Georgia Accuses Putin of ‘Deliberate Misrepresent’

Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili said in a response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s criticism voiced after the EU-Russia summit on October 20 that the Russian leader “deliberately misrepresented facts about the nature” of the tensions between Russia and Georgia.

Speaking at a late-night news conference Gela Bezhuashvili said he would “never have expected that the President of such a great country would respond in such a clearly inaccurate manner – and would directly insult the intelligence of his European colleagues.”

He said that tension between Georgia and Russia “is about a clash of values.”

“Mr. Putin is using Georgia as a pretext to evade this simple fact.  It is a clash between European values and practices and those that are practiced in Russia today.  In doing so he has chosen to misrepresent the facts – and I am here to correct them for you,” Bezhuashvili said.

In a statement Gela Bezhuashvili listed, what he called “deliberate inaccuracies” made by President Putin during his remarks at a news conference in Lahti, Finland after the EU-Russia summit.

“Deliberate inaccuracy number one: Never in history has there been genocide against the people of South Ossetia.  The leadership of Russia would appear to be reassembling facts AND history to suit their own versions and interests,” Bezhuashvili said.

“Deliberate inaccuracy number two:  In the case of Abkhazia, ethnic cleansing was conducted there.  And it was conducted against 500,000 people with troops that were armed and supported and sponsored by the Russian Federation – and this included more than 280,000 ethnic Georgians.  None of these people are allowed back to their homes due to the presence of Russian troops who do not allow them to return,” the Georgian Foreign Minister said.

“Deliberate inaccuracy number three:  The Government of Georgia and the people of Georgia have no intention to use force against its citizens – as repeatedly stated.  This is a pure fiction, and the Russian President knows this but chooses to presume that the international community is ignorant,” Bezhuashvili said.

He also said that Georgia welcomes “the Russian President’s expression of interest in re-establishing a dialogue between Russia and Georgia.”

But he also warned that “irresponsible and cynical promotion of separatism by greater regional powers” may lead to “a blood baths and disasters.”

“We do not need this.  Europe does not need this.  The world does not need this,” Bezhuashvili said.

In an interview with Associated Press Gela Bezhuashvili called on EU for more support.

“We need your voice, the collective unified voice of Europe,” Gela Bezhuashvili said.

“Don’t leave us alone,” he added.

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