Saakashvili welcomes the restoration of cooperation between Russia and the EU, but with reservations

On the eve of the Summit of the Russian Federation, the President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili suddenly spoke out to restore cooperation between Russia and the European Union, but could not resist the announcement of his own conditions.

“Any dialogue is welcomed,” said President Saakashvili in an interview with Reuters, “but only if the restoration of friendship between Russia and the EU will be based on the principles that Russia will not win other countries, it will not be able to annexate the territories of other countries,” the group reports.

Recall that on Thursday in Paris it is planned to meet the President of Georgia with the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Saakashvili arrived in Paris from Warsaw, where he took part in the celebration of the Independence Day of Poland. According to the AFP agency, on the eve of the Russia-Es Saakashvili summit, he intends to accuse Russia of non-compliance with the agreement on the ceasefire concluded on August 12 (Presidents of France and the Russian Federation Nicolas Sarkozy and Dmitry Medvedev).

In an interview with the France Inter radio station, the Georgian leader said that he notices the strengthening of the trend of pragmatic thinking in the world and hopes that this will not entail the refusal of Western countries to support Tbilisi, Interfax notes. "In today's world, there are elements of real policy, as the global economic crisis occurs and people are inclined first of all to take care of their own problems," the Georgian president said. However, in negotiations with the sarcose "I will talk about the need to continue to protect the principles," Saakashvili said.

At the same time, the president hopes that the West "will not leave." “Until this happened ... I still do not lose hope,” he said. “It is true that the intervention of Mr. Sarkozy (President of France Nicolas Sarkozy) at the moment when Russian tanks approached the capital of Georgia, it was amazing. However, one must always stand on their principles,” Saakashvili also said. In an interview, the Georgian leader also expressed dissatisfaction with the stay of the Russian military in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “The fact is that Russian soldiers are on our territory. They occupy more than 22% of the territory of Georgia,” Saakashvili emphasized.

Recall that the Foreign Minister of the European Union Member countries, this week spoke out to resume negotiations with Russia under a new basic agreement. Russia fulfilled all obligations in relation to Georgia, said Bernard Kushner, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the EU, said at a press conference following the ministerial meeting. "The cessation of hostilities was fulfilled, the withdrawal of the troops was carried out, humanitarian access was provided, European observers of profit, finally, consultations about South Ossetia and Abkhazia have begun," he emphasized.

Earlier, EU leaders decided to suspend negotiations with the Russian Federation on September 1 of this year as a measure of Tbilisi’s support after a conflict with Russia in August.