Eurasia Press & News
Georgia welcomes also any dialogue that European Union has with Russia, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said at the joint news conference with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.
“Obviously we welcome also any dialogue that European Union has with Russia, provided also that this dialogue is not used by Russia to divert away from the existing issue,” Saakashvili said.
Saakashvili said people mustn’t forget that Russia keeps occupying territory of the sovereign European country. “In any case, this is our way; Georgia’s way is European way,” he added.
Van Rompuy made a statement in which he expressed his support to Georgia and pointed out that EU continues its full support to Georgia’s security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I underline the European Union’s full support for the security, the stability and territorial integrity of Georgia, to expect in tight international community to do so as well,” he said. “Future of the EU’s energy supply and energy security is of course linked with this neighborhood as well. Including the countries of Eastern Partnership and beyond.”
“I recognize the constructive role Georgia plays in development of energy transit route,” Van Rompuy stated.
Military actions were launched in the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia in August 2008. Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali, the capital of de facto South Ossetia, and later Russian troops occupied the city and drove the Georgian military back into Georgia. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Aug. 26 and established diplomatic relations with these regions on Sept. 9, 2008.
