Czech Happenings, Czech Republic
Aug 10 2008

Georgian events coincide with invasion anniversary – Czech ForMin

Prague/Tbilisi- Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, who has
cut his holiday short over the conflict in Georgia, today said Prague
supports Georgia where by a sad coincidence fights broke out shortly
before the 40th anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of
Czechoslovakia, spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova said.

She told CTK that Schwarzenberg, who is returning to the office now
instead of August 18, as originally planned, is in contact with his
Georgian counterpart Eka Tkeshelashvili and also with Bernard
Kouchner, the foreign minister of France that presides over the EU
now.

Czech Ambassador in Tbilisi Ivan Jestrab today said that some 30
Czechs have left Georgia along with a convoy bound for the Armenian
capital Jerevan, from where most of them are to leave by a Polish
plane for Warsaw later today.

Further Czechs will leave Armenia in the same way on Monday, Jestrab
told CTK.

Another four Czechs, who find themselves in western Georgia and cannot
use their air-tickets to depart from Batumi by plane, will go to
Istanbul by car. The Czech consulate in Istanbul will help them reach
the Czech Republic, Jestrab said.

About 15 other Czechs want to remain in Georgia. The embassy knows
their identity, their whereabouts and it has connection with them.

Another 15 Czechs, however, reportedly stay in Georgia’s mountainous
areas, according to the embassy’s unconfirmed information. The embassy
does not know their names nor is it in contact with
them. Nevertheless, according to available information, all Czechs in
Georgia are in order, unharmed and face no problems, Jestrab said.

He said the situation in Tbilisi is calm, but local residents are
naturally nervous.

The Czech carrier CSA’s regular flights from Prague to Tbilisi and
vice versa on Saturday was cancelled over the security situation in
Georgia.

Another CSA plane is to depart for Tbilisi on August 12. "It will
depend on the general situation whether the flight will depart," CSA
spokeswoman Daniela Hupakova told CTK.

On Friday, the Georgian military used force to gain control of the
country’s separatist and pro-Russian province South Ossetia. It met
with armed resistance of the Russian military that sent in troops to
reinforce the Russian members of the South Ossetian peace corps.

Tens, hundreds and even thousands of victims have been reported by
various sources from the South Ossetian centre Tskhinvali.

view.php?id=327400