The Georgian government, which has spurned the Kremlin in recent years and tightened relations with the West, reacted with alarm.
Feuding, though conflictive between groups, nonetheless tightened relations within the muntun, where the yachaj's ties to spirits, supai, were understood to insulate and protect muntun members.
Those changes illustrate what may well be a worrying phenomenon for Washington as it seeks to contain Iran and isolate Syria: the two governments, and their people, are tightening relations on several fronts as power in the region shifts away from the once dominant Sunni to Shiites, led by Iran.
Authorities there also appeared to be concerned that hosting journalists from Mogadishu might anger Somaliland's powerful neighbor Ethiopia, which is backing Somalia's transitional government and tightening relations with Somaliland.
Joint cultural events will reportedly be held in Moscow and Pyongyang, among other cities, as part of the tightening relations, while a series of diplomatic exchanges will also take place this year, including a planned visit to the Russian capital for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in May.
Since then, the two countries have rapidly normalized their bilateral relations, upgraded investment ties, and are currently contemplating tightening defense relations.
Though Zeffirelli is being commended for his "valuable services to British performing arts", his knighthood will further tighten already close relations between Tony Blair's government and that of Silvio Berlusconi.
The study concluded with comments and suggestions on the application of bolt torque tightening in relation to the strength, fatigue life and damage tolerance characteristics of joints on similar fibre reinforced polymer laminate composite material systems.
And last year, the New York Times revealed that Monsanto had enlisted academics in a public relations campaign against tightening regulations on genetically modified organism crops.
