Georgia: Saakashvili Has Harsh Words For Russia At UN
Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
In Georgia, one issue is dominating the headlines -- sensational allegations by a former ally that President Mikheil Saakashvili ordered the killings of political enemies. But Saakashvili, in his September 26 speech before the UN General Assembly in New York, chose not to address those claims. Instead, he used his time before the leaders of the world to publicly accuse Russia of continuing to interfere in his country's affairs, saying Moscow continued to engage in "reckless and dangerous" behavior.
UNITED NATIONS, September 27, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- The latest incident to blight relations between Georgia and Russia took place in a forest in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia.
That was where Georgian forces last week killed two Russian military officials. President Mikheil Saakashvili, speaking at the UN on September 26, said it was a "law-enforcement operation" aimed against illegitimate intruders, and that Russian claims about the incident were "wholly untrue."
"One has to wonder, what was a lieutenant-colonel of the Russian army doing in the Georgian forest organizing and leading a group of armed insurgents in a mission of subversion and violence?" he said. "I want to ask our Russian friends: is there not enough territory in Russia? Are there not enough forests in Russia for Russian officers not to die in Georgian territory, in Georgian forests? Whatever the explanation is, we regret the loss of life."
Russia disagrees with that account. Speaking after Saakashvili's speech, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said it was an "unprovoked" attack on an "antiterrorist training" exercise. The incident took place in the Kodori Gorge, which straddles Georgian-controlled Upper Abkhazia and the pro-Russian breakaway region of Abkhazia.
Churkin said the men were "instructors" and were killed with knives and gunshots to the head. Georgia, he said, has done everything to "aggravate tensions."
Strained Ties
Relations between Russia and Georgia have been shaky since the 2003 Rose Revolution thrust Western-leaning Mikheil Saakashvili into power.
Last year, Russia cut transport and trade ties with Georgia, after Tbilisi arrested four Russian military officers it accused of spying.
In August this year, Georgia said that a military jet illegally entered its airspace from Russia and dropped a missile before flying back to Russia. The missile landed in a field near Georgia's border with its breakaway region of South Ossetia, but did not explode. Russia denies the incident.
After three conflicting investigations by international and Russian experts, the OSCE has said it believes the missile incident took place, but does not want to lay blame.
Speaking about the most recent incident in the Kodori Gorge, Saakashvili said that Georgia would try to avoid future violence and hostility.
"Our vision for the region is guided by the belief that mutual interdependence brings mutual benefit," he said. "I believe that the people of Georgia have served as a catalyst and a living example of how governing transparently, through democratic principles brings lasting stability and sheer prosperity."
But tensions remain high in Georgia's breakaway regions. On September 26, there was heavy mortar fire in South Ossetia, with both Georgians and separatists blaming each other.
Georgian force accused separatists of targeting government-controlled villages from South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali.
Separatists said they were forced to respond after Georgian troops had opened fire on Tskhinvali.
The region is policed by a joint force of Georgian and Russian peacekeepers.