Georgian president’s speech at Independence Day parade

Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
26 May 05

President Mikheil Saakashvili has praised Georgia’s “spiritual
mission” as “a beacon of freedom for the whole world”. Addressing the
Independence Day military parade in Tbilisi, Saakashvili said that
GUAM [Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova] was transformed into
an “alliance of democratic states”. He also called for “close,
goodneighbourly and humane relations” with Russia and said that
Georgia was “extending a hand of friendship to Russia”. The following
is an excerpt from Saakashvili’s speech broadcast live by Rustavi-2
and other Georgian networks on 26 May; subheadings have been inserted
editorially:

Georgia’s example inspires democratic changes in other countries

[Saakashvili] My compatriots, soldiers of our motherland, today we are
celebrating the day of our freedom, our liberation and our
independence, 26 May. This is a most beautiful day, most beautiful
holiday.

Georgia is a proud nation, a nation which consists of people of
different nationalities – Georgians, our citizens of Azerbaijani,
Armenian, Russian, Abkhaz, Ossetian backgrounds. All of them are
citizens and patriots of our proud motherland.

We live in a very important time in history. Georgia’s Rose
Revolution, just like our national liberation movement in the past,
paved the way for a new and very important wave of Europe’s
liberation. Georgia’s revolution inspired Ukrainian patriots, as they
say themselves, and led to the Ukrainian revolution. On your behalf,
I proudly stood before a million Ukrainians on 31 December on their
Independence Square. Such moments are unforgettable in the history of
any nation, even in the many centuries-long history of our nation. The
Georgian revolution inspired similar liberation movements in the
Middle East, in Central Asia, in Kyrgyzstan . Freedom fighters in
Belarus look at our example for inspiration.

However, Georgia is an exemplary country not only because of its
revolution. The most important things for us happened after the
revolution, they happened for the first time in our country. We have
achieved great successes in international politics. Under Georgia’s
chairmanship, GUAM has managed to transform itself into an alliance of
democratic states. Now we are building an axis of democracy and
stability. It is a great honour for us and it is symbolic that Latvian
President [Vaira Vike-Freiberga] and Latvian Prime Minister [Aigars
Kalvitis] are our guests today on our Independence Day [applause]. It
is symbolic because the Baltic countries and Georgia jointly managed
to destroy the Soviet empire. It is symbolic because we fought
together for freedom and independence and we inspired each other. It
is symbolic because Georgia has yet to embark on the road which Latvia
and other Baltic states have already travelled, the road to the
European Union and NATO. We shall get to the end of this long and very
difficult road by our joint efforts, our unity and our endurance. We
will reclaim our place in the great European family. Georgia, the
Georgian nation is one of the most distinguished and ancient members
of this family.

“New Yalta process has begun”

At the same time, Georgia has already created examples of democratic
consolidation. Romania and Lithuania joined us at the latest meeting
of GUAM. On our initiative, a new Yalta process has begun. In the
past, Yalta [conference] divided Europe into spheres of influence. Now
we have started talking about a new association of democratic
countries of the Black Sea basin. It will be a model of democracy,
democratic standards and a better life of its peoples for the whole
post-empire space. [Passage omitted: talks about Georgia’s
achievements in tackling corruption, building modern armed forces and
police, improvements in the health care and education systems, culture
and sport, and the governments efforts to rebuild roads and
infrastructure]

Georgia “will not be entirely free” until separatist conflicts are
resolved

Georgia is a beacon of freedom for the whole world. You know that
these are not my words. This is Georgia’s spiritual mission, Georgia’s
special role in its relation to humanity. But of course Georgia will
not be entirely free until all our regions are entirely free, until we
are able to mark our Independence Day in Sukhumi [in Abkhazia]. And I
promise you, I pledge before the whole nation that we will manage to
do this, together with you, my compatriots. [applause]

We want peace. Nothing is more important than peace for today’s
Georgia. Peace enables real development and real success. Peace will
enable us to achieve miracles like our revolution which ended with
only one broken window of this parliament building, like our faith,
our endurance and our unity which enabled us to resolve the Ajaria
problem. We were able to reclaim Ajaria which was lost for
Georgia. Troops were deployed on the other side of the Choloki River
who were ready to shoot at the Georgian army. There was a dictator
there who was ready to blow up beaches and destroy the region. By our
faith, our endurance and our courage we were able to reclaim our
Ajaria without shedding a drop of blood. We should manage to unite
Georgia and achieve its final integration in the same manner.

Georgia “extending a hand of friendship to Russia”

We want to have special relations with all neighbours. I reiterate
that we are extending a hand of friendship to Russia. We want
friendship with Russia, we want equal and decent relations with
Russia. Everyone should realize that Georgia is independent, everyone
should understand that Georgia is free and that it is easier, better
and more convenient to have relations with a free country. There
should be close, goodneighbourly and humane relations between decent
countries. We want this kind of relations with Russia and I’m sure
that we will achieve this kind of new relations when Russia respects
Georgia’s integrity and unity. I’m sure that everyone will realize
that imperial relations will never be restored. Instead, there will be
free and friendly relations between independent and proud nations. We
will achieve this together. [Passage omitted: says that Georgia still
faces many problems with poverty, lack of energy resources, problems
in the health care and education sectors, corruption, and excessive
licensing requirements]

We have seen during the last 18 months that history is on our side, we
have seen that time is working for us, for free Georgia and its
future. We have seen that God is on our side. Every time we needed,
Saint George was on our side. I wish you a peaceful and successful
holiday, I wish you success and victory. I congratulate you on
Georgia’s Independence Day. [applause]