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The Moscow Times Moscow Guide – Winter 2008

Since the middle of autumn one of the most important topics of discussion, could only be … no, not the financial crisis… New Year! The winter issue of The Moscow Times Moscow Guide is entirely devoted to New Years celebrations. Seven great ideas for celebrating the “Night of Nights” will help readers finalise their plans and choose how and where to party, give fresh ideas and lots of practical advice.

And don’t forget – problems will come by themselves, but happiness and luck need an invitation. That why the more cheerful and light-hearted your celebration of the coming holiday is, the happier and more successful 2009 will be for you.

The Crisis: Signs of a Kremlin Fearful Of Unrest
Sociologist Yevgeny Gontmakher has painted a disturbing picture of what might emerge from the financial crisis, forecasting continued unemployment, huge protests and spreading violence.

Market Matters: Huge Grain Harvest No Boon for Farmers
This year Russia is enjoying the biggest grain harvest it has ever seen -- and farmers couldn't be more worried.



Tuesday, January 06, 2009 Updated at 31 December 2008 22:36 Moscow Time.

The Moscow Times » Issue 4000 » News

No Immediate Access to Georgia Zone for EU

01 October 2008By Margarita Antidze, Matt Robinson / ReutersTBILISI, Georgia -- The Russian military said Tuesday that European Union cease-fire monitors would not have immediate access to its "security zone" inside Georgia, drawing accusations from Tbilisi that it was stalling a promised troop pullback.

After routing Georgian forces in a five-day war in August, Russia established the buffer zone on Georgian territory adjoining South Ossetia, a rebel, pro-Russian province that Moscow has now recognized as an independent state.

EU monitors want to enter the zone so Moscow can withdraw from it as promised under a French-brokered cease-fire, but the Russian military said a technical agreement on access had not yet been finalized.

"From tomorrow, representatives of the European Union will begin conducting monitoring up to the southern borders of the security zone," Vitaly Manushko, spokesman for Russian peacekeepers around South Ossetia, told reporters in the Georgian village of Karaleti.

He said "work will continue" on the question of EU access.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, visiting the Georgian capital Tbilisi, said in response to the Russian comments that he was "optimistic" that Moscow would comply with the cease-fire deal to pull back from security zones inside Georgia by Oct. 10.

"I am optimistic that all parties will comply with the agreement that was signed," Solana said.

The EU mission in Georgia played down the significance of not patrolling the security zone from Oct. 1. "The technical talks are an ongoing process," an official with the mission said on condition of anonymity.

"The idea was never for the Russians to completely withdraw by Oct 1. We'll give them time to pack up and go back," the official said. "We never expected to be running around the security zone from [Oct. 1]."

Georgia accused Russia of "trying to prolong the process" and said the 10-day countdown for Russia to withdraw from undisputed Georgian territory would start Wednesday.