Category: Caucasian Politics
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That Bush connection
Josh Keating over on FP gives us the top 10 stories you might have missed in 2008. I particularly like this one: So why was $176 million of the aid money earmarked for loans to businesses—including $30 million to a real estate developer for a luxury hotel: the 127,000-square-meter Park Hyatt in downtown Tbilisi, an…
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The troublesome Caucasus
As ever, the Economist has an excellent analysis of the situation in the Caucasus. They mention many of the strategic and historical interests in the region that I heard directly from Georgians themselves. The situation is extremely complex, and via translator it was explained to me over several days. The map they use is extremely…
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Russian consulate, Tbilisi
I visited the former Russian Embassy (it was reduced to a consulate while I was there) in Tbilisi a couple of weeks ago. Across the street, boards are littered with anti-Russian grafitti, while directly outside the consulate people had dumped various forms of household waste and litter. Russia pulled their ambassador, Vyacheslav Kovalenko, and pretty…
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Saakashvili's Camp David – Borjomi
Don’t ask me how I got access. When I was in Borjormi I managed to get into the grounds of the summer residence of the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakasvhili. The house was formerly occupied by Eduard Shevardnadze, and before Soviet times it was a Dacha of Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov Dynasty. The residence…
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In Telavi
Internet access is proving problematic in the last week, especially since I was all over western Georgia. Uploading pictures is not easy either, but I did get some good photos north of Zugdidi, in Poti naval base, in the tank base in Gori, and near Senaki. I am now in the north east of the…
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In Tbilisi
Arrived without any problems. Cool thunderstorm out the window on the descent too.
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Off to Georgia
Via Munich today. See you on the other side.
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Who started it?
Kirsty Wark is still using the line that Saakashvili himself started the war. At the very least, we do not know who started the conflict on August 7/8, and for the BBC to assume that they do is unprofessional. There are various accounts of who started the conflict, most recently from Michael Totten in Georgia,…
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Russia revises Ossetia death toll
Surprise surprise. I, along with many others, indicated recently that the alleged death tolls as high as 2,500 put forward by Russia were entirely without a basis in fact. Now, according to the BBC: Russia has issued new, reduced casualty figures for the Georgian conflict, with 133 civilians now listed as dead in the disputed…
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Bloggin and links
Big thanks to Niall Paterson in Sky News for the link, praise indeed from a much appreciated longtime reader. Eamonn has also been kind enough to offer advice and link up. I have also been in touch with Michael Totten, who I have exchanged emails and tips with, but unfortunately we won’t be in Georgia…