The Estonian Public Broadcaster interviews President Zourabichvili
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, May 24
The Estonian Public Broadcaster has asked Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on what she would tell Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country is now occupying the 20 percent of Georgian land.
“I wonder what Putin would tell me. He must take the first step. Today the problem for all our European partners in terms of Russia is that Russia acts improperly with the international community and does not respect anything.
“This concerns not only Georgia but everyone in general. So what type of dialogue can we have under such conditions? I will not have a dialogue with Putin, I will only remind him that he has violated all the obligations,” Zourabichvili said.
The Estonian Public Broadcaster also asked a question about 'frozen conflicts' with Russia.
Zourabichvili answered that these are not frozen conflicts, only occupied territories.
“We do not have frozen conflicts. We have occupied territories. There had been frozen conflicts earlier. As for the occupied territories, yes, this is our major problem.
“This is a major problem daily. This is tragedy not only for the locals living on the territory controlled by the central Georgian government near occupation lines, but also for the population living beyond the artificial boundaries, as well as for the 300,000 IDPs we have in the country [who were forced to leave their homes due to the Russia-Georgia 2008 war and other conflicts with the involvement of Georgia],” Zourabichvili said.
Zurabishvili stated, however, that Russia failed to change the country’s Euro-Atlantic course.
“Russia must be disappointed. We may even be more motivated now because we know that we do not have any other perspective or alternative,” the president said.
A member of the United National Movement opposition Giorgi Kandelaki shares the view that Russia must take the first step and withdraw its forces from the Georgian territory.
However, he added that the president frequently makes such statements which harm the Georgian interests.
“For example, when she said that the US bases must not be located in Georgia as this may irritate Russia and create tension,” Kandelaki said.
Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria have recognized two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent republics in the wake of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia and urge the country to adhere to the August 2008 ceasefire agreement with Georgia, mediated by France, and withdraw its troops from the Georgian territory.
Russia says that it "helps its Abkhazian and Ossetian allies as Georgia might attack them."
