Saakashvili Speaks of Georgia’s Role in the Post-Soviet Space

President Mikheil Saakashvili said at a news conference on March 29 that Georgia has become “an important player” and “determinant of the [new] political fashion” in the post-Soviet space and stressed that active foreign policy should guarantee the country’s security.

“International politics is one of the main [factors] through which Georgia can protect itself… Georgia has gained unprecedented importance… Georgia was always in a passive position, in the position of waiting. Now, for the first time, we have become creators  of the processes which have established an absolutely different international environment around Georgia,” he said at a news conference, which was broadcasted live by the leading Georgian televisions late on Tuesday.

He said that Georgia played an important role in Moldova and facilitated in the negotiations between the opposition and the government. “I do not want to overestimate [Georgia’s role], but we facilitated the creation of a European-orientated government in that country [Moldova],” Saakashvili said.

He also stated that Georgia as a factor in Kyrgyzstan was also “very important.” “By the way [interim Kyrgyz] Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva [who was one of the leaders of the opposition], worked in Tbilisi in recent years and was the head of UN office in Abkhazia. During the Rose Revolution she was in Georgia and knew everything that was happening… the Georgian factor was a catalyst of many things going on there [in Kyrgyzstan],” Saakashvili added.

The Georgian President said that “a historic geopolitical revolution” is taking place on the post-Soviet space and this process “makes us stronger.”

“Georgia has become a determinant of the political fashion in the post-Soviet space… this is a fact, this is of historic importance and we should be proud of it, but [should not become too] self-congratulating,” he added.

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