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PM Speaks of Need for Reconciliation with ‘Abkhaz Brothers’

PM Ivanishvili said on September 27 that if Georgians and Abkhazians are able to rebuild confidence between each other, “I am sure that the Russian Federation will also take into the consideration.”

He made the remarks while speaking with journalists after a somber wreath-laying ceremony at a memorial of Georgian fallen soldiers in downtown Tbilisi to mark 20th anniversary of “fall of Sokhumi”, when the Georgian troops were forced out of the city on this day in 1993. Meanwhile in Abkhazia, this day is marked as a celebration of “liberation” of Sokhumi.
 
“It was a huge tragedy in the history of our country. This day is a reminder of war’s disastrous consequences – destruction, displacement, homelessness,” PM Ivanishvili said.

“We, the Georgians and Abkhazians, have suffered a huge loss in this war and no one will be able to return those who lost their lives in the war,” he said.

“Hard is the fate of the displaced population. We are doing utmost in order to let them live in dignity in our country and to integrate in dignity in new conditions and we will continue assistance before their return back to their own lands and homes,” Ivanishvili said.

“We should also help maximally Georgians living in the occupied regions and not only the Georgian population; the fate of the Abkhaz population is not less hard,” he continued. “It is shame that in the 21st century we have to live on opposite sides of these invented dividing lines.”
 
“Twenty years have passed and we should make conclusions and we should start restoring relations with our firm stance and by respecting the history. Unlike other [previous] authorities, it is completely ruled out to think about any kind of aggression or to have now any violence, which we managed to do [in the past], in mind. We should start restoring relations only with love and brotherly [stance],” he said.

“The new authorities’ efforts to be part of the European family, to genuinely revive Georgia, to establish democratic institutions and to maximally respect human rights – only based on these issues we can regain confidence between the brothers.”

“We will be sincere in our relations and we will try to restore relations only through love and I am sure the international community will continue its support to this [approach],” he said.
 
“Everything depends on us. We will open our hearts to our Abkhaz brothers… Let us open it unilaterally and give an opportunity to the Abkhaz brothers to see our warm [attitude].”

“We should spare no effort in order to let them move out from those so called borders. Let us be the first to do that. We are very sincere and I am sure that this sincerity, our history, love will play the role… I am very optimistic that with love we will be able to return our brotherly relations,” he said.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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