INTERVIEW: Georgia's Saakashvili: Russia has aggressive intent

May 19, 2008, 22:08 GMT

Tbilisi, Georgia - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili was outspoken Monday in his criticism of recent Russian troop deployments in the Georgian breakaway province Abkhazia and of Russian intentions in the Caucasus.

In a meeting with a small group of foreign reporters in an informal setting, he also had tough words for the European Union's limited criticism of Russia in the dispute.

Question: How do you see the present situation in the region?

Saakashvili: I think the situation is not as dramatic as two weeks ago, but it is still very tense. I am not saying this. The Russians are saying this. They are saying that they will conduct military actions inside Georgia. They have said many times - and not because of Abkhazia - that we will counteract NATO in the proximity of our (Russian) borders, and nobody makes any secret where this proximity is - this is Georgia.

(Russian leaders) have moved in missiles into Abkhazia. They have moved in BUK missiles. These are sophisticated Russian air-defence systems. They have moved very close missiles that can get to all parts of Georgia in the Caucasus along the Georgia border - that's what we know from satellite pictures, so this is not my speculation.

They have moved in paratroopers into Georgia, airborne troops, which has nothing to do with peacekeeping. They have moved them in against the wishes of Georgia and (against) any kind of peacekeeping agreement from both sides. We loudly objected, and they moved them in.

There was an article published in a Russian military newspaper very close to the Kremlin saying they (Russia) have a very elaborate military plan on how to bomb Georgia and how to conduct war here.

Question: Do you take the threats seriously?

Saakashvili: These are threats of direct action. These are dangerous threats. ... This is a very volatile situation on the ground. Lots of tensions are running high.

Russia policy is being extremely unstable. Georgia is being a moderating force - of course, we should be crazy (if) we were to consider a military option. But Russian policy-makers, I am not so sure what kind of ideas they have. They are going through a very unclear period.

Question: Have you been disappointed that the United States and the West have not stepped in more on the side of Georgia?

Saakashvili: I have been more disappointed with delays in European Union actions. Because the European Union after the third week cannot come up even with a verification mechanism to confirm the issue of withdrawal. There are always delays, and this is something that is not good.

But I think the Americans have some pretty strong statements, and I think most of the Europeans have made strong statements. We do not intend for the Europeans to jump into some hot water. This is not our point. Our point is to make it very clear that this is unacceptable. I think that most of them have made this point.

I think that some of the Europeans have not been working as fast as we would like them to. They are waiting for the European Council (meeting on May 26) to see if they will be able to come up with a joint position. But I think so far the international backlash has been bigger than some people in Moscow expected.

They (Russia) have been moving one step at a time. They issued passports (to Abkhazian citizens) contrary to international law, and of course first of all they fought a war (in Abkhazia), and no one gave a damn about that, no one ever mentioned that. There was ethnic cleansing, nobody ever cared about that.

Then they started issuing passports at the end of the '90s, nobody told them a word. It was a very unconventional thing to do, to go to a neighbouring country and start issuing passports. This whole fact shows that (Russian action against Georgia) is not something that started happening yesterday. It's not because of Kosovo. This is a long-standing kind of (Russian) policy.

Then, four years ago, I was talking with the Russians and talking about any kind of possible cooperation, to try to solve this conflict peacefully, first. I got back, in 2005, a message from a very high Russian official: 'We have decided not to give back Abkhazia.' That's what the policy is.

... And nobody (in the West) has been saying anything. And then (Russia) removed sanctions (against Abkhazia), and no one said anything about that. ... And now there are military actions.

It's never something absolutely definite. It's always something, then wait, then see what will be the reaction. Then they shot down this drone, then again they wait and see what is the reaction. And now they moved in paratroopers looking to see what would be the backlash.

It's not very open. (Russian leaders) care what other people are thinking. But if it stays limited to something small, like Lithuania's making some kind of problem with Russia, and all any one does is says to Russia 'It's not nice of you to do that,' as if nothing is really happening, that's not good. Because that is basically called appeasement. From my point of view, we have to use this word.