Burjanadze Comments on Helicopter Incident
Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said on September 5 that Georgia remains committed to peacefully solving the South Ossetian conflict despite a September 3 incident involving a Georgian helicopter being fired at.
She said that the shooting at a Georgian army helicopter carrying Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was ?an unprecedented fact? which should not be left ?without an adequate reaction.?
?Actions of this kind should be absolutely ruled out over Georgia airspace and Georgian airspace should be absolutely safe. Everyone should understand that actions of this kind will not remain without a response,? Nino Burjanadze said.
She has instructed MP Kote Gabashvili, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs, ?to promptly inform? international organizations and ?friendly Parliaments [of other countries] and to urge them to adequately react to this very alarming fact.?
?Despite this fact, we confirm that we are still in favor of a peaceful solution of the conflict and we will spare no effort to implement a peace plan,? Nino Burjanadze said.
Burjanadze was speaking at a session of the Parliamentary Bureau ? a body uniting senior MPs that outlines the schedule of the legislative body. It was an opening session ahead of the Parliament?s autumn plenary sessions.
Burjanadze said that the remaining months of 2006 will be of crucial importance and ?decisive for Georgia?s near future.?
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