Georgia said today a Paris-based satellite operator had cut transmission of a new Georgian TV channel to the Caucasus and Russia's turbulent south under pressure from Russia but the company denied Moscow was involved, Reuters reported. Russian-language First Caucasian, part of Georgia's public broadcaster, began broadcasting in January to a region including Russia's restless republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan, where Moscow is fighting a growing Islamic insurgency. 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, when Russia crushed an assault by U.S. ally Georgia on rebel South Ossetia. But on Monday, the channel said 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 Caucasian 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 Russian state-run energy giant Gazprom. "We do not have official confirmation but in private talks French officials from Eutelsat say that there is pressure from Moscow," said First Caucasian head of news Katya Kotrikadze.
