(18 Aug 2008) True Date Created = 16/08/2008
1. Wide establishing shot Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vano Merabishvili, Georgian Interior Minister:
"It's very interesting that after the signing (of) this agreement that Russian troops continue to take more and more cities and villages on the Georgian territory and we are permanently informing you about their activities and believe that the United States, western countries and all international organisations will press Russia to stop their activities and to began leave territory of Georgia."
3. Cutaway map of Georgia with marking to show where Russian troops are stationed
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Eric Fournier, French Ambassador to Georgia:
"Today when we entered Gori the situation was completely different. The town was empty so we wanted to meet the local authorities and finally we meet Mr Vardzelashvili, the governor of the city who was sitting alone with the member of the Georgian parliament who came from Tbilisi to support him. The two men were alone in the room, obviously they were exhausted, frightened, scared and their only concern was to bring support to the population. I'm moved, I'm sorry, by what I saw. Then when we left the governor we saw a woman crying because they didn't get food."
5. Close Eric Fournier, French Ambassador to Georgia
6. Press
STORYLINE:
The Georgian Interior Minister said on Saturday that Russians were still occupying Georgian territory despite the ceasefire agreement signed earlier today by the Russian president.
Vano Merabishvili urged the international community to take measures to ensure a Russian troop withdrawal.
"It's very interesting that after the signing (of) this agreement that Russian troops continue to take more and more cities and villages on the Georgian territory and we are permanently informing you about their activities and believe that the United States, western countries and all international organisations will press Russia to stop their activities and to began leave territory of Georgia," he said.
At a joint press conference at the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel in the capital, the French ambassador to Georgia, Eric Fournier, was visibly moved as he talked about his visit to Gori and the distress he witnessed there.
"Today when we entered Gori the situation was completely different. The town was empty so we wanted to meet the local authorities and finally we meet Mr Vardzelashvili, the governor of the city who was sitting alone with the member of the Georgian parliament who came from Tbilisi to support him," Fournier said.
"The two men were alone in the room, obviously they were exhausted, frightened, scared and their only concern was to bring support to the population. I'm moved, I'm sorry, by what I saw. Then when we left the governor we saw a woman crying because they didn't get food," he added.
Fournier had visited the city of Gori earlier on Saturday.
The city remained blocked by the Russian forces who Fournier said were denying access to humanitarian aid for the local population.
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