Opposition Leaders Meet NATO Officials

A large group of opposition politicians met for two hours with NATO special representative to the South Caucasus Robert Simmons and other officials from the alliance in Tbilisi on September 16.

Shalva Natelashvili, leader of the Labor Party, told journalists after the meeting that he emphasized during the talks, what he called, “political repression” in Georgia. He also said that he had called on western nations to revise their decision on Kosovo recognition.

“Kosovo has served as the ground for Russia to recognize our historical territories – Abkhazia and Samachablo [South Ossetia],” Natelashvili said. “If the west revises the Kosovo recognition, it will be possible to talk with Russia and persuade it to reverse its decision [on Abkhazia and South Ossetia].”

Giorgi Targamadze, the leader of parliamentary minority and chairman of the Christian-Democratic Party, said the level of NATO engagement had been increased “and we think that their influence on the authorities in respect of further democratic reforms will be very serious.” In separate remarks earlier on September 16, Targamadze said the lack of democracy in the country should not serve as a deterrent to Georgia’s NATO integration in the face of existing external threats.
  
Kakha Kukava of the Conservative Party said after the meeting that he raised four issues at the meeting: an independent inquiry into the August events; lifting of restrictions on public and private broadcast media; reorganization of the Interior Ministry and security structures, and adoption of a new election code.

“Only afterwards will we be able to talk about the date of early elections, but we and our partners think that any elections in the country this year may pose a threat to the entire country,” Kukava said. “Saakashvili should be replaced not through revolution, but in a very peaceful atmosphere and this issue needs constant dialogue with the international community.”

Davit Usupashvili, leader of the Republican Party, said that he spoke at the meeting mainly about his party’s vision on how to hold early parliamentary elections.

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