Vandalized bust of Georgian poet restored in Jerusalem.

TBILISI, August 28 (Itar-Tass) -- In Jerusalem, restoration work has
been completed on the bust of Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli, which
suffered at the hands of vandals last April, Georgian embassy officials in
Israel said on Friday.
The restoration of the bust was performed by the Jerusalem
Municipality with assistance from Georgian Culture Ministry specialists.
The municipality's officials said that the authorities had put the area
around the bust in order and would take care of the monument in the future.
On April 17 the Georgian Orthodox Church expressed indignation over
the damage caused to the bust of Rustaveli, which had been unveiled near
the Monastery of the Cross in 2005. Then, the Georgian Foreign Ministry
lodged a corresponding note with the Israeli Foreign Ministry over the
incident.

.United Russia to talk about Khimki forest with all but rioters.

MOSCOW, August 28 (Itar-Tass) -- The project for laying a new highway
between Moscow and St. Petersburg should be tailored to the views of all
parties concerned, but "for rioters there can be no place at the
negotiating table," the secretary of the United Russia General Council's
presidium, State Duma Deputy Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin told the media.
He fully supported Friday's statement by Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin, who said that "sometimes an environmental issue may be used for
political purposes, and even for economic competition." Volodin said, "we
agreed the appeal we made yesterday with Putin as the leader of our party."
"He is aware of the debate that has begun within the party on this
issue, and his statement reflects the opinions that were voiced during
that debate," he said.
Volodin is certain that "the government has made the right decision to
build a new highway that would link Moscow and St. Petersburg, because the
current one is overburdened with traffic problems," but "now there must be
an open discussion and the opinions of residents, environmental
organizations, transport companies, builders and those citizens who use
this road, taken into account.
"Of course, there can be no absolute solutions suiting absolutely all
stakeholders in all aspects. But in choosing the optimal route it is
necessary to hear and consider the views of all. The party suggests
gathering once again to discuss the issues involved," he said.
At the same time, Volodin warned that United Russia was categorically
against inviting into this discussion "those who have discredited
themselves by abusing the law."
"We do not accept the position of some provocateurs and rioters, who
use the Khimki forest affair for self-advertising and for achieving
selfish goals. It is very wrong to deceive people using environmental
problems as an excuse. Those who seek to protect the forest must remain
civilized human beings, and not wild beasts. There must follow a detailed
inquiry into who stands behind the abuse of order and hooliganism. We
believe that all those who in the course of the conflict over the Khimki
forest committed crimes should be punished by law," the official website
of the United Russia party quotes Volodin as saying.
On Thursday the United Russia party asked President Dmitry Medvedev to
look into the dispute over the plans for laying the highway across the
Khimki forest northwest of Moscow and to order another analysis of this
problem by experts. As the head of the party's Supreme Council, State Duma
Speaker Boris Gryzlov, has acknowledged, the situation appears to be a no
easy one and even inside the party views on this issue are different."
"In this connection we consider it necessary to more thoroughly
investigate this matter and, depending on a yet-to-be made decision either
to alter the route of the road or continue the work on the basis of
in-depth research into this issue," he said.
The head of the United Russia party's public council for cooperation
with the mass media and expert community, Alexei Chesnakov, promised that
the discussion with the participation of experts would start on Monday.
"On August 30th there will be a meeting of the Public Council.
Experts, environmentalists and specialists in road construction will be
invited," he informed said. "The Khimki forest affair will be in focus."

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