Saakashvili administration criticizes investigation into 2008 war

(Interfax – TBILISI, May 16, 2013) The Georgian presidential administration believes the investigation into the 2008 war and the attempts to accuse the previous government of Georgia increase the risk of South Ossetia and Abkhazia being recognized as different countries.

“The attitude adopted by the new administration may lead to a catastrophic result for our country, and responsibility for it will fully rest with the initiators of this investigation,” the Georgian presidential administration said in a statement obtained by Interfax on Wednesday.

The document states that the diplomatic interference by the Georgian authorities “has prevented the occupant country from having our territories recognized almost anywhere.”

“As a result of this diplomacy, significant international organizations and countries, with the exception of some regimes, recognize the territorial integrity of Georgia and regard Russia as an occupant of the integral regions of Georgia. All important international documents reflect the term ‘occupation,’ which creates guarantees that there will be a time when this occupation will stop,” the statement says.

The document states that the position of the current government of Georgia on the investigation into the 2008 war, the inconsistent diplomacy, and the statements on the adoption of the “Kosovo model” cannot help reach this goal.

An interdepartmental group of investigators was created in Georgia on May 14 to study the possible criminal actions in the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia.