INTERVIEW WITH GEORGIAN OPPOSITION LEADER
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has promised to redress democratic shortcomings in his country. Nice words, says opposition leader Nino Burdzhanadze in an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE. But she says it is time for real reform in the country. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Ms. Burdzhanadze, three months have now passed since the beginning of the Russian-Georgian war. What do you think the repercussions have been for your country? Nino Burdzhanadze: Despite the assistance from the US and from the European Union, for which we are grateful, Georgia finds itself in a very difficult situation. In violation of the cease-fire agreement negotiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian troops are still stationed on Georgian territory, including outside of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. These are areas that Russia didn't control before.SPIEGEL ONLINE: Are you satisfied with the job the EU is doing in monitoring the cease-fire agreement? Burdzhanadze: We are grateful. But we observe that Russia has not kept to an important part of the agreement, requiring all troops to return to positions held prior to the beginning of the hostilities. Instead, Russia is establishing large military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. SPIEGEL ONLINE: What are the lessons for Russia, Georgia and the EU from the five-day war? Burdzhanadze: I'm not really sure if Russia is able to learn. Should the country still feel like the victor, then they are kidding themselves. The country's image in the world has been badly damaged. In addition, there is a growing uneasiness among Caucasian peoples within Russia. Separatism is on the rise. SPIEGEL ONLINE: And what about the lessBurdzhanadze: We also have to adjust our relationship with Russia. Russia is our neighbor whether we like it or not. But the territorial integrity of our country cannot be allowed to be compromised. Europe made a large mistake by not becoming more involved prior to the war. It is wrong to think that, because Georgia is far away, it is of little concern to Europe. Brussels should intensify its European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) activities with Georgia but also with its Caucasian neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan. You are interviewing me here on the sidelines of a joint conference sponsored by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Bertelsmann Foundation where leading politicians from the region are discussing future regional strategy with European diplomats and experts. Such events are extremely important. SPIEGEL ONLINE: The summit meeting between EU member states and Russia takes place this week in Nice. What would you like to see from EU leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown? Burdzhanadze: Georgia must remain high up on the list of global priorities. Europe needs to put pressure on Russia so that it withdraws from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. And for that we need a unified Europe that speaks with a single voice. Otherwise, Russia will have achieved its aim. We want to see it made easier for Georgians to obtain visas to travel in EU member states. Why was Russia granted such a relaxation but we were not?ons for Georgia and the EU?
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Nino Burjanadze ( Georgian: ნინო ბურჯანაძე) (surname sometimes transliterated in English as Burdzhanadze or Burdjanadze), (born July 16, 1964) is a Georgian politician and lawyer who served as Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia from November 2001 to June 2008. She has served as the acting head of state of Georgia twice; the first time from November 23, 2003 to January 25, 2004 in the wake of Eduard Shevardnadze's resignation during the Rose Revolution, and again from November 25, 2007 to January 20, 2008, when Mikheil Saakashvili stepped down to rerun in the early presidential elections.
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Το ΕΛΙΑΜΕΠ το χαβά του .. η μήπως με το αζημίωτο ?
Προτεραιότητες της εξωτερικής πολιτικής της Γεωργίας μετά τον πόλεμο του Αυγούστου
Αθήνα, 6 Νοεμβρίου 2008
Το Ελληνικό Ίδρυμα Ευρωπαϊκής και Εξωτερικής Πολιτικής (ΕΛΙΑΜΕΠ) διοργάνωσε διάλεξη και συζήτηση με την Υπουργό Εξωτερικών της Γεωργίας κα Eka Tkeshelashvili με θέμα: Προτεραιότητες της εξωτερικής πολιτικής της Γεωργίας μετά τον πόλεμο του Αυγούστου.
Τη συζήτηση που ακολούθησε συντόνισε ο Καθηγ. Θεόδωρος Κουλουμπής, Αντιπρόεδρος του Δ.Σ. του ΕΛΙΑΜΕΠ. http://www.eliamep.gr/security/asfaleia-events/protereotites-tis-exoterikis-politikis-tis-georgias-meta-ton-polemo-tou-avgoustou/
Προτεραιότητες της εξωτερικής πολιτικής της Γεωργίας μετά τον πόλεμο του Αυγούστου
Αθήνα, 6 Νοεμβρίου 2008
Το Ελληνικό Ίδρυμα Ευρωπαϊκής και Εξωτερικής Πολιτικής (ΕΛΙΑΜΕΠ) διοργάνωσε διάλεξη και συζήτηση με την Υπουργό Εξωτερικών της Γεωργίας κα Eka Tkeshelashvili με θέμα: Προτεραιότητες της εξωτερικής πολιτικής της Γεωργίας μετά τον πόλεμο του Αυγούστου.
Τη συζήτηση που ακολούθησε συντόνισε ο Καθηγ. Θεόδωρος Κουλουμπής, Αντιπρόεδρος του Δ.Σ. του ΕΛΙΑΜΕΠ. http://www.eliamep.gr/security/asfaleia-events/protereotites-tis-exoterikis-politikis-tis-georgias-meta-ton-polemo-tou-avgoustou/
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