UNiFEED Story: UN / GEORGIA (3.37), Georgia's Ambassador Irakli Alisania to brief the press on the latest developments in Georgia. UNTV

26 August 2008

UN / GEORGIA (3.37)

Georgia's Ambassador Irakli Alisania to brief the press on the latest developments in Georgia. UNTV

Broadcast Quality Downloads

Broadcast-quality video for UNifeed stories is available online for two weeks. Should you wish to request older material, please contact the agency source of the material. For UNTV or peacekeeping stories, please contact the UN Video Library.

Full Script

STORY: UN / GEORGIA
TRT: 3.37
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 26 AUGUST 2008, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

RECENT

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

26 AUGUST 2008, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press conference
3.	Med shot, journalists
4.	SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Irakli Alasania Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations:
"Georgia once again adheres to the principles agreed through EU Presidency and President Sarkozy. We're complying with the ceasefire agreement reached, and fully commit ourselves to these words. We demand the same actions from all the parties to the conflict. The Russian Federation has to withdraw its forces to the pre-conflict locations, along with the full respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia with its international recognized borders which cannot be questioned."
5.	Med shot, journalists
6.	SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Irakli Alasania Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations:
"We're still operating with the resolutions from the Security Council for fourteen years now which clearly reaffirms the territorial integrity of Georgia. All these documents -I'm not even talking about Charter but I'm specifically talking about the UN Security Council resolutions- are in effect and Russia subscribed to this for these fourteen years; there is no new document that will say that territorial integrity of Georgia is challenged. Now, of course, when we have an aggressor sate as a permanent member of the Security Council it is very hard to envisage any meaningful outcome or action at the Security Council."
7.	Wide shot, press conference
8.	SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Irakli Alasania Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations:
"It's hard at this point to imagine at least what can be the starting point for Georgia and Russian Federation to sit down and talk diplomatically. I think Russians with this actions are cutting all the bridges, and they know it, I think they understand that they lost Georgia forever, but at the same time Russia is a big neighboring country and I think after the occupation and the international pressure and our actions will be sufficient to stop the occupation of Georgian territory from the Russians militaries may create in the future some conditions when these contacts might be possible."
9.	Wide shot, press conference
10.	 SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations:
"We think that it is important to retain one way or another an international presence in Georgia because the situation there is still very volatile. The Secretary-General, as well as the EU and the OSCE have shown that they're ready and determined to get involved but how and under which modality remains to be seen."
11.	Close up, hands taking notes
12.	SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador John Sawers, Permanent Representative of
the United Kingdom to the United Nations:
"In the space of three weeks Russia has gone from reaffirming Georgia's territorial integrity, to using military force, to breach all the boundaries of Georgia, as far as Russia is concerned. So we had been making progress on a Security Council resolution on Georgia, I've been personally involved, my delegations has been closely involved alongside the French in working with the Russians, and Americans, and others to try to find some compromise and common ground; we were making progress but frankly territorial integrity was an essential part of that and Russia's actions today have put a massive block in the way of achieving a common Security Council position."
13.	Wide shot, cameramen

STORYLINE:

The Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations today briefed journalists at the United Nations, after Russia's decision to recognize the independence of two Georgian regions earlier in the day.

Ambassador Irakli Alasania said that Georgia adhered to the six principles agreed through the European Union Presidency and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.  He stressed that Georgia was complying with the ceasefire agreement reached, and demanded the same actions from all the parties to the conflict.

Asked whether the UN was the right place to resolve this conflict considering that the Russian Federation is a Security Council member with veto power on any resolution, Alasania said Security Council resolutions which clearly reaffirmed the territorial integrity of Georgia over the last fourteen years were still in effect. He added that "when we have an aggressor sate as a permanent member of the Security Council it is very hard to envisage any meaningful outcome or action at the Security Council."

Responding to when it would be possible to see Russia and Georgia engage in dialogue, the Georgian Ambassador said that an end to the occupation of the Georgian territory by the Russians military "may create in the future some conditions when these contacts might be possible."

Earlier, the French Ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix met journalists before Security Council consultations. Responding to a question on the future of  United Nations Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), he said that it was important to retain "one way or another" an international presence in Georgia because the situation there was still very volatile.

UK Ambassador John Sawers also spoke to journalists outside the Security Council. He said that the council members had been making progress on a Security Council resolution on Georgia, "but frankly territorial integrity was an essential part of that and Russia's actions today have put a massive block in the way of achieving a common Security Council position."

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

Breadcrumb Trail

Services

UN / GEORGIA (3.37)

Broadcast Quality Downloads

Full Script

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31