September 30, 2011
By Roberta Smith New York Times
Newman Popiashvili Gallery
504 West 22nd Street, Chelsea
Through Oct. 8
This magical little sepia-toned show of work by three unknown photographers from the country of Georgia echoes in miniature the point made by the New Museum's excellent ''Ostalgia'' exhibition: Western art capitals have much to learn about the visual culture of the countries that once formed the Soviet Union.
September 29, 2011
Agence France Presse
Georgia aims to join the European Union within 10 years, its President Mikheil Saakashvili said in an interview Thursday ahead of a summit between the bloc and six ex-Soviet states.
"It's crucial for us to start our integration with Europe's structures. That could take a few years," Saakashvili told the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita.
Asked how long he expected it to take for Georgia to come on board, he responded: "Between five and 10 years".
"Georgia is developing so fast that the point will come when the European Union will not be able to turn down our entry. Our starting point today is better than that of Bulgaria and Romania when they began their entry talks," he added.
September 29, 2011
By Doug Palmer
Reuters
WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress in coming months could face a tough vote on trade relations with Russia, igniting a potentially fierce debate over Moscow's record on human rights and the state of its democracy in the wake of Vladimir Putin's decision to return as president.
International negotiators in Geneva are edging close to an agreement that would allow Russia to join the World Trade Organization after some 18 years of off-and-on talks.
September 27, 2011
By Josh Rogin
Foreign Policy
The foreign minister of Georgia told Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Georgia can't consent to Russia joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), if Russia doesn't agree to international monitors on the Russian-Georgian border.
Clinton met with Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze on Monday morning for about 25 minutes in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The bulk of that meeting was spent discussing the Swiss effort to mediate between Russia and Georgia over the former's application to join the WTO, a major goal of the U.S.-Russia reset policy, a senior State Department official said.
No country has been admitted to the WTO without the consensus of all existing members and the Obama administration has been pressing both sides to strike a deal that would allow Georgia to support Russia's bid.
September 26, 2011
By Eli Lake
Newsweek / The Daily Beast
For months, bombings linked to Russian intelligence disrupted life in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. In an exclusive interview with Eli Lake, the country's president credits the Obama administration-particularly Secretary of State Hillary Clinton-for stopping them through quiet diplomacy.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashviliis crediting the Obama administration for engaging in quiet diplomatic intervention with Russia and helping to end a string of bombings that had terrorized his former Soviet republic over the past year.
September 23, 2011
Agence France Presse
The tiny Pacific Ocean state of Tuvalu has followed Russia's controversial lead and recognised the Georgian rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent, officials said Friday.
Despite protests from the US and Europe, Moscow was the first to recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia -- which have long had Kremlin backing and are home to thousands of Russian troops -- after its war with Georgia in 2008.
September 23, 2011
UN News Centre
International efforts, albeit halting, to punish perpetrators of crimes against humanity validate the very essence of the United Nations, Georgia has told the General Assembly, citing progress made since the end of the Cold War 20 years ago.
"Slowly, too slowly, new rules are emerging, and even these rules are still too rarely applied," Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said yesterday. "Step by step, though, tyrants start to fear that they could one day be held accountable for their crimes.
September 22, 2011
Deutsche Presse Argentur
Strasbourg - Three years after they fought a war, Georgia on Thursday lodged a case against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights, accusing Russian soldiers of numerous human rights abuses in the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Georgia accuses Russian troops or rebels acting on their orders of having tortured and killed civilians and driven people from their homes over the course of the week-long war.
Georgia's deputy justice minister Tina Burjaliani on Thursday accused Russia of standing by as the attacks were carried out and of covering up for the attacks, which Georgia says violated the European Convention on Human Rights.
Russia's deputy justice minister Georgy Matyushkin rejected the allegations, saying Russia was forced to step in to protect civilians in South Ossetia and Abkhazia against Georgian forces.
September 20, 2011
President Saakashvili's live interview On Morning Joe, MSNBC
http://www.videosurf.com/video/morning-joe-world-leaders-meet-in-nyc-to-combat-extremism-1328959420
September 17, 2011
By Helena Bedwell
Bloomberg
Georgia's National Intellectual Property Center registered as many as 37 varieties of local food and beverages, including types of wine and cheese, to protect them from being copied in other countries.
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