Georgian minister blames Saakashvili for prompting Russia to recognize S. Ossetia, Abkhazia

(Interfax – TBILISI. April 17, 2013) Georgian State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili has accused President Mikheil Saakashvili for provoking Russia into occupying the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and then recognizing their independence.

“For instance, in line with international agreements, Georgia did not have the right to deploy its troops in the Kodori Gorge of Abkhazia controlled by Georgia, but it did so in 2006. The same year, simultaneously with the illegitimate presidential elections in South Ossetia, Georgia conducted so-called elections on the territory of the South-Ossetian autonomous region, which included the Akhalgori district occupied today, and elected Dmitry Sanakoyev president. So, by taking these thoughtless steps, Saakashvili actually restored South Ossetia within the borders outlined by Stalin,” Zakareishvili said at a press conference on Wednesday.

He recalled also that Russian troops left the Georgian village of Perevi, as it was not part of South Ossetia.

“Saakashvili’s allegations that the Russians didn’t care about South Ossetia but cared about invading all of Georgia are just fairytales. The Russians captured only what they cared about, that is, Abkhazia and South Ossetia along with the Kodori Gorge and the Akhalgori district populated by Georgians,” Zakareishvili said.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy held negotiations in Moscow on August 12, 2008 and brought a document signed by the Russian president to Tbilisi on August 12, 2008, under which Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s status was to be determined with the international community’s involvement, but Saakashvili demanded that this provision be deleted from the document, Zakareishvili said.

“In doing so, he provided Russia with a direct pretext to recognize Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s independence. The most horrible thing that this war left us is not the occupation, which will end, but the recognition of Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s independence,” Zakareishvili said.