Saakashvili Addressed PACE
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| Saakashvili has raised the new Georgian flag at the Council of Europe. CoE Photo. |
“Georgia and Europe share a common identity,” President Saakashvili underlined, adding that ”to strengthen that connection however, Europe needs to do more – to ensure the prosperity and stability of future generations.”
“Today I am asking that we take the next step together recognizing Georgia’s membership in wider Europe,” he added.
Georgia’s new President also said that his country is committed “to rebuilding relations with Russia – relations that can only work if Russia is truly committed to playing a peaceful and constructive role.”
“When it comes to our relations with the Russian Federation we must recall that in the past Russia played a negative role in our neighborhood. This strategy continues today in the form of Russia’s reluctance to abide by international agreements to remove their military bases,” Mikheil Saakashvili said.
“I extended my hand to Russia as an expression of my desire to build new relations between our countries, with positive outcomes for Georgia and Russia. It is my sincere hope that next month when I travel to Moscow, Mr. Putin will accept that hand,” he added.
He said that Georgia faces number of challenges. “I am the first to recognize that we will not be able to change Georgia overnight,” Saakashvili added.
Saakashvili underlined that success in Georgia means success for the entire region however if Georgia fails “we must all understand that it will spell failure for the entire region.”
He said that strengthening of democracy which is a model at home and in the region, protection of human rights and freedoms and eradication of corruption would be his government’s priorities.
Earlier on January 28 the new Georgian President raised Georgia’s new national five-crossed flag in front of the Council of Europe. It is Saakashvili’s first foreign visit since being sworn in as a Georgia’s President.
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