Nantes: Solidarity with Georgia (go to original site)
A report from our Kutaisi LDA Partner: (translated by David Mayer)

A delegation from Nantes to Tbilisi

From 2 to 4 September 2008, Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Mayor of Nantes, and Gaston Bouatchidzé, President of the Nantes-Tbilisi Association, led a delegation to the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

A Reception was held at the French Embassy followed by a meeting at the Georgian Parliament where an interview took place with the mayor of Tbilisi, Guigui Ougoulava. The delegation also visited schools receiving refugees.

The mission wanted to ensure the proper receipt of humanitarian aid and a meeting was arranged at the City Hall on Wednesday, August 27, 2008

On his arrival in Tbilisi, Jean-Marc Ayrault met with Georgian parliamentarians where he was provided with an update on the situation in Tbilisi and their efforts to meet the most urgent needs of the population.

The Georgian parliamentarians expressed their solidarity with the government’s efforts to manage the crisis and said it will ensure "territorial integrity".
They welcomed the visit by Jean-Marc Ayrault, the first French parliamentarian to visit since the conflict began.

Later, Jean-Marc Ayrault visited the French Embassy to discuss recent decisions by the European Council with the diplomats in Tbilisi.
He then visited a school that had been converted into a reception centre and accommodation of refugees in Tbilisi

On Wednesday, 3 September 2008, Jean-Marc Ayrault met in the his counterpart, Mamuka Katsarava, Mayor of Tbilisi . In the afternoon, the Nantes delegation visited the Gori region, scene of numerous clashes and bombings

Tuesday, 2 September: Jean-Marc Ayrault visit a reception centre and accommodation of refugees in Tbilisi

Tuesday, 2 September: Jean-Marc Ayrault talks with Georgian President Saakashvili

Wednesday, 3 September: Jean-Marc Ayrault met his counterpart Guigui Ougoulava, Mayor of Tbilisi

The meeting was attended by Mr. Mamuka Katsarava, Director of Social Action and Culture; Mrs Nelli Sebiskveradze, director of Culture, and Ms. Lela Kiladze, executive director of the Administration of the Municipality of Tbilisi.

Wednesday, 3 September: delegation visit to the Gori region

Jean-Marc Ayrault visited sites bombed by the Russians in Gori, a town of 45000 inhabitants where there are 6000 refugees who cannot return to villages destroyed or still under Russian control.

5 km of Gori, accompanied by the Governor of Gori, he visited the checkpoint of Karalati, controlled by the Russian army. The Russian General refused to allow them to visit the Georgian villages beyond the control point.



The Russians have several checkpoints in the region, thus confirming that the 6 points of the ceasefire are still not fully respected. The deputy mayor hopes that this issue can be addressed by the President of the European Union, Nicolas Sarkozy and Javier Solana during their meeting with Russian President shortly.



Humanitarian convoy for Georgia

A first convoy of humanitarian emergency aid has left the City Hall, on Wednesday, August 27, bound for Tbilisi.

27 August 2008: The City of Nantes in with the collaboration of several partners, including the Food Bank, sent a humanitarian aid convoy of essential goods to Tbilisi