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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 4035 » News

Salvatore Di Nolfi / AP

Gvindzhiya arriving for talks at the UN's offices in Geneva on Wednesday.

8 Parties Kick Off Georgia Talks

20 November 2008GENEVA -- European Union mediators said Wednesday that they had succeeded in getting talks restarted between Russia and Georgia to resolve security and refugee issues left over from the conflict in South Ossetia.

Pierre Morel of the 27-nation EU said it is the first time since the war in August that all of the parties, including separatists, have met directly.

They are building on a first attempt at negotiations that broke down last month after the sides failed even to agree on the format of the talks.

Morel said Wednesday that eight parties met behind closed doors at UN offices in Geneva for the one-day talks and agreed to meet again next month.

The other participants are Russia, Georgia, the United Nations, the United States and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Maxim Gvindzhiya, the deputy foreign minister of Abkhazia's separatist government, expressed hope that the talks would eventually lead the parties to resolve their differences but warned that "it's a long process."

More than 160,000 people fled fighting that broke out Aug. 7 when Georgian forces launched an attack to regain control of South Ossetia. Russian forces repelled the attack and drove deep into Georgia.

The UN refugee agency estimates that more than 30,000 people are still unable to return to their homes because of insecurity.