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GEORGIAN MPS ACCUSE OPPOSITION HEAD OF 'TREASON' OVER MOSCOW VISIT
18:23 MSK

Opposition leader Nino Burdzhanadze's visit to Moscow harms the national interests of the country, Georgian parliamentary deputies loyal to President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Thursday.

"Russia is looking for approval from Georgian political circles, but Georgian politicians who improve ties with Russia will never be supported in our country. Their actions should be described as treason," said Akaky Minashvili, the head of parliament's foreign relations committee.

Burdzhanadze, a leading Georgian opposition figure, has been in Moscow since Wednesday to improve ties broken off after the August 2008 war between Russia and Georgia. "Political dialogue with Russia plays a crucial role in Georgian unity," Burdzhanadze said before leaving Tbilisi, describing her trip as "high politics."

"Politicians who say they are engaged in high politics, but are in fact betraying their country, will not be supported by the Georgian electorate," said Grigory Gabashvili, a leader of the presidential majority party. "It is as clear as black and white who wants to cooperate with occupiers and who is scrambling between offices looking for supporters of actions against their own country."

Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow after their five-day war over South Ossetia and described as "annexation" Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and another former Georgian province, Abkhazia. Several thousand Russian troops are based in the two republics to ensure their security.

The Georgian opposition is split over Burdzhanadze's visit to Moscow.

"I believe Burdzhanadze's visit to Moscow could improve ties between our countries," said Kaha Kukava, the leader of Georgian Conservative Party.

"Georgians have already seen Burdzhanadze's 'high politics' and have remained dissatisfied with it," said Republican Party representative Tina Khidasheli.

Another Georgian opposition leader, Zurab Noghaideli, has made similar efforts to improve ties with Russia, visiting Moscow several times in recent months. The presidential majority do not rule out other Georgian opposition politicians following the example of Burdzhanadze and Noghaideli and visiting Moscow themselves.

RIA Novosti



UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT TO HALVE HIS SALARY
18:09 MSK

Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday issued a decree ordering the government to cut his salary by half, his website said.



EU REJECTS VIEW OF SOUTH STREAM, NABUCCO GAS PIPELINES AS RIVALS
17:12 MSK

The European Commission does not view Russia-backed South Stream and Western Nabucco gas pipeline projects as rivals, European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Gettinger said on Thursday.



MOSCOW URGES STRASBOURG TO DROP YUKOS' $100 BLN CLAIM AGAINST IT
16:22 MSK

The European Court of Human Rights should not consider a $98-billion claim from the now defunct oil giant Yukos against Russia because it was improperly filed, a Russian government official said Thursday.



UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT EASES RULES FOR FORMING MAJORITY COALITION
15:06 MSK

Ukrainian deputies on Thursday passed in the first reading a draft to ease the rules for forming a majority coalition in parliament, a priority task needed to avert political instability in the country.



MEDVEDEV CALLS UNEMPLOYMENT RUSSIA'S MAIN SOCIAL CHALLENGE
14:37 MSK

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday unemployment was the country's key social issue and urged prosecutors to enforce employment laws and the implementation of job creation programs.



NATO PLANS MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR RUSSIAN BORDER
13:27 MSK

NATO has announced it will hold military exercises involving fighter planes over the Baltic Sea this month, the first in a series of military drills to be held this year near the Russian border.



FIRST POST-SOVIET ABKHAZIAN LEADER DIES AFTER LONG ILLNESS IN MOSCOW
12:35 MSK

Vladislav Ardzinba, a man who spearheaded the rebellion of his Black Sea province of Abkhazia against Georgian rule, on Thursday died after a long illness aged 64, the Abkhazian parliamentary speaker said.



COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA SHOULD BECOME NATO'S TOP PRIORITY
12:13 MSK

The closer cooperation with Russia should become a major foreign policy priority for NATO, but better relations with Moscow cannot come at the expense of the security of eastern European alliance members, a U.S. influential foreign policy research center has said.



YANUKOVYCH SUSPENDS MEMBERSHIP IN PARTY OF REGIONS
12:07 MSK

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has suspended his membership in his Party of Regions and gave his powers to his party colleague Nikolai Azarov, a party member said Wednesday.



YEREVAN TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS ONLY AFTER ANKARA RATIFIES THEM
10:10 MSK

The National Assembly of Armenia plans to ratify Armenian-Turkish protocols on bilateral relations only after the Turkish Parliament signs them, Armenian speaker Ovik Abramyan said on Wednesday.




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