα στα φαράγγια Κοντόρι», τόνισε ο Ζαΐτσεφ στο πρακτορείο Ρια Νόβοστι.
Πηγή: Ephemerida.Gr
Τρίτη 26 Αυγούστου 2008
Κινήσεις πιονιών ή Συνοριακές προκλήσεις ;
Πέμπτη 19 Ιουνίου 2008
Αμπχαζία: H μπουνάτσα λίγο πριν την μεγάλη καταιγίδα
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MOSCOW, June 19 (Source: RIA Novosti) - A Russian General Staff official warned Georgia on Thursday that the patience of Russian peacekeepers was running out and any further detentions could end in bloodshed.
The warning comes amid the detention Tuesday night of four Russian peacekeepers by Georgian police on suspicion of smuggling weapons out of the breakaway region of Abkhazia. The peacekeepers have since been released.
"The consequences might be extremely serious, such as bloodshed," said Lt. Gen. Alexander Burutin, a deputy head of the General Staff, adding that there were no guarantees that Russian troops stationed in the region would continue to be so tolerant.
The peacekeepers were detained by Georgian police supervised by a deputy head of a crime police unit in the Zugdidi district, western Georgia. Burutin said the detention was unwarranted and called it "a bandit attack."
"Under the circumstances, the Russian peacekeepers had the complete right to use their weapons and ammunition, to defend themselves and their equipment," the official said. He said the right was contained in the mandate of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces, stationed in the region since a bloody Georgian-Abkhazian conflict in the early 1990s.
Georgia's Interior Ministry claimed that the peacekeepers were transporting 35 crates of munitions, including guided missiles and anti-tank mines. Georgia refused to return the seized arms until an investigation has been completed.
"A criminal probe has been launched and we cannot return the confiscated equipment to Russia before the investigation is completed," said Shota Utiashvili, the head of the ministry's analytical department.
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman earlier said the detention violated all existing norms. "This was done in violation of all regulations, in particular, the peacekeeping force mandate," Andrei Nesterenko said.
He also said that moves like this were aimed at worsening bilateral relations and that a host of recent incidents in Abkhazia had been staged by Tbilisi to this purpose.
Georgia broadcast film footage of the Russian peacekeepers being dragged from their truck and disarmed by people dressed in civilian clothes.
Relations between Russia and Georgia have been strained in recent months ever since Russia stepped up support for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another breakaway Georgian republic, and sent more troops into the region. Tbilisi has accused the Kremlin of plans to annex the territories. Georgia's bid to join NATO has also caused tension.
Georgia's brief detention of Russian officers on spying charges in 2006 resulted in a postal and transport blockade that was only lifted earlier this year.
Σάββατο 3 Μαΐου 2008
Φτάσανε οι Πις Κίπερς αλά Πούτιν...
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MOSCOW, May 3 (Source: RIA Novosti) - Russian peacekeepers who recently arrived in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone are heading for areas where they will be stationed, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.
Moscow has increased the number of Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia to 3,000 from 2,000, but has said that this is within the limits envisioned by earlier agreements on the number of peacekeeping troops signed by the Georgian leadership.
Abkhazia, alongside another Georgian breakaway republic, South Ossetia, broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Between 10,000 and 30,000 people were killed in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict and some 3,000 in Georgian-South Ossetian hostilities. Georgia is looking to regain control over the two de facto independent republics.
Tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi have been escalating rapidly since Russia's outgoing President Vladimir Putin called for closer ties between Moscow and the two breakaway republics in mid-April. Tbilisi also accused Russia of shooting down a drone on April 20 - a claim Russia flatly denied, calling Georgia's video footage fake.
Russia has threatened to use force if Georgia employs "violent measures," against its peacekeepers or Russian nationals living in Abkhazia or South Ossetia.
Russia's Foreign Ministry released a statement on Wednesday defending the increase in peacekeepers, saying it was "aimed at ensuring the basic rights of Abkhazia and South Ossetia's residents."
NATO spokesman James Appathurai said on Wednesday that NATO believed that while Russia may technically have the right to do increase troop numbers, "in the political reality, this is not easing tensions, it is raising tensions."
Τετάρτη 30 Απριλίου 2008
Το Καυκάσιο Μεγάλο Παιχνίδι
Κλιμακώνεται επικίνδυνα η αντιπαράθεση Ρωσίας-Γεωργίας, με τη Μόσχα να ενισχύει τη στρατιωτική της παρουσία σε Αμπχαζία και Νότια Οσετία, καταγγέλλοντας την πρώην σοβιετική δημοκρατία ότι προετοιμάζεται για πόλεμο.
Η Τιφλίδα αρνείται κατηγορηματικά ότι σχεδιάζει επίθεση εναντίον των αποσχισθέντων επαρχιών, η Μόσχα όμως υποστηρίζει ότι η αναδίπλωση των γεωργιανών στρατευμάτων στα σύνορα της Αμπχαζίας αποδεικνύει ότι η Γεωργία σχεδιάζει επίθεση.
Προειδοποίηση
Λίγες ημέρες νωρίτερα άλλωστε η Ρωσία προειδοποίησε ότι δεν θα διστάσει να χρησιμοποιήσει βία για να προστατεύσει τους Αμπχάζιους...
«Οι τελευταίες εξελίξεις καθιστούν επιτακτική την ανάγκη αύξησης των ρωσικών ειρηνευτικών δυνάμεων στις ζώνες των συγκρούσεων», ανακοίνωσε χθες το ρωσικό υπουργείο Αμυνας.
Η κρίση στις ήδη εύθραυστες σχέσεις των δύο χωρών ξέσπασε όταν ο Ρώσος απερχόμενος πρόεδρος Βλαντιμίρ Πούτιν έδωσε εντολή σε στρατιωτικούς αξιωματούχους να συσφίξουν τις σχέσεις τους με τους αυτονομιστές σε Αμπχαζία και Νότια Οσετία.
Απόφαση που η Μόσχα αιτιολόγησε, εκφράζοντας φόβους για το επίπεδο διαβίωσης των πολιτών στις περιοχές αυτές, που η Γεωργία εκλαμβάνει όμως ως απάντηση στην προσπάθειά της να ενταχθεί στο ΝΑΤΟ.
Οι τελευταίες «πολεμικές» ιαχές αναμένεται πάντως να προκαλέσουν την αντίδραση της Δύσης. Η Γαλλία ήταν η πρώτη χώρα που έσπευσε να λάβει θέση, με το υπουργείο Αμυνας να συστήνει και στις δύο πλευρές αυτοσυγκράτηση, παράλληλα όμως να επαναλαμβάνει την υποστήριξη του Παρισιού στην εδαφική ακεραιότητα της Γεωργίας.
Πηγή: Hμερησία
Δευτέρα 10 Μαρτίου 2008
Αμπχαζία-Νότια Οσσέτια: Τα νέα Κόσοβα αλλά...αντιστρόφως!
Συγχωρέστε με, αλλά προτίμησα να παραθέσω το κείμενο όπως το βρήκα.
Russia and Europe could be headed for a showdown over independence claims of a breakaway region in Georgia. Russia might be preparing to recognize Abkhazia sovereignty. The European Union opposes the move.
Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia last month gave hope to rebels who have been fighting to do the same in the region of Abkhazia, which borders the Black Sea.
Since Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia on Friday, March 7, Russia made signs that it is preparing to recognize the region's sovereignty by lifting a formal trade embargo.
"There is a growing preoccupation and anxiety that Russia may be paving the way for recognition of Abkhazia," EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said Monday, March 10.
She reaffirmed EU support for Georgia's borders. Abkhazia's declaration followed a similar vote on Wednesday by Georgia's other separatist region, South Ossetia. Both regions cited Kosovo as a precedent, calling on the international community to recognize their self-declared independence.
Georgia's pro-Western government has accused Moscow of trying to destabilize the region.
"Georgia's territorial integrity has always been clearly supported by the EU ... this is absolutely clear," Ferrero-Waldner said.
The issue was on the agenda of an EU foreign ministers meeting held in Brussels Monday.
"We will be discussing Georgia and ...what can we do in order to support more strongly Georgia in a difficult situation," Ferrero-Waldner said.
Sweden and Poland had written to the EU to call for the bloc to do more to stabilize Georgia ahead of planned parliamentary elections in May. Ferrero-Waldner suggested the EU could make it easier to get visas and launch a trade pact.
Further destabilization likely
Moscow has had an official ban on trade with Abkhazia since 1996, although Georgia has accused Russia of providing financial aid to rebels. The region uses the Russia ruble as its currency.
No country, including Russia, currently recognizes the rebel provinces' independence claims and Georgia has sworn to regain control of the areas.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s. Thousands of people were killed in the conflicts and hundreds of thousands of ethnic-Georgians were forced to abandon their homes.
Georgian politicians have said that lifting Russia's sanctions will allow Moscow to freely send weapons, military equipment and Russian mercenaries, further destabilizing the region.
The Georgian foreign ministry said Russia's move was "an extremely dangerous provocation that encourages separatism and aims to deepen tensions in the conflict zone."
The statement accused Moscow of "trying to violate Georgia's sovereignty."
Blame Kosovo
Abkhazia renewed its diplomatic effort for international recognition in the weeks after Kosovo's independence.
"Georgia is a point of concern for us, because the Russian Federation and the Confederation of Independent States decided to draw certain parallels with Kosovo on this issue," Slovenian
Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel told reporters after a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Russia vehemently opposed Kosovo's independence from Serbia. Moscow had long argued that the West's support of Kosovo independence would set a precedent for other regions of the world. The EU always argued that Kosovo was a special case.
Sergei Bagapsh, rebel leader of Abkhazia, didn't agree with the European view. He told Interfax news agency that his province has as much right to independence as Kosovo.
"We call on the international community to refuse double standards and recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Bagapsh said. "For us the situation with the recognition of Kosovo is a precedent and all talk of the uniqueness of that case is not credible."
In a statement Friday, the Abkhaz parliament asked the United Nations and individual countries to "consider the recognition of the republic of Abkhazia as an independent, sovereign state." A separate statement asked Russia's government to do the same.
Russia's Duma will consider Abkhazia's independence at a hearing on March 13, the deputy chairman of its international affairs committee, Leonid Slutsky, told Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency.
DW staff (th)
