Abkhazia, Venezuela to sign document on diplomatic relations shortly

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CARACAS, September 13 (Itar-Tass) - Abkhazia and Venezuela plan
signing a document on establishment of diplomatic relations between the
two countries in the next few days, Abkhazian Deputy Foreign Minister
Maxim Gvindzhiya told Itar-Tass Saturday.
He said members of the delegation he stands at the head of hope for a
personal meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez so as to use this
opportunity "for expressing our personal gratitude to him for the huge
step like the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia's independence."
"The process of recognition of Abkhazia's independence is supported by
many countries but no one ventures to make the first step, while President
Hugo Chavez made it courageously," Gvindzhiya said. "We are thankful to
him not only for the fact of recognition but also for the independent
policies he conducts."
Chavez's position and the influence that Venezuela has in Latin
America make it possible to continue working towards recognition of
Abkhazia by other countries in this region of the world, he said.
"In the first place, we concentrate our efforts on the countries
conducting an independent policy - Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua,
Ecuador and other states making up the Bolivarian Alliance /ALBA/,"
Gvindzhiya said.
As part of the visit of Latin America that began last week, the
Abkhazian delegation visited Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and returned to
Caracas Saturday.
Russia recognized the independence of the two former regions of
Georgia -- Abkhazia and South Ossetia -- at the end of August 2008
following an armed operation, in the course of which it had to defend
South Ossetia from an aggression committed by the Georgian Armed Forces.
Recognition on the part of Nicaragua followed suit, and Venezuela made
public its decision to recognize the two new countries a few days ago.

.Ukrainian showbiz start throw shoulder into premier's election
campaign.

KIEV, September 13 (Itar-Tass) - A number of Ukrainian showbiz stars
gave a concert Saturday night in the support of Prime Minister Yulia
Timoshenko's ambitions for presidency.
The event that drew thousands upon thousands of spectators to the
Maidan - Independence Square in downtown Kiev - involved much-loved
popular performers Ani Lorak, Ruslana, Tina Karol, Irina Bilyk, the duo
Potap and Nastya Kamenskikh and some others who have signed up to
Timoshenko's election campaign.
The Prime Minister, whose fiery speeches echoed through the Maidan
during the 'orange revolution' of December 2004 when she supported her
would-be bitter foe Viktor Yushchenko, assisted performers on the stage
wearing jeans and a white blouse, with her trademark braid loosened this
time.
The square and the stage were decorated with emblems of the Yulia
Timoshenko bloc - a purple heart placed against a whitish background.
One could read a phrase saying 'Ukraine with Yulia in its Heart' on
the slogans.
After the concert in Kiev, an impressive troupe of Timoshenko
supporters from among showbiz people moved on to other places to unfold
the campaign.
Officially, it should start October 19 and the election itself has
been scheduled for January 17, 2010.

.Romanian operatic star Angela Georghiu to give concert in Moscow.

MOSCOW, September 13 (Itar-Tass) - Connoisseurs of operatic art in
Moscow have a real feast Sunday, as one of the most top-rated operatic
prima donnas, Angela Georghiu of Romania is to appear on the stage of
Barkhikha Luxury Village concert hall in Moscow together with Marius
Minea, a Romanian tenor.
Georghiu and Minea will perform to the accompaniment of Russia's State
Academic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Giordano Bellincampi, the
artistic director of the Danish National Opera.
The program of the concert includes the vest arias from the operas by
Verdi, Puccini, Catalani, Donizetti, and Mascagni.
Angela Georghiu got international fame after she performed in Puccini'
s La boheme in the Royal Opera House in London in 1992. From that moment
on, all the major opera companies of the world flung their doors open for
her.
Her acting is generally considered to be one of her best assets. It
could be perfectly well seen in the cinematic version of Puccini's where
she acted in front of her husband, the internationally renowned tenor
Roberto Alagna.
-0-kle