‘Buffer Zones’ Removed, but Occupation Continues – Saakashvili

Russia has mostly removed its “buffer zones”, but Russian forces still remain in the Akhalgori district and the occupation of Georgia’s conflict regions still continues, President Saakashvili said on October 10.

Saakashvili was speaking at a joint press conference after talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Batumi.  

“We have not returned to the August 7 status quo and we plan to work over this issue with the French and other partners at the Geneva talks,” he said.

Speaking at the press conference, Kouchner said that the Russians had left most areas, but “I know that the Akhalgori district still remains occupied.”

He acknowledged that the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement did not directly mention the Akhalgori district, merely “the adjacent areas.”

“It remains a problem and we should return to this issue at the Geneva talks,” Kouchner added.

President Saakashvili said his ultimate objective was to see the Russian occupation in all areas of Georgia come to an end.

“Georgia will never yield to occupation or aggression,” he said. “The struggle of the Georgian people for freedom and de-occupation will continue until the last Russian solder leaves the territory of Georgia.”

He stressed that Georgia still faced Russian aggression.

He thanked European partners because “they did not leave Georgia alone in front of this aggression.”

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