Abkhazia to get Russia military aid.8/12/2009 7:48:20 PMVladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, has pledged $500m to reinforce Russian military bases in Abkhazia. "Russia has recognised the independence of Abkhazia and intends to, and will, provide all embracing economic, political and, if needed, military support," Putin said at a news conference in Sukhumi, the regional capital, on Wednesday. Russia would spend $500m in 2010 on strengthening Abkhazia's defences, including shoring up Noun 1. shoring up - the act of propping up with shores propping up, shoring supporting, support - the act of bearing the weight of or strengthening; "he leaned against the wall for support" its borders and equipping Russian military bases, he said during a surprise visit to the breakaway Georgian region. Moscow will give an additional $336m to help Abkhazia rebuild its infrastructure and create jobs, Putin said. Russian troops and Abkhazian forces helped repel a Georgian attempt to retake re·take tr.v. re·took , re·tak·en , re·tak·ing, re·takes 1. To take back or again. 2. To recapture. 3. To photograph, film, or record again. n. 1. South Ossetia South Ossetia: see Ossetia. , another breakaway region, in a five-day war which ended a year earlier. Both Georgia and the breakaway regions marked the first anniversary of the conflict last Friday and there have been increasing tensions along the de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually. This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practical purposes, but is illegal or illegitimate. borders between the areas and Georgia proper. 'Occupied territory' Only Nicaragua has followed Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and the rest of the world views the enclaves as part of Georgia. "Frankly speaking, Abkhazia needs no other recognition except Russia's," said Putin, who urged Russian businesses to snap up assets in Abkhazia. Georgia said the prime minister's trip to the region was a direct challenge that would escalate tensions in the Caucasus, a key route for oil and gas flows from the Caspian Sea Caspian Sea (kăs`pēən), Lat. Mare Caspium or Mare Hyrcanium, salt lake, c.144,000 sq mi (373,000 sq km), between Europe and Asia; the largest lake in the world. . "Putin's visit to the occupied territory of a sovereign country is yet another provocation," Georgia's foreign ministry said. It described the trip as "yet another attempt to destabilise Verb 1. destabilise - become unstable; "The economy destabilized rapidly" destabilize change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" the situation and escalate tension in the Caucasus region". When asked if there would a repeat of last year's war, Putin said: "With today's Georgian leadership, you cannot rule anything out." Bomb blast Anatoly Serdyukov, Russia's defence minister, said Moscow was keeping 3,636 servicemen in Abkhazia and "a bit less" in South Ossetia. The European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community last month criticised a visit by Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, to South Ossetia and said it supported Georgia's territorial integrity. The United States has also called for Georgia's sovereignty to be respected. Pro-Russian posters with phrases such as "Russia and Abkhazia: together for prosperity" dotted the streets of Sukhumi, during Putin's vist. Putin laid flowers at a cenotaph cenotaph (Greek: “empty tomb”) Monument, sometimes in the form of a tomb, to a person buried elsewhere. Ancient Greek writings tell of many cenotaphs, none of which survives. Existing cenotaphs of this type are found in churches (e.g. in honour of those who fell during fighting between Abkhaz separatists and Georgia in 1992-1993. "Putin is our guardian angel," mothers of the Abkhaz fighters who were killed in the conflict chanted. The prime minister later visited a new maternity hospital, where male twins were born half an hour before his arrival. "They will be called Vladimir and Dmitry," said Liana liana (lēä`nə) or liane (lēän`), name for any climbing plant that roots in the ground. Achba, the head of the hospital. Underlining continued tensions in the region, one person was killed and two wounded in a bomb blast on Wednesday in the Abkhaz resort of Gagra. Aljazeera.net 2003 - 2009 Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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