US Senate calls on George Bush to convince Georgian authorities of the necessity to hold democratic elections

The US Senate has approved the resolution with an appeal to President George Bush to hold a talk with the leaders of Georgia that the early presidential elections in this country should be democratic, accompanied by a free work of all independent mass media.

The Senate "calls the US President to start an open debate with the leaders of Georgia and convey support to forthcoming presidential elections and expectations that these elections would be held in the manner compliant with democratic principles," runs the document. It is also emphasizing that President Bush should personally tell Georgian leaders about the principles of democracy, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

The document was adopted in the form of "Senate's Opinion"; it has recommendatory character and is not legally binding for the US President.

Meanwhile, as the "Caucasian Knot" has already informed, a monitoring interdepartmental governmental board to be headed by Minister of Justice Eka Tkeshelashvili was created under the acting President of Georgia. According to Eka Tkeshelashvili, the group will work in two directions: firstly, it will ensure maximal coordination of international and local observers; and secondly, it will take care to dispel any slightest suspicions of non-democratic elections.

Meanwhile, on December 13, Adam Mikhnik, Media Ombudsman of Poland and Adviser of the European Union on Press Matters, announced the membership of the Media Board created on his recommendations, which will be in charge of monitoring the mass media in the course of the pre-electoral presidential campaign in Georgia.