FM Vashadze: Russia ‘Works Actively’ to Remove Georgian Leadership

Despite Russia’s efforts to undermine Georgia’s sitting leadership, Moscow will have to deal with it till 2013, when President Saakashvili’s second term in office expires, Grigol Vashadze, the Georgian foreign minister, said on March 23.

Vashadze made the remarks, while commenting on his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov’s statement, who said at the Brussels Forum on March 21:  “I hope Georgia would have leaders, who really will be guided by the interest of Georgian people.”

“They are expecting the change of leadership in Georgia. These words [referring to Lavrov’s remarks] were said for so many times. They are not only expecting it but they are actively working on it,” Vashadze said.

He also said that “if the Russian Federation has the possibility to find a powerbase among the Georgian political forces, of course, it will use this chance.” 

“I want to calm down Mr. Lavrov: the sitting leadership has been elected by the Georgian people democratically and Russia will have to deal with it until 2013,” he added.

Vashadze also said, while commenting on some opposition politicians’ remarks that it was possible to normalize ties with Russia, that “not a single ruler of Georgia managed to settle relations with Russia in past 16 years, because of one simple reason: Georgia’s statehood is unacceptable for Russia in principle.”

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