Georgia, Tbilisi, Dec. 27 / Trend N. Kirtskhalia /
Georgian ex-president Eduard Shevardnadze thinks that President Saakashvili must resign and give his post to someone with whom Moscow is willing to talk. "If I were him, I would have acted this way. I would have given my post way to someone with whom Russia will talk because one can restore the country's territorial integrity only with this neighbor. Medvedev and Putin have repeatedly stated that they would not talk to Saakashvili, ex-president said in an interview with Asaval-Dasavali.
The Georgian President declared about his readiness to negotiate with Moscow. But Russian leaders refused from the contacts with President Saakashvili.
"We need Russia because up to one million of Georgians live there. It is possible to make such a step for them", ex-president said.
Shevardnadze welcomes activity of all opposition leaders, including former Speaker Nino Burjanadze, former Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, who visit Moscow to improve relations with Russia." "Only Russia can ensure unity. We must do everything to improve relations with this big and powerful neighbor. Saakashvili will leave, but Russia will remain our neighbor. That's no good to consider it the enemy," he stressed.
Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili again accused Saakashvili that he has turned Vladimir Putin into a personal enemy by his inappropriate statements to the Russian leader. "When I was in power, Putin treated Georgians kindly. I did not notice that he hated us. In August 2008, Moscow and Putin took decisive measures, since they had the right to defend their citizens there," Shevardnadze said.
Military actions were launched in the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia in August 2008. Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia and later Russian troops occupied the city and drove the Georgian military back to Georgia. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Aug. 26 and established diplomatic relations with them on Sept. 9, 2008.