Georgia's internal reforms and the country's progress toward democratization were the main themes of a speech by Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli in the Czech capital today.
But, in the question and answer session that followed the presentation at RFE/RL's Prague broadcasting center, the focus shifted to international relations and Georgia's foreign policy -- in particular the status of Kosovo.
Noghaideli was asked about the Georgian government's position on the possibility of applying the Kosovo precedent to Georgia's frozen conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"I strongly believe that there is no possibility, no way, to draw these parallels [between Kosovo and Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia] and to repeat this precedent," Noghaideli said. "And I have no doubt that Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's conflicts are going to be resolved peacefully, in the framework of the territorial integrity of Georgia."
A physicist by training, Noghaideli joined the government of President Eduard Shevardnadze in 2000 as finance minister. He was subsequently fired, but soon after the Georgia's 2003 Rose Revolution he was reappointed to the post.
In 2005, after the accidental death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, one of the leaders of the Rose Revolution, Noghaideli was appointed prime minister.
Need To Consider The Displaced
Speaking today about the future status of Abkhazia, Noghaideli said the issue cannot be resolved without the participation of the Georgian population, most of whom left Abkhazia during the war:
"The future of Abkhazia could only be decided by the whole prewar population of Abkhazia, not only by those who have managed to ethnically cleanse the region and are claiming independence right now," he said.
Noghaideli accused the pro-Moscow separatist regime in Abkhazia of ethnically cleansing the region and declaring independence.
Georgia's complex relations with Russia was another topic covered at the meeting.
"As you know, it has been tense recently, but at the same time it is encouraging [that] a meeting has taken place just two days ago between Presidents [Mikheil] Saakashvili and [Vladimir] Putin," Noghaideli said. "We hope that it will be filled with practical decisions; or, at least the decisions taken at the end of last year will be reverted, and we will move towards normal relations between the countries."
Relations hit a low in fall 2006 after Russia expelled ethnic Georgians and boycotted Georgian products following a spy row between the two countries. Since becoming president, Saakashvili has followed a pro-Western course in foreign policy.
'The Choice Of The Georgian People'
But Georgia's pro-Western orientation has "nothing to do with Russia," Noghaideli said. He said that the country's aspirations of joining the EU and NATO are "the choice of Georgian people":
Answering a question about the prospects of so-called color revolutions in the region, Noghaideli said that Georgia is not going to "export" its revolution to other countries.
"Revolutions are not exported, you know," he said. "Many people are thinking that the Rose Revolution was imported to Georgia by somebody else, that it was done by others. It was done by the Georgian people. It was our choice, our decision."
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
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