Bush: Georgia Has Will to Succeed

U.S. President George W. Bush reiterated on May 18 that the United States will help Georgia?s democratic development, adding that Georgians ?have the will to succeed.?

President Bush made the remarks at a dinner honoring members of the International Republican Institute, a non-governmental organization that runs democracy training programs and monitors elections in more than 60 countries.

The U.S. President also spoke about his impressions of visiting Georgia on May 9-10. ?It was a fantastic honor to represent our country in front of thousands of people, and to stand side-by-side with a true lover of freedom, President Saakashvili,? Bush said.

?Yet, it has taken nearly 15 years of struggle for the citizens of this young democracy to establish freedom and justice in their country. But I’ve seen the resolve of Georgia’s leaders, and the spirit of the Georgian people. And I can assure you: They have the will to succeed, and the United States of America will help them,? he added.

President Bush did not comment on a recent report by the FBI and Georgian officials that a hand-grenade that was found on Freedom Square on May 10, just 30 meters away from the stage wherein the President addressed the nation, was functional.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that ?the President wants to see the results of the investigation.?

?There’s an ongoing criminal investigation into this matter? They [FBI and Georgian officials] did make a statement about what they have learned at this point, and beyond that, I think we need to let the investigation proceed and let them look at all these facts and gather those facts. And then we’ll be able to talk more about it at that point,? the White House spokesman said at a news briefing in Washington on May 18.

Bryan Paarmann, legal attach? at the U.S. Embassy in Georgia who also leads the FBI office in Tbilisi, said at a news conference on May 18 that someone tossed a live hand-grenade into the crowd while the U.S. President was making a public speech and only a malfunction stopped the grenade from exploding.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)