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| Powell says he is impressed with Saakashvili. |
Along with the meeting with Russian President Putin, Colin Powell intends talks Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who also attended the Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s inauguration in Tbilisi.
Both, Ivanov and Powell delivered to Saakashvili President Putin’s and President Bush’s invitations to visit Moscow and Washington. Saakashvili is expected to meet his U.S. counterpart on February 25, while Russian Foreign Minister proposed Saakashvili to visit Moscow in early February.
There was couple of hundreds of foreign guests from 20 countries; however Colin Powell was the one in the focus of special attention of the Georgian officials and media during the inauguration day.
Before the inauguration Mikheil Saakashvili and Colin Powell held a joint press conference after the one-hour long talks. U.S. Secretary of State reiterated the Washington’s continuation assistance to Georgia. “During this fiscal year [2004] we expect to provide $166 million worth of assistance from the United States government,” he said.
Mikheil Saakashvili and Colin Powell also reiterated that Georgia should not become a battlefield for the superpowers.
“Our position is that Georgia cannot be somehow the battlefield between the bigger states and that’s why we want to launch good relations with Russia, with all our neighbors,” Saakashvili said, who reiterated later at the inauguration ceremony that Georgia seeks for integration into Europe, but also “proposes friendly hand to Russia.”
“This is not an area where there should be competition between the United States and any of your neighbors. This is an opportunity for all of us to come together, the international community that includes your neighbors, to help the Georgian people through this difficult period as you rebuild your democracy and economy, and you serve as an example to the rest of the region and the rest of the world as to what can be accomplished under democratic reform of government,” the U.S. Secretary of State said.
Colin Powell said that the United States has no intention to replace the Russian military bases with its own. “We are not thinking of [military] bases,” he said.
“The suggestion that somehow the United States is looking for permanent bases in Georgia is incorrect. Whatever we do with Georgia would be a matter of discussion between the two countries. But we are not looking for bases and the concern that we often hear expressed is misplaced,” Colin Powell added.
The disagreement persists regarding the dates of liquidation of two Russian military bases – one in Batumi, capital of Adjarian Autonomous Republic and Akhalkalaki in southern Georgian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, which is predominately populated by ethnic Armenians. Russia insists that at least 10-11 years will be needed to close down these bases. Russia also demands financial compensation for relocate its troops.
In an interview to the Tbilisi-bases Rustavi 2 television Colin Powell said “some of the numbers that have been suggested in the name of hundreds of millions of dollars” by the Russian side “is not a reasonable number for us to be able to consider.”
“We are willing to help with some of the costs associated with moving back – and we have contributed some money to that effort already – and we would like to see a definite plan from the Russian federation as to when they plan to leave and what time schedule and we can talk about how we might assist them,” Colin Powell added.
Colin Powell said that despite the U.S.-funded Train-and-Equip Program (GTEP) for the Georgian troops ends in May, the American military trainers will come to Georgia to make sure “if there is any refresher needed.” The U.S. allocated $64 million to train and equip five Georgian battalions in frames of GTEP.
“The Train-and-Equip Program will finish its mission in May, so that program will end. After May, there will be normal interaction between Georgian officials and U.S. officials. From time to time, military trainers may come to make sure that training is still intact and to see if there is any refresher needed,” Colin Powell said.
The U.S. Secretary of State expressed hope that Georgia’s new government will be “committed to economic and political reform, protection of human rights and the elimination of corruption.”
Colin Powell also said that he is “impressed” with Georgia’s new government and with “the aggressive manner” in which the new authorities plan to attack problems facing Georgia.
“I was very impressed by the President and the members of his new Cabinet that I met: the new Economics Minister, the new Minister of Interior and other officials were who there. I think they had a very realistic understanding of the challenges they face. I think they are absolutely committed to moving this nation ahead in a very aggressive way to fix the problems,” U.S. Secretary of State said.