Two policemen attacked in Ingushetia.

NAZRAN, July 23 (Itar-Tass) - Two policemen have been wounded in a
fire attack in the Republic of Ingushetia , the Northern Caucasus. Both have been taken to hospital.

The republic's Interior Ministry says the gunmen opened fire from a
dark-coloured VAZ 2110 car at around 1.00 a.m Moscow time.
The criminals who escaped the crime scene are on search.

.US Vice-President Joe Biden to speak in Georgian parliament.

TBILISI, July 23 (Itar-Tass) - U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden who is on
a working visit in Georgia will address the national parliament on
Thursday.
He will also hold separate meetings with President Mikhail Saakashvili
and members of the Georgian government.
According to the Georgian authorities, the sides will discuss the
United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership that was signed in
Washington on January 9 this year and the conversion of its provisions
into a series of bilateral agreements on trade, energy security, culture,
science and facilitation of the visa regime.
Besides, Biden is to meet the leaders of several non-parliamentary
opposition organisations. They were chosen at the discretion of the U.S.
side and reportedly include Irakly Alasaniya, Nino Burdzhanadze and Levan
Gachechiladze as well as Georgy Targamadze, the head of the parliamentary
opposition faction of 'Christian Democrats'.
In the meantime, the Georgian opposition adopted an appeal to the
U.S. vice-president at a rally in Tbilisi late on Wednesday. The
opposition members said that they hoped that the new U.S. administration
would assist in the restoration of democratic principles in the country -
the observation of human rights, the freedom of press, independent courts
and the holding of early elections.
Opposition leaders Nino Burdzhanadze, Salome Zurabishvili and other
politicians said in their speeches that the action was designed to
demonstrate adherence to Western democratic values.
In his speech at a reception given in the Georgian president's
palace on Wednesday, Biden described Georgia as a vital strategic partner
of the United States. He said that many people around the globe were
watching how Georgia was building a democratic state and how democracy
would develop in Georgia because the latter was a very important country
for the entire region and its future.
Biden promised to help Georgia in the provision of its energy
security. He said that Washington welcomed Georgia's vital role in this
process and added that it was a bridge for the transportation of natural
resources from the Caspian region to the West.
The U.S. vice-president confirmed the U.S. intention to develop
partnership with Georgia based on a solid basis.
In turn, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili thanked the United
States for its support for the people of Georgia and the country's
territorial integrity. He said that with Western help Georgia would
achieve re-unification and revival by peaceful means.
Saakashvili thanked U.S. President Barack Obama for voicing his firm
and clear support of Georgia's territorial integrity during his recent
visit to Moscow.
The Georgian president awarded Joseph Biden with the Order of St.
George - the highest civilian award in Georgia.

.Belarus insists visitors to Abkhazia & SOssetia observe Georgian laws.

MINSK, July 23 (Itar-Tass) - The Belarussian Foreign Ministry has
recommended Belarusian nationals to observe Georgian laws for visiting
Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"The Georgian laws have imposed restrictions on free movement of
foreign citizens in the territories of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the
adjacent territorial waters," Alexander Lukashevich, the deputy head of
the main consular department of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, told
journalists on Wednesday.
"Foreigners can enter Abkhzia and South Ossetia exclusively from two
directions - the Zugdidi and Gori municipalities, respectively. Crossing
into Abkhazia or South Ossetia from any other direction without special
permission from the Georgian authorities is forbidden and will be punished
in accordance with the Georgian Criminal Code," the Belarusian diplomat
went on to say.
"We inistently recommend our citizens to take account of these
provisions of the Georgian legislation when planning trips to Abkhazia and
South Ossetia," Lukashevich said.


.Greek sailor recovering from surgery in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, July 23 (Itar-Tass) - A Greek woman sailor
from the Irenes Remedy container ship has undergone surgery in
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia's Kamchatka region.
The patient feels well, a hospital source told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
In the evening of July 21, the Greek vessel that was approximately 360
miles away from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, contacted the regional centre by
radio and asked for help. A woman sailor onboard was having acute
appendicitis and had to be operated urgently. The Irenes Remedy changed
its course and headed for the Russian coast.
On July 22, when the container ship was 80 miles away from
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a helicopter picked up the patient and airlifted
her to the shore where she was taken to hospital.
At present, the woman is recovering after successful surgery.

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