Georgia was never interested in bad relations with RussiaApril 20, 2009 - 23:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said it was never in Georgia's interest "to have bad relations with Russia.""When Russian politicians say: 'we will not talk with these authorities of Georgia' - some in Georgia may ask a question: 'OK they won't talk with these authorities and may be it would better if these authorities go?' I want to remind you that they [Russians] disliked even more [Zviad] Gamsakhurdia [the late Georgian President] and disliked even more [ex-president Eduard] Shevardnadze. And if it is up to them to decide who should be in the Georgian government, I want to remind you that the last time when it was decided by Russia it was in the past, when the Georgian state did not exist and when Georgia was called Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia," Saakashvili said. "When Russian politicians say: 'we want to have good relations with Georgia' - I want to tell everyone who wants to believe it, to look thoroughly to maps which are being printed today in Russia. When they say: 'we want good relations with Georgia' - under Georgia they mean: Tbilisi, part of Kartli region; Kakheti; part of Imereti and maybe Racha-Lechkhumi as well. For them Georgia is not the same Georgia as it is for us and for rest of the world." As long as such stance persists in Russia, he continued, Georgia should be "extremely cautious" and should show "maximum restraint." "Our major goal is calmness and development," Saakashvili said, Civil.ge reports. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |