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#12 - JRL 2006-207 - JRL Home
Presidential Aide Denies Moscow Has Plans To Overthrow Government in Tbilisi

MOSCOW. Sept 12 (Interfax) - The Kremlin denies any knowledge of alleged Russian plans to overthrow the current Georgian leadership, Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said.

"Naturally, I know nothing about any plans by Russia to bring down the Georgian leadership, this is overblown self-esteem that makes people make such statements," Prikhodko said at a press conference in Moscow, commenting on statements by Tbilisi that Russia allegedly has plans to overthrow the leadership in Tbilisi.

According to Prikhodko, Moscow dislikes "the gap between words and deeds" in the position of the Georgian leadership.

"We want to see Georgia as a friendly state that would really treat Russia as a neighbor," he said, reminding reporters that Russia and Georgia had existed together for many years and have been linked by strong historical and cultural bonds.

"When the entire power of the propaganda machine of a small but very proud nation, while evading real problems, begins to explore an external enemy, to create difficulties in the implementation of many bilateral collective decisions, concerning peacekeepers and so on, that seems strange to us, and not corresponding to the interests of either Russia or Georgia itself," Prikhodko said.