European Officials Visit Georgia’s Central Town of Gori

Anne-Marie Lizin, a deputy president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and four members of the Belgium Senate have visited Georgia’s central town of Gori, the Georgian Public TV channel reported on 29 August.

TV said that the foreign officials had also visited the areas that had been damaged in the course of the Russian bombing of Gori. They also went to a Russian checkpoint in the village of Karaleti to talk to Russian troops, TV added.

A Public TV correspondent reported from Gori that the Russian servicemen in Karaleti told the European officials that they were peacekeepers. However, TV said that the OSCE official called their peacekeeping mission into question.

TV showed Lizin speaking in English with Georgian translation superimposed saying that “they have said that they are peacekeepers. However, I have not noticed any sign showing that they really are peacekeepers. The Russian flag has been raised at their checkpoints.”

TV reported that the delegation had also met Shida Kartli Province governor Lado Vardzelashvili.

The foreign officials will prepare a report for a special meeting of the European Union to be held on 1 September.

Originally published by Channel 1, Tbilisi, in Georgian 0000 29 Aug 08.

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