GEORGIA: Hundreds of Georgians rally in Tbilisi in support of Ukrainian anti-government protests

Record ID: 214117

  • Title: GEORGIA: Hundreds of Georgians rally in Tbilisi in support of Ukrainian anti-government protests
  • Date: 11th December 2013
  • Summary: TBILISI, GEORGIA (DECEMBER 11, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WITH GEORGIAN AND UKRAINIAN FLAGS PROTESTERS WITH BANNER READING "WE SUPPORT UKRAINE" PROTESTERS GATHERED (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER GEORGIA'S SECURITY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, GIGA BOKERIA, SAYING: "It's solidarity to the Ukrainian nation and Ukrainian public's free choice and their right to be part of the free world and to get out of this post Soviet swamp. That is a strong choice of the Ukrainian people and they have a right to pursue that path." PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING "YANUKOVICH - GO HOME YOU'RE DRUNK" PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING "STOP MOSCOW" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED ON FREEDOM SQUARE
  • Embargoed: 26th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Georgia
  • Country: Georgia
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAC3A1ZQ12I8D701FYVLVDNOQ8A
  • Story Text: Hundreds of people gathered in central Tbilisi on Wednesday (December 11) evening to show their support for the ongoing anti-government protests taking place in Ukraine.
    Around 500 people took to Freedom Square waving the Georgian and Ukrainian flags and holding banners reading slogos such as "Stop Moscow" and "Yanukovich - go home you're drunk", referring to the Ukrainian President who's decision to reject a trade agreement with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia has sparked more than two weeks of mass demonstrations in Kiev.
    Thousands of protesters remained in a make-shift camp on Kiev's Independence Square on Wednesday, despite freezing temperatures and overnight attempts by riot police to destroy barricades and clear some people from the area.
    After meetings with the U.S. assistant secretary of state and the EU's foreign policy chief, Yanukovich on Wednesday invited all parties, including the opposition, for talks to find a political compromise to a growing political crisis.
    In a statement on his website, Yanukovich said the opposition should not refuse and should "not go down the road of confrontation and ultimatums". EU and U.S. officials had demanded he launch a dialogue with all parties after more than two weeks of protests in central Kiev.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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