Bush, Saakashvili Pledge Closer Ties

White House Photo.

U.S. President George W. Bush said after talks with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili that he is “impressed by this leader.” The U.S. President also hailed Georgia’s new President’s attempts to improve relations with Russia, however called Moscow to follow its international commitment and pull out its troops from Georgia.

George W. Bush and Mikheil Saakashvili held 45 minute-long talks in Washington on February 25, in the course of Saakashvili’s first official visit to the United States – one week after traveling to Moscow.

Before the talks with the U.S. President Saakashvili said that he was “rather worrying before the meeting with [Russian President Vladimir] Mr. Putin, then with Mr. Bush, because everything is clear in relations between Georgia and the United State. We are fiends.”

After the talks Bush and Saakashvili exchanged with mutual cordial statements, however both of them emphasized necessity of closer cooperation with Moscow.

“I appreciate very much the President’s [Mikheil Saakashvili’s] work with Russia. It was a very sophisticated move by Mr. President [Saakashvili] to make first trip to Russia. We will work with Mr. Putin, with whom I’ve got very good relationship. It is very important for Georgia to have strong and peaceful relations with Russia,” the U.S. President said at a joint news briefing with Georgian President after the talks.

Bush also said the United States will continue to work with Russia President Vladimir Putin to encourage him to honor the Istanbul commitment of 1999, in which Moscow agreed to the troop pull-out.

“We expect the Russian government to honor the Istanbul commitment. The Istanbul commitment made it very clear that Russia would leave those bases. We will continue to work with the [Georgian] president and President Putin on that commitment,” Bush said.

“Cooperation and friendship of U.S. helped us when we needed it most, and like other peoples in Europe, we’ll never forget that,” Mikheil Saakashvili said.

The U.S. President recalled importance of the bloodless November revolution in Georgia, which ousted ex-President Shevardnadze and said “it was a moment where the people spoke.”

“[The Rose Revolution] was a powerful example to people around the world who long for freedom and long for honest government,” George W. Bush added.

President Saakashvili reiterated that Georgia’s new leadership would follow its commitments over democracy development in Georgia.

“Georgia will become stronger. Georgia will become more democratic. Democracy is top priority. Freedom of speech is top priority. Free enterprise, free markets, top priority,” Saakashvili said.

Just before the meeting between Saakashvili and Bush a New York-based influential Human Rights Watch urged the U.S. President that Washington should ensure Saakashvili takes concrete steps to improve basic freedoms.

After the talks the U.S. President expressed confidence that Mikheil Saakashvili “ will do everything he can to earn the confidence of the people of the Georgia by recognizing their will, by fighting corruption, by working for a system based upon integrity and decency and human rights.”

“I’m impressed by this leader, I’m impressed by his vision, I’m impressed by his courage,” George W. Bush added.

Before talks with George W. Bush, Georgian delegation, which is visiting the United States on February 22-27, held meetings with the Bush administration’s top-level officials. Increase of financial aid for Georgia was the main message of the Georgian delegation.

Interior, Defense, Finance Minister, as well as other Georgian officials accompany Mikheil Saakashvili to his first official visit to the United States. Beside the U.S. officials, Georgian delegation held talks with the World Bank President.

During the talks in the U.S. Senate President Saakashvili urged to increase financial assistance for Georgia.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said, while visiting Georgia in January, that in 2004 fiscal year “we expect to provide $166 million worth of assistance from the United States government” for Georgia.

However, Saakashvili urges for at least $200 million from the United States. He said that Georgia “needs increased financial aid today like never before.”

Georgian President told reporters that in case of increase of financial assistance the funds would be allocated to the defense and security structures of Georgia.

According to Mikheil Saakashvili, the U.S. and Georgia have already agreed to further deepen military cooperation.

Saakashvili said after the meeting with U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz on February 23 that the U.S. military instructors would continue training of Georgian troops for five more years.

“New military program will be launched in Georgia in April. This program, which will last for five years, implies training of Georgian militaries,” Saakashvili said.

“So, we will have a new, well-trained, U.S.-style, 5 thousand-strong brigade deployed in eastern Georgia,” President Saakashvili told reporters on February 23.

He also said that Georgia’s aim is to have “another 5 thousand-strong brigade deployed in western Georgia, in order to have some 10,000 well-trained troops.”

The U.S. has already trained four Georgian battalions in frames of Georgia Train-and-Equip program, which was launched in 2002. The fifth battalion is undergoing training at the moment. The U.S. allocated in GTEP $64 million.

At the same time Saakashvili reiterated that peaceful resolution of Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflicts has no alternative and promised not to use U.S.-trained troops in disputes with Georgia’s breakaway regions.

After the talks with the World Bank President James Wolfensohn on February 24, President Saakashvili said “the Bank took surprising decision to continue programs with Georgia in coming weeks.”

“After the new leadership took over the power in Georgia, the World Bank was considering resuming assistance to Georgia by the end of this year; However, I was really surprised, when the Bank officials told us that the assistance would be resumed in few weeks,” Mikheil Saakashvili told reporters on February 24.

On February 24 Georgian President delivered a speech at Johns Hopkins University regarding the recent developments in Georgia. He said that the new authorities launched vigorous fight against corruption and pledged to continue anti-corruption drive, as well as expand democracy in Georgia.

Saakashvili, who won a landslide victory in January elections, admitted that his popularity would slip and that is why he needs a huge international help in order push swiftly reforms in Georgia.