7 May 2008 Europe Whole and Free David J.Smith, Published in Tbilisi 24 Saati May 6, 2008. Following his April 16 quasi-annexation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian President Vladimir Putin last week rolled an additional 700 soldiers into Abkhazia. Since April 16, western leaders have met Putin’s gambit with uncharacteristically prompt, stiff and united condemnations. detailed 21 Apr 2008 No Time to Go Wobbly! David J. Smith, Published in Tbilisi 24 Saati April 21, 2008. Western reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s April 16 grab for the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was stiffer than he apparently expected. Two days later, he publicly called upon his government to “normalize” relations with Georgia. Western countries and institutions gained Putin’s attention. Now they must press Moscow to rescind Putin’s April 16 Instruction. detailed 16 Apr 2008 Moscow Moves to De Facto Annexation of Georgian Breakaway Regions Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst, 16 April 2008. Svante E. Cornell and David J. Smith. Moscow’s promised response to the Kosovo settlement in the Caucasus appears to be materializing. For several weeks, Russian leaders from President Vladimir Putin down have taken new bold steps that encroach even further and more directly on Georgia’s territorial integrity than is already the case. detailed 14 Apr 2008 Non, Nein, Nyet David J. Smith, Published in Tbilisi 24 Saati April 14, 2008. A day before the NATO Summit in the Romanian capital of Bucharest, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon combined his French non with a German nein to alliance Membership Action Plans (MAP) for Georgia and Ukraine. Fillon preferred instead a dialog with Russia. The gambit derailed MAP for these two countries at Bucharest, although the row it caused led directly an alliance promise of eventual membership for them. detailed