TBILISI, Georgia — Georgia said Monday that a Paris-based satellite operator had cut transmission of a new Georgian television channel under pressure from Russia, but the company denied that Moscow was involved.
Russian-language First Caucasus, part of Georgia's public broadcaster, began broadcasting in January to a region including Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan.
The channel ?€” with a talk show hosted by the widow of former Chechen separatist leader Dzhokhar Dudayev ?€” marked the latest broadside in the propaganda battle between Russia and Georgia since their five-day war in August 2008.
But the channel said Monday that satellite operator Eutelsat had ceased transmission after a trial period despite what the Georgians said was a deal to continue on its W7 satellite.
First Caucasus said it came after Eutelsat signed a long-term lease contract on Jan. 15 for use of the W7 satellite by Moscow-based company Intersputnik to, among other things, boost the range of channels offered by the powerful media unit of state-owned Gazprom.
"We do not have official confirmation, but in private talks French officials from Eutelsat say that there is pressure from Moscow," said First Caucasus' head of news, Katya Kotrikadze.
Eutelsat spokeswoman Vanessa O'Connor said the company did not have a contract with the Georgian public broadcaster to cover broadcasting beyond the trial period and denied being pressured by Russia.
"We're a commercial company. … We're not a political animal," O'Connor said.
She said Eutelsat did not have "technical availability" on the W7 satellite but had offered alternatives.
"We believe we have the capacity that will provide them with the coverage they want," O'Connor said.
The Georgian public broadcaster said alternative satellites were unsuitable.
An Intersputnik spokeswoman said she was unable to comment, and a Gazprom spokesman could not immediately be reached.
Kotrikadze said the broadcaster would sue Eutelsat in the French courts and was "reviewing alternative options" for further broadcasting. The channel continues to broadcast within Georgia and on the Internet.
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