Saakashvili Reiterates Tough Stance on Russia

In separate interviews with Reuters and BBC on Sunday President Saakashvili reiterated that Russia was to blame for cutting off the gas supply to Georgia.

“Basically what happened is totally outrageous and we are dealing with an outrageous blackmail by people who do not want to behave in a civilized way,” Saakashvili later told Reuters.

He told the BBC that Georgia has been blackmailed over the country’s trunk gas pipeline, which is a major pipeline system which ships gas from Russia throughout Georgia, as well as to Armenia.

“We’ve received numerous threats by Russian politicians and officials at different levels to punish us for basically for not giving them pipelines,” Saakashvili said.

Earlier on Sunday Saakashvili said in a televised address that Russia is ?an unprincipled blackmailer,? which pressures Georgia through its energy policy.

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