Georgia

UN court to rule on Georgia-Russia case

The Hague - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is due to rule Wednesday on Georgia's claim against Russia concerning the alleged violation of its territorial integrity in August.

Georgia says Russia violated international law by entering the province of South Ossetia on August 7.

It also claims Russia previously caused unrest in South Ossetia, as well as in the breakaway province of Abkhazia.

Georgia, which filed its case against Russia in the ICJ on August 15, also claims Russia committed genocide and ethnic cleansing in South Ossetia.

Russia has rejected all allegations and says it entered Georgia's South Ossetia region to protect the civilian population from violence committed by the Georgian Army.

Multi-party talks begin in Geneva over Georgia crisis

Geneva - Leaders from Russia, Georgia, the US, the EU and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are to meet in Geneva on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Georgia.

The closed meeting is also to include leaders of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in an effort to find a long-term solution for stability in the region.

A five-day war occurred in August when Russia invaded South Ossetia in response to Georgian efforts to impose its rule there.

The precise agenda for the meeting is not yet clear, although Russia is expected to push for an arms embargo on Georgia, which it blames for the conflict.

US, EU, UN Geneva meeting with Russia on Georgia is downgraded

RussiaGeneva - A Geneva-hosted top meeting on Georgia between French and Russian leaders due Wednesday has been downgraded to one at "expert" level involving officials from Russia, the European Union, the US and UN, it was stated Tuesday.

The decision was taken because a meeting had already taken place in the French Lake Geneva resort of Evian last week between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, current EU Council head, UN officials said in Geneva.

UN chief to attend talks on Georgia in Geneva

UN chief to attend talks on Georgia in Geneva New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will take part in talks next week in Geneva to try to settle the Russia-Georgia conflict and determine the future role of the UN in the Caucasus, a UN spokeswoman said Friday.

Ban will join representatives of the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Geneva on Tuesday, a day before the start of official negotiations on the Georgian conflict.

Saakashvili calls for Russian withdrawal from breakaway republics

Saakashvili calls for Russian withdrawal from breakaway republics Tbilisi/Moscow - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on Friday again called on Russia to withdraw from Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Georgia will never accept Russian occupation of either region nor Moscow's recognition of their independence, Saakashvili was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

The Georgian leader made the statements at a meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in the Georgia city of Batumi on the Black Sea.

EU deadlocked over re-starting Russia talks despite pull-out

European UnionBrussels - The European Union was deadlocked on Friday over whether or not to re-start talks with Russia over a strategic partnership that it froze on September 1, despite Russia's troop withdrawal from Georgia, diplomats admitted.

EU foreign ministers are set to meet on Monday in Luxembourg for the first formal debate on relations with Russia since the EU's leaders on September 1 vowed to freeze talks on the strategic deal.

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