Saakashvili: 'Russia does not change our territory on our own geo-strategic aspirations'

Russia will never cede to Georgia, especially on Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said at a joint briefing with the European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström in Tbilisi on Monday.

"I personally proposed that Russian President Vladimir Putin changes the geopolitical orientation in exchange for returning Abkhazia and South Ossetia," he said. "However, he told me personally that Russia does not change our territory on our own geo-strategic aspirations."

Saakashvili said that he has voiced this issue at least 50 times, but the answer was always the same.

Unfortunately, I have heard from some young people: let's abandon the EU and NATO, but return Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. Unfortunately, Russia voluntarily has never ceded to anyone, this is a matter of history."

The Georgian President again urged the new government to preserve freedom of the press, as well as the coexistence of parties. This will give Georgia an opportunity to get associate membership at the Vilnius summit.

Large scale military actions were launched in South Ossetia in Georgia on August 8, 2008.
Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military. Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia late in August. Tbilisi ended diplomatic relations with Moscow in response and has declared the two unrecognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.


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