RUSSIAN MPS, SENATORS EXPRESS CONCERN AT SITUATION IN GEORGIA
ITAR-TASS
Nov 7 2007
Russia
The dispersal of the opposition rally in Tbilisi shows "the
authorities’ weakness and their fear and lack of desire to hear
the voice of the people and the opposition demands", Vadim Gustov,
head of the Federation Council committee for CIS affairs, has told
ITAR-TASS. According to Gustov, the republic’s leaders should resolve
the issues of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, "improve the economy and
establish normal trade relations", unblock the railway linking Russia
and Armenia, and join the countries that together with Russia will
be building a new generating unit in Armenia.
Andrey Kokoshin, chairman of the State Duma committee for CIS affairs
and links with compatriots, has told ITAR-TASS that the use of force
to disperse the opposition protest in Tbilisi will lead to a further
aggravation of the situation. According to him, "Western human rights
organizations and official bodies should give their utmost attention"
to the situation in Georgia and to "mass violations of democratic
norms and human rights" there.
According to State Duma deputy speaker Vladimir Pekhtin, the events
in Georgia are a deplorable result of Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili’s political course. He told ITAR-TASS that the Georgian
authorities "long ago stopped dealing with problems in a civilized
way". He drew attention to the fact that in some countries "coups
d’etat supported by Western foundations" had never led to the
"countries functioning normally, just to nonstop political struggle".
These conflicts affect, above all, ordinary citizens as the most
vulnerable members of society, Pekhtin said.