Gamkrelidze Commits to Non-Use of Force

Presidential hopeful Davit Gamkrelidze, leader of the opposition New Rights party, said on November 29 that, if elected, he would give a firm guarantee to Abkhazia on the non-use of force.

Moscow and the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been insisting that all sides sign a binding agreement on the non-resumption of hostilities. Tbilisi, however, refuses, saying it would do so only after the internationalization of the peace process.

Gamkrelidze told Georgian journalists that as President he would meet with Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh in Sokhumi to personally assure the separatist leader that Georgia would not seek a forceful resolution to the conflict.

He also said that he would immediately forego ?militaristic rhetoric? and would reduce defense spending to a level ?in line with NATO standards.?
 
Gamkrelidze also said he would, if elected, immediately demand the withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping forces from the conflict zones.

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