Georgia, Tbilisi / Trend corr. N.Kirtskhalia / On 22 April, Mikhael Saakashvili, the Georgian President, had a telephone discussion with Vladimir Putin, the Russian President. Saakashvili stated that it was a difficult conversation.
"The topic of the conversation was the recent events which occurred in Georgia in which I demanded the abolishment of the act by Russia and to stop aggressive attacks on Georgia," the Georgian President stated.
The President approved that the Russian airliner MIG-29 hit the Georgian unmanned airliner, which belonged to the Georgian Interior Ministry on 20 April. "Such actions are a severe violation of the UN Charter and are an act of aggression against the sovereignty state. It was unprovoked aggression," he said.
"We have experienced bombing many times. In 1992, about 500,000 people were made to leave their region as a result of bombings by Russian militants. After that, there was ethnic cleansing against Georgia and a brutal system was established.
When we stated that we underwent bombing, the Russian Minister stated that Georgians themselves were bombing the territory. In 2007, we were bombed in the Kodor Ravine. We could then prove that we were in fact bombed by the Russian military airliner MI-24. Later in 2007, we were once again bombed in Tsitelubani by the Russian military airliner," he stated.
Saakashvili said that Georgia has videotaped exact and incontrovertible evidence and it obviously shows that the Georgian plane was hit by Russian military plane MIG-29. "It is unacceptable and unfriendly act against interational law, but those judicial steps Russia is taking to legalize independence of separatist regions of Georgia are also poses danger for us," Saakashvili said.
"This is an unprecedented challenge since World War II. Georgia is a victim of aggression from Russia," he said. He stated that he had established contact with all leaders of the international community and wished to avoid worsening of relations with those countries.
"The EU, NATO and a number of countries have made unprecedented sharp statements concerning the moves made by Russia and demand that Russia cancel its decision," Saakashvili said.
The President expressed his confidence in his people and the government. "Georgia will go on looking for peaceful ways to settle the conflicts, but, if worst comes to worst, the Georgians are ready to shed their blood for their land left by our ancestors," he said.
The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]