Saakashvili’s Statement on Border Control, NATO, Separatists

President Saakashvili’s remarks at the meeting with a group of Georgian veterans of the armed conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which was aired by the Georgian televisions.

You know that in recent months we have been preparing for certain provocations, that might have taken place in connection with recognition of Kosovo’s independence. Believe me, the only reason why it was clearly stated that the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia would not be recognized, is that Georgia stands firm on its feet. Let’s imagine that tents are installed throughout the entire country and the state functioning is in a mess… Let’s imagine that Georgia is in the situation of civil war, let’s imagine that there is chaos and clashes in Georgia, similar to the situation in 1991. In that case these territories would have been recognized immediately. We managed to avoid it at the expense of holding elections, democratic development, calmness and stability. Georgia is strong and it can react adequately in any situation.

[South Ossetian leader Eduard] Kokoity has been repeating for past three years that [South Ossetia’s] independence would be recognized next week. With the Kosovo issue approaching, [Abkhaz leader Sergey] Bagapsh also started talking about it. He said: I have exact information that our independence will be recognized in the nearest few weeks. Now these people – Bagapsh, Kokoity and other separatists – have been left empty-handed. Their patrons did not dare to give this issue a go-ahead. This is a huge domestic and foreign political victory of Georgia.”
 
The second issue is – I visited Moscow several days ago. You know that we had negotiations with the Russian government and the Russian government gave its consent on joint control of Psou [at the Abkhaz-Russian border] and Roki Tunnel [at the South Ossetian-Russian border] – border crossing points and customs checkpoints there.

We do not know technical details yet, how this measure will be implemented. But this is already a huge step forward and a breakthrough.

The Russian governmental officials have expressed their willingness to finally delimitate border – hence complete legalization Russo-Georgian border on the sections including Psou [Rive dividing Abkhazia from the Russian Federation] and Roki.

And yesterday I saw totally disappointed separatists. [Interior Minister of breakaway South Ossetia Mikhail] Mindzaev, who is a bandit sent from Russia – he cannot be called differently – turned to Russians and told them that if Russia allows Georgians to control the Roki tunnel, he would fight against both Russia and Georgia. Those who have sent him [Mindzaev to South Ossetia] deserve such rhetoric from him [Mindzaev].

I recalled [Chechen warlord Shamil] Basayev [who fought against the Georgian troops in Abkhazia in early 90s] – they sent Basayev and later Basayev turned against Russia [during the war in Chechnya]. Today there is no Basayev, but there is Mindzaev. We should all learn a lesson on our previous mistakes and previous problems.

The representatives of the secessionist authorities returned from talks in Geneva very unsatisfied, because unlike many previous talks, the Georgian delegation succeeded in most the issues raised, including return of refugees, their property – and those complains which were pushed previously regarding the Kodori Gorge, the Ganmukhuri camp remained in the past. This is another step ahead.

You also know that – we are working hard over this issue with Koba [Subeliani, minister for refugees and accommodation] – we have inventoried an exact list of the property [owned by those who have been forced out of Abkhazia] and relevant certificates will be granted and after we have agreed [with Russia] that the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia should not be recognized, after we have agreed that the borders should be controlled jointly, we should also agree that the Russian Federation – and we have raised this issue in Moscow – should meet its commitments regarding the CIS sanctions. You know, that these sanctions have been formally in force since 1996 against Abkhazia. Many of these sanctions fail to prove effective and we categorically demand the Russian leadership to implement these sanctions at its full scale against those people, who carried out ethnic cleansing in Abkhazia.
 
You know, that we have reached a very important historical stage in respect of NATO integration. What we all, and even me, believed to be utopian two or three years ago, has appeared to be absolutely real today. I have managed and we have all managed that during my first term in office Russian bases were pulled out from Georgia. This was an important part of agreement between Georgia and Russia. I appreciate that except for the Gudauta base [in breakaway Abkhazia], Russia has fulfilled its commitments regarding other military bases. This is a good beginning, on which we [Georgia and Russia] should further build our better relations.

A NATO summit will be held in Bucharest in April, where Membership Action Plans (MEP) for Georgia and Ukraine will be discussed along with other issues. This is a very important historical stage for our country. On March 7 the NATO Council of Ministers will gather in Brussels to make preliminary decisions in this respect.

I know, that unfortunately both inside and outside Georgia there are forces, who are either openly or secretly hampering this process. They are traveling abroad and saying that it is impossible, that Georgia is not ready for it and so on. But I think that our people have expressed their will during the [January 5] plebiscite and this will is irreversible. Why do we need NATO membership? We need it because Georgia should be strategically protected in this very difficult and risky region, it should become a full member of the strongest alliance in the history of mankind, it should contribute to this alliance and receive its share of security guarantees. A certain period of time should pass from NATO candidacy to NATO membership, but granting Membership Action Plan would mean that the process is irreversible. This is very important for all of us.