Kavkazskiö Fond

25.12.2003

Chechnya war chronicles: 9 Russian soldiers killed in Alkhan-Kala

25.12.2003
Kavkaz Center News Agency sourcing from Chechen Command said that a Russian military invasion convoy was at target at 08:50 hours local time yesterday. A Russian military armored Kamaz type vehicle blast tolled 9 Russian military invaders and heavily wounded another 8 of them.
(Agency Caucasus)

Chechnya representation is hopeful of new Georgian Government

25.12.2003
Chechen Diaspora Leader Khizri Aldamov stated yesterday that the change of government in Georgia may help to improve the status of Chechen Representation in Georgia. Khizri Aldamov stated that there was heavy Russian influence in Georgia during the Shevardnadze period. "The current Georgian leadership seems to be more relaxed in their relations with the Russian State," "Human rights activities of the Chechen Diaspora has more chances in Georgia now," stated Khizri Aldamov.
(Agency Caucasus)

12th Slianing meeting in Austria

25.12.2003
12th Slianing meeting on Georgia-Abkhazia conflict is held in Austria between 15-20 December 2003. Press release of the meeting said that the round table has reviewed the November 2003 developments in Georgia and Shevardnadze's resignation along with the nearing 4 January 2004 presidential elections. Independent participation from Abkhazia included Oleg Arshba, Beslan Butba, Ilya Gamisoniya, Manana Gurguliya, Leonid Lakerbaya, Stanislav Lakoba. Georgian participation included David Darchiashvili, Koba Davitashvili, Salva Pichadze and Pata Zakaraishvili.
(Agency Caucasus)

PUTIN WELCOMES BURDZHANADZE TO MOSCOW

25.12.2003
Russian RIA Novosti news agency reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes this is a good sign that acting Georgian President Nino Burdzhanadze has found time to come to Moscow. "I'm very glad you've come. I think it's a good sign that at our short meeting in Baku we agreed to continue our contacts, and you found time to come to hold these consultations," the president said opening the meeting with Burdzhanadze. "Georgia is surviving a hard moment in its history now on the threshold of the elections, and we care about how these processes are going on," he said. "We appreciate that you have found it possible to come to Moscow and exchange opinions on bilateral relations, and their prospects," the president said. In her turn, Burdzhanadze expressed the hope that today's meeting and the following meetings with Georgia's leaders will help resolve problems that have accumulated between the two states. "And we will be really able to start a new page of our relations, which will meet the interests of both Russian and Georgian nations," the acting Georgian president said. She thanked the head of the Russian state for the possibility to come. "We appreciate such a possibility, especially at such a difficult moment of Georgia's history and the history of Russo-Georgian relations," Burdzhanadze said.
(Agency Caucasus)

Putin has 1,109,000, high ranking officials alone

25.12.2003
Russian Trud Newspaper reported on the 24th of December 2003 that "In the first half of the 19th century, Emperor Nicholas I said that Russia was governed by functionaries, rather than emperors. To some degree, this is also true of present day Russia. Perestroika inspired hopes for at least a minor reduction in the number of government functionaries have vanished. The ranks of bureaucrats have nearly doubled in number over the past 10 years. There were 532,000 government officials under Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Their number went up to 638,000 in the stagnation period under Leonid Brezhnev. Today, high-ranking officials alone number 1,109,000, although Russia's present population is twice as small as in Soviet times. Some of the provinces are known to spend one fifth of their budgets on local functionaries' salaries and privileges. Bureaucrats continue to have a major say on all matters. If you want to start a business, you have to obtain a permit from authorities, and do not forget to make them a "present." If you want to privatise your flat and settle in another city, you also have to obtain a permit from the authorities. Moreover, residence registration has not been cancelled, although it now has a different name. Russia's state system continues to be permissive-prohibitive, unlike that of the civilised country."
(Agency Caucasus)