GORI, Georgia: As Russia said its military pullback from Georgia had been completed, though it still held several key areas of the country, the Georgian government began over the weekend to prepare cities and villages in the conflict areas for the return of thousands of refugees. Large columns of Georgian police special forces were visible in and around the city of Gori. The officers said they had arrived to provide security for returning residents. Georgian Army units also appeared in Gori for the first time since they retreated under heavy Russian bombardment two weeks ago. They were lightly equipped - most had only their rifles and pistols and rode in pickups and personal cars - and arrived at a base that had been ransacked.
GORI, Georgia: As Russia said its military pullback from Georgia had been completed, though it still held several key areas of the country, the Georgian government began over the weekend to prepare cities and villages in the conflict areas for the return of thousands of refugees.
Large columns of Georgian police special forces were visible in and around the city of Gori. The officers said they had arrived to provide security for returning residents.
Georgian Army units also appeared in Gori for the first time since they retreated under heavy Russian bombardment two weeks ago. They were lightly equipped - most had only their rifles and pistols and rode in pickups and personal cars - and arrived at a base that had been ransacked.
President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia said Sunday that he planned to rebuild his country's shattered army, and that even after its decisive defeat in the war for control of one of Georgia's two separatist enclaves he would continue to pursue a policy of uniting both under the Georgian flag. "It will stay the same," he said of his ambition to bring the enclaves, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, under Georgian control. "Now as ever."
"It will stay the same," he said of his ambition to bring the enclaves, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, under Georgian control. "Now as ever."
Any bets on his getting lots of directorships when he retires?
Russia's upper chamber of parliament has unanimously voted to ask the Russian President to recognise independence of Abkazia and South Ossetia. As the emergency session of the Federation Council began in Moscow, the presidents of the two breakaway republics have once again said they will never agree to remain within Georgia. In his speech, the President of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, said that both unrecognised states have more right to independence than Kosovo. "As President of South Ossetia and on behalf of the South Ossetian parliament and its people, with all gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation I once again call for the recognition of South Ossetia as an independent state," he said before the senators. Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh, for his part, said neither Abkhazia nor South Ossetia will live as one state with Georgia.
As the emergency session of the Federation Council began in Moscow, the presidents of the two breakaway republics have once again said they will never agree to remain within Georgia. In his speech, the President of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, said that both unrecognised states have more right to independence than Kosovo. "As President of South Ossetia and on behalf of the South Ossetian parliament and its people, with all gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation I once again call for the recognition of South Ossetia as an independent state," he said before the senators. Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh, for his part, said neither Abkhazia nor South Ossetia will live as one state with Georgia.
