Saturday, August 16, 2008

400-kg bomb discoverd near Kotsakhuri bridge

კოწახურას ხიდთან 400 კგ-მდე ტროტილია აღმოჩენილი

Approximately 400 kilograms of explosives were discovered on the Kotsakhuri bridge on one of the main sections of the Kaspi-Metekhi railway. Railway employees saw the explosive device.

13 full chests of explosives were found on the section of the railway--11 located under the bridge, and two on top. Georgian Security Council Secretary Alexander "Kakha" Lomaia was at the scene. Work will soon begin to defuse the bomb. The Russian occupational army has already blown up one bridge in the Kaspi region while withdrawing. These diversionary-terrorist acts have cut railway links between East and West Georgia and links with navy ports. The evacuation of refugees from territories occupied by the Russian army to safe areas also depended on this route.

Interpressnews [Georgian news agency]

[Note: Russians counter report, read here]

Russian MFA: Georgia signed a different document for resolving the Georgian-Ossetian conflict

МИД России: Грузия подписала другой документ по урегулированию грузино-осетинского конфликта

The contents of the document for resolving the conflict in South Ossetia, which was signed by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, differs from the one which was signed by the presidents of Russia and France, reports head of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. "We're a bit puzzled by the fact that the document which was signed by Saakashvili appears to differ from the document which was agreed upon by the presidents of Russia and France," stated the minister, emphasizing that the difference in question is in need of further clarification.

According to Lavrov, in the document signed by Saakashvili, the clause which states "these below-mentioned points are supported by the presidents of Russia and France, and the presidents of Russia and France call on all parties to sign this document" is completely absent. He also noted that the document--the one which contains the aforementioned clause--was signed by the presidents of Russia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.

Earlier, Temur Iakobashvili, the Georgian State Minister for Reintegration, stated at an August 16th press conference that the 6-point plan for the resolution of the conflicts in Georgia, on which Russian President Dmitry Medvedev put his own signature on August 16th, was signed by the presidents of the three countries--Georgia, Russia, and France. He noted that reports saying that the presidents of Abkhazia and Ossetia had also signed the agreement were incorrect, and emphasized that if such an agreement does exist, then Georgia does not regard it as an official document.

IA Regnum

49 Georgian soldiers buried in South Ossetia

В Южной Осетии похоронены сорок девять грузинских военных

Forty-nine Georgian soldiers, whose bodies were found in the capital of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, and in surrounding areas, were buried in a communal grave in a suburb of the city. Each body was placed in a coffin. ITAR-TASS was informed of the burial by the South Ossetian General Public Prosecutor Eduard Kokoev. According to Kokoev, the Georgians never made any requests for the transfer of the bodies of victims.

"We realize that sooner or later, the question will come up, and we have identified those that had ID on them. Such a list is available," said Kokoev. Authorities of the republic are not afraid that the burial site might be defiled. "We aren't at war with the dead. If the people had such feelings, then they (the victims) wouldn't have been placed in coffins," stated the public prosecutor. The Office of the Public Prosecutor wouldn't be surprised if many more bodies of Georgian soldiers, which should also be buried, were found in the mountains near Tskhinvali.

IA Regnum

Russian Ministry of Defense: Statements about blown up bridges--just another Georgian bluff

Минобороны России: заявления о взорванном мосте - это очередной грузинский информационный блеф

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation denies reports from the Georgians that Russian forces allegedly blew up a railway bridge 45 km from Tbilisi.

ITAR-TASS is reporting that a high-ranking source in the Russian Ministry of Defense stated "statements of a blown up bridge are just another Georgian information bluff. Russian servicemen are bringing peace to Georgia, and not destroying its infrastructure." "The Russian Ministry of Defense does not exclude the possibility that if this really does happen, then we're talking about Georgian provocation," emphasized the source in the ministry.

IA Regnum