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Monday, 01 December 2003
ACTING GEORGIAN PRESIDENT SLAMS MOSCOW TALKS WITH REGIONAL LEADERS
By empty (12/1/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Speaking on 1 December at Maastricht at an OSCE foreign ministers\' meeting, Nino Burdjanadze said that the talks that began last week in Moscow between senior Russian officials and the leaders of Georgia\'s autonomous and breakaway republics fuel confrontation and undermine Georgia\'s territorial integrity. At the same time, she praised Russia\'s role in expediting the 23 November resignation of President Eduard Shevardnadze and affirmed Georgia\'s readiness to begin a new phase of relations with Moscow. Burdjanadze and Georgian Foreign Minister Tedo Djaparidze met for 40 minutes on the sidelines of the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who dismissed Burdjanadze\'s concern over the Moscow talks as unfounded, Interfax reported.
Speaking on 1 December at Maastricht at an OSCE foreign ministers\' meeting, Nino Burdjanadze said that the talks that began last week in Moscow between senior Russian officials and the leaders of Georgia\'s autonomous and breakaway republics fuel confrontation and undermine Georgia\'s territorial integrity. At the same time, she praised Russia\'s role in expediting the 23 November resignation of President Eduard Shevardnadze and affirmed Georgia\'s readiness to begin a new phase of relations with Moscow. Burdjanadze and Georgian Foreign Minister Tedo Djaparidze met for 40 minutes on the sidelines of the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who dismissed Burdjanadze\'s concern over the Moscow talks as unfounded, Interfax reported. Burdjanadze also said on 1 December that the international community has pledged 5.3 million euros ($6.4 million) to help fund the extraordinary presidential election on 4 January and the parliamentary ballot, which she said will probably be held a month or two later. (Reuters)