“Council of Europe is not our boss”, Georgian president says

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
11 May 04

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has said that peaceful
resolution of the Ajaria crisis proved that Georgia would no longer be
a “humiliated” nation. Speaking at a news conference in Tbilisi on
11 may, Saakashvili reaffirmed his commitment to restoring Georgia’s
territorial integrity. Discussing recent clashes involving ethnic
Armenians and Georgians in Georgia’s Tsalka District, the president
said that he would not “over-dramatize” the situation as the incident
was not ethnically motivated. Saakashvili once again criticized Council
of Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer for failing to take a
clear stance during the Ajaria crisis and speak out in support of human
rights. The president also said that Georgia invited presidents of the
GUUAM regional alliance (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and
Moldova) to a summit to be held in the Ajarian capital this June. The
following is an excerpt from a report by Georgian Imedi TV on 11 May,
with subheadings inserted editorially:

Georgia will “no longer be humiliated”

[Presenter Giorgi Akhvlediani] Good evening. At the moment, Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili is holding a news briefing at the State
Chancellery. We go live to the briefing.

[Saakashvili, live relay starts in mid-sentence] Sometimes I feel
– especially when listening to our politicians – that many people
have not realized what a historic event took place in Georgia last
week. Last week, after many years of destruction, disintegration and
weakening, Georgia begun to reunite. Last week, we defeated the main
complex that [former President] Shevardnadze’s rule instilled in us:
that Georgia was always defeated, that our army was always defeated,
that our neighbouring states were always stronger than we were and
they were always aggressive towards us, that we should not take steps
[in Ajaria] because it would result in a new catastrophe and a new
disaster.

The Georgian people has proved that the epoch of defeats has ended. It
has ended, Georgia is no longer going to be defeated, Georgia is no
longer going to lose, Georgia is no longer going to be humiliated.

Indeed, the new government has been working for just three months,
and the main issue we needed to resolve the most has already been
resolved. I want to say that it has been resolved because we are
a state already. In these few months, after the November [2003]
revolution, we have been transformed from a disintegrated, distressed
and disorderly country into a state.

At present, during the past week, more than 2,000 soldiers of the
[Georgian] Internal Troops have been patrolling the streets of
[the Ajarian capital] Batumi. You remember what was happening
when [Georgian] troops were in Abkhazia. Numerous incidents were
happening every day, robberies and plundering [changes tack] – there
were heroes there [in Abkhazia] too, but the state was not backing
those heroes. Now, there has not been a single incident of marauding
in Batumi. I was there and I saw how the population was meeting the
soldiers. The day before yesterday, I watched how soldiers of the
Internal Troops, very happy soldiers, were dancing together with
local girls at a stadium. I watched how disciplined their attitude
was. That is because these are different troops. These troops have
their own kitchen and they are fed three times a day. These troops are
getting their salaries – some of them high salaries – in time. These
troops have uniforms, although perhaps not the best uniforms. And
these troops have the spirit of winners.

Without those [military] exercises at Qulevi [training ground] – which
finally convinced [ousted Ajarian leader Aslan] Abashidze and some of
his allies that military confrontation with us would be senseless –
and without this kind of courage shown by our troops, and without
this spirit, this historical issue could never be resolved in such a
peaceful and calm manner. This work was done over many months, by the
security ministry and some other groups. It was indeed a miracle how
it has been done. Georgia has acquired a completely different image
in the world, a completely different image. Everyone was saying: they
will disintegrate after the November revolution, they will repeat the
same disasters which previous authorities did in Georgia. They failed,
because we approached this issue in a different manner. We disregarded
personal emotions and other issues and we started building the state.

Now we have embarked on the next stage of state building. I want to
say that Ajaria’s reintegration – and Ajaria was virtually separated
from Georgia, this we know very well – that Ajaria’s reintegration has
virtually doubled the economic potential of Georgia. The processes of
restoration have been going on very smoothly there. Today Abashidze’s
main killer, Siamashvili, which he [Abashidze] used as his last
argument, and you know that more than 200 killer weapons have been
seized there [in Ajaria]. We’ve given the remaining formations until
tomorrow evening to disarm and surrender. However, at the same time,
Levan Varshalomidze, Edvard Surmanidze and other members of the
provisional council – and I want to single out the heroic role of
Tamaz Diasamidze – are already working on [changes tack] – road works
will continue in Ajaria throughout the summer. We will rebuild roads
in Ajaria, which has not been done for many years.

This summer, thousands of new restaurants and bars should open there
– at least dozens should open – and negotiations on this issue are
already under way. Tourist infrastructure should be developed,
completely new opportunities should be created for people to go
and spend holidays there. Once again, I want to ask everyone – go
to Ajaria, everyone should go to Ajaria, I am also going to visit
Ajaria. By our presence there, let us express solidarity to our
beloved residents of Batumi, Kobuleti and other districts of Ajaria.

Questions, please.

No serious rift expected within ruling party

[Unidentified reporter] Mr President, what can you say about the
rift which started within the majority faction [of the Georgian
parliament]? Is it likely that such incidents will recur and a
large-scale opposition will be created?

[Saakashvili] I want to say that, first of all, I do not see any rift.
Perhaps there are one or two people who have their dissenting opinion,
and I have never been against dissenting opinions. Generally, I
want to say that the unity of the National Movement and the [United]
Democrats is a very strong unity. The unity of myself, [Parliament
Chairwoman] Nino Burjanadze and [Prime Minister] Zurab Zhvania is
very strong. Some people, including members of my own party, did not
like it, but this is their problem.

I know what National Movement activists have done in Ajaria. These were
not only Ajarian activists, 2,000 members of the National Movement
from other parts of Georgia arrived in Ajaria on the day when
there was a threat that protesters would be attacked. We defeated
all barriers. Residents of Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti and Samegrelo
[provinces[, all united and arrived in Ajaria. These are people who
carried out the November revolution in Tbilisi. [Passage omitted]

However, once Aslan Abashidze fled, on the same night, residents
of Kakheti, Kartli and Samegrelo and other provinces congratulated
Ajarians, put their hats on, boarded cars and went back. They acted
like a well-trained army. [Passage omitted]

Clashes involving ethnic Armenians should not be “over-dramatized”

[Reporter] Mze TV company, Dato Maisuradze. A conflict between two
ethnic groups – Armenians and Georgians – has been going on in [the
southern Georgian town of] Tsalka for several days. Today the Internal
Troops have been deployed there. What kind of decisive measures should
be taken in order to avoid escalation of the situation?

[Saakashvili] I do not want to over-dramatize this. Today my
representatives met with those people. A fight occurred after a
football match between two groups of the local population. This was
not a fight between two ethnic groups, this was a fight between two
groups. Now our goal is not finding out who was to blame. Our goal
is to protect every citizen regardless of ethnic background.

Today Georgia has enough resources to respond to any act of
provocation. No provocations or rhetoric can drag us into any kind
of situation resembling a conflict. In today’s Georgia, police has
been much stronger than before. [Passage omitted]

Therefore, a group of hooligans can no longer speak to the Georgian
state so easily. A year ago, this [Tsalka incident] would be a
tragedy. We advise everyone against blackmailing us or staging some
act of provocation. We will respond to everyone. The security ministry
has started working very well. It showed its strength in Ajaria. The
situation in other regions will also be settled, step by step. I do
not really see a problem here.

Today enemies of Georgia are keeping their heads down after
what happened in Ajaria. No one could have imagined it. Now, my
representatives have visited Azerbaijan, and the whole of Azerbaijan is
celebrating what happened in Batumi more than we are. This is because
they now see new prospects for the entire region. Apart from anything
else, Batumi is a huge economic intersection for the entire region,
including Azerbaijan. There were very positive reactions in Armenia
as well. The Armenian President called me on the phone. Ukrainian
President [Leonid] Kuchma, when he called me on the phone, he was
excited, he was joyful, and he told me that he welcomed it and that
he was amazed. And look at the press coverage.

So, after all these, if some hooligans are going to blackmail us,
they will never succeed. There should be no panic. Slowly and calmly,
we will respond to everyone, and everyone will get what they deserve.

“Council of Europe is not our boss”

[Unidentified reporter] Mr President, the tone of the Council of
Europe has been quite mild after your statement [criticizing the
Council of Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer], compared to
that of your statement. However, [Georgian Foreign Minister] Salome
Zourabichvili has disappeared somewhere.

[Saakashvili, laughing] No, Salome is [interrupted by the reporter]

[Reporter] In the end, what will be the status of Plamen Nikolov
[the Council of Europe secretary-general’s special representative
to Georgia]?

[Saakashvili] Salome is in Brussels now.

As regards the Council of Europe: I expressed my position not
towards the Council of Europe but towards the behaviour of its
Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer. What is the Council of Europe? The
Council of Europe is a parliamentary assembly, and I was the assembly’s
vice-president for two years. The Council of Europe is a secretariat,
like, for example, a parliament and a cabinet of ministers. This
secretariat has its Secretary-General, Walter Schwimmer. The assembly
fully supported us. Besides, there is this much more important
organization, the European Union, which fully supported us and
condemned the behaviour of Aslan Abashidze. Besides, there is the
United States of America who condemned Aslan Abashidze’s actions in a
very strict manner. However, the Council of Europe Secretary-General,
during that period [changes tack] – what is the function of the
Council of Europe? To react to violations of human rights. This is
the organization which should protect democracy. However, it said
nothing when we needed their voice the most.

The Council of Europe is not our boss. We should all realize [changes
tack] – here, in Georgia, there were concerns that a scandal may
develop [changes tack] – this is the organization whose boss is Georgia
itself. We are one of the members, we are paying salaries for every
employee of the secretariat, because we are paying membership fees
every year, and we are paying for it so that this organization should
protect democracy and, among others, Georgian society.

In the case of [Tengiz] Asanidze, the [European] Court [of Human
Rights] worked well and protected [human rights], but in the case of
the secretary-general, his position was absolutely inadequate. I want
to tell you that reaction to my statement in the Western press was
very positive. There will be election of the new secretary-general,
and there are several candidatures there. During the election, the
assembly will discuss the reaction of the Council of Europe to the
situation in Georgia. However, we all should realize, once and for
all, that we are a self-respecting country, we have no bosses. Our
boss is the Georgian people, and there is no boss above the Georgian
people. The Council of Europe is one of the organizations, and we
are also aspiring towards membership in the European Union.

As regards the [Council of Europe’s] representative here, Salome
Zourabichvili is now conducting a regular procedure. I think that it
was right what Salome demanded – that the representative should be
replaced here. In the end, this should be decided through diplomatic
channels. However, I think that, when I said it, I expressed my
disappointment and the disappointment of many Ajarians and, generally,
of Georgians. At a decisive moment, when America, the European Union at
Brussels and everyone was alert, these people were talking like nothing
was happening while it is their business to protect human rights.

I think that this will be a lesson for all Europeans. I think that
[changes tack] – my friends, together with whom I worked in Strasbourg,
have been calling me, and they fully share our position. [Parliament
Chairwoman] Nino Burjanadze] talked to Walter Schwimmer himself, and
Walter Schwimmer too expressed regret that the reaction to what was
happening in Ajaria was not adequate. I think that everyone should draw
their conclusions. Our position is absolutely clear: we need support,
and we need our friends’ reaction at decisive moments. Aslan Abashidze
was the only man who benefited from silence at that moment.

This is an old story already, and maybe it is not worth
recalling. However, for the future – Abkhazia is ahead of us, and we
have to accomplish other tasks – our principled position in this case
was very important. I think that our people understand this very well.

Next question, please. [Passage omitted]

GUUAM summit to be held in Ajaria in June

I want to organize a large-scale military parade on 26 May [Georgia’s
independence day], where all these people [soldiers from Ajaria-based
units] will participate. There should be a very large-scale parade in
Tbilisi in which 100 tanks and armoured vehicles will take part. In
Batumi, there will be a large parade of [navy] ships and mass rallies
of people in Batumi and Tbilisi.

By the way, we are planning to hold a summit of the GUUAM [regional
alliance of Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova]
in Batumi in June. For the first time in the Georgian history,
an official summit – meeting of presidents and a political forum –
will be held. You know that the GUUAM includes Ukraine, Azerbaijan,
Moldova and Uzbekistan. At least three presidents of these countries
will arrive here. We are still conducting negotiations with Uzbekistan,
and [Ukrainian President Leonid] Kuchma and [Azerbaijani President]
Ilham Aliyev have already confirmed [that they will come]. This forum
will be held in Batumi.

By the way, we are going to hold a large economic forum in Ajaria
where businesses from the whole of Russia will arrive – all of them,
all key oligarchs and a number of [Russian] ministers – at the order
of President Putin. We want this forum to be held both in Tbilisi
and Batumi.

I am also going to lead a delegation to Romania and Turkey, I am
taking Ajarians with me, for the most part, so that links with Batumi
are restored, because this will enrich Georgia. [Passage omitted]