Saakashvili Warns Against Kosovo Precedent

“Alarming signals” are coming from Russia in respect of breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, President Saakashvili said on February 14.

He said that Kosovo would declare independence on February 17 and western powers were expected to recognize it in the following days.

“Statements about Georgia’s separatist territories were made in this context even today,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s February 14 statement about Kosovo.

“We will never let any powerful or weak side [country] infringe our territorial integrity or sovereignty,” Saakashvili said. “We are at a decisive moment… Georgia has no land to lose. This is my sincere and friendly warning to everyone.”