(20 Aug 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of presidential residence in capital
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgian President:
"I think what Russians indeed are doing now is that they are feeling uncomfortable in the urban centres like Gori, where they are surrounded by the hostile population that is, mildly saying, not welcoming their occupation, and what they are trying now is that they are going around and trying to grab new strategic areas in Georgia like town of Akhalgori claiming that it is South Ossetia. It has not been South Ossetia at all until now, trying to dig in near the port of Poti, trying to destroy as many strategic assets as they can and basically carry on with destruction, as they initially told western diplomats, with the annihilation of Georgia. And what we are seeing now is clear regrouping."
3. Cutaway of map of Georgia
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgian President:
"If they will not withdraw it is not only up to us to do something, but the international community should react to it promptly. I don't think that people would just say OK that is fine, at least there is some progress, because frankly, until there is one single Russian soldier on the territory of Georgia there is no progress, there is no such thing as Russian peacekeepers. (German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel clearly said that there should be no Russian peacekeepers. Nobody should rest until there is genuine international peacekeeping force, until the results of ethnic cleansing that is being committed right now as we speak in the town of Akhalgori this time because they have already cleansed the other areas, until those results are reversed and until Russia clearly recognises the territorial integrity of Georgia or at least stops undermining this territorial integrity."
5. Wide of Georgian flag on dome of presidential residence
STORYLINE
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said on Wednesday that Russian troops were repositioning themselves within Georgia, and called on the international community to take action.
Speaking to AP Television in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, Saakashvili said he did not believe Russia would fulfil its promise to withdraw from most of the country in the coming days.
Saakashvili said Russia's army was thinning out its presence in some of the towns it holds, while seizing new territory in the ex-Soviet republic.
"I think what Russians indeed are doing now is that they are feeling uncomfortable in the urban centres like Gori, where they are surrounded by the hostile population that is, mildly saying, not welcoming their occupation, and what they are trying now is that they are going around and trying to grab new strategic areas of Georgia like town of Akhalgori claiming that it is South Ossetia," Saakashvili said.
Saakashvili said that the Russian forces were "trying to destroy as many strategic assets as they can" in order to "annihilate" Georgia.
"What we are seeing now is clear regrouping," he insisted.
He made an impassioned plea to the international community to react swiftly to the alleged advancement.
"Nobody should rest until there is genuine international peacekeeping force, until the results of ethnic cleansing that is being committed right now as we speak in the town of Akhalgori this time because they have already cleansed the other areas, until those results are reversed and until Russia clearly recognises the territorial integrity of Georgia."
Russia sent tanks and troops into Georgia after Tbilisi launched a heavy artillery barrage on August 7 on the separatist, pro-Russian province of South Ossetia.
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