Georgian ambassador praises bilateral ties with Kuwait during anniversary of Georgia-Russian War

Georgian ambassador praises bilateral ties with Kuwait during anniversary of Georgia-Russian War
Saakashvili took a criminal decision, says Medvedev

Friday,12 August 2011

By : Jameel W. Karaki Staff Writer KUWAIT: Georgia Ambassador to Kuwait Ekaterina Meiering said that bilateral relations with Kuwaiti was initiated 19 years ago along all levels, stressing that Kuwait had stood next to Georgia since its independence. Meiering's statements came during a press conference held at the Georgian Embassy to mark the third anniversary of the war between Russia and Georgia that ended in August 2008 and resulted in "the occupation of 20 percent of Georgian territory" by Russian forces. The ambassador pointed out that Kuwait was among the first countries to send humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict with Russia which displaced 500,000 Georgian citizens, adding that her country is looking forward to improving the political, economical and cultural relationships. She revealed that Georgia is extremely keen to host an economic forum between the two sides on either October and November. The ambassador spoke about the presence of direct connections and positive relationship between the Kuwait Finance House, Kuwait Investment Authority and several Georgian institutions. She noted that a delegation from her country is currently working with the National Council for Arts and Culture in Failaka Island. Furthermore, she reviewed the backgrounds of the war waged by Russia against her country that led to the occupation of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia during a conflict that lasted from the 1990s till 2008. According to the ambassador the Russian aggression in Georgia began in early 1990s, where Moscow responded to the country's declaration of independence by providing great military and logistical support to separatism powers in the two regions. The escalation of the situation resulted into an outright armed attack, which caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. She went on to say that the Russian Federation launched a military invasion against Georgia in efforts to hinder the country from joining the NATO and the European Union, as well as to ensure and retain control of the former Soviet republics. She explained that Russia succeeded as a result of its diplomatic efforts to be the only power recognized to have a sphere of influence in the region, pointing out that Russia continues to violate Security Council resolutions and the Council of Ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. On the other hand, the Russian embassy disputed the Georgian narrative, saying, in a statement received by Al Watan Daily, that President Dmitry Medvedev discussed the 2008 war in South Ossetia in a joint interview with RT, Echo Moskvy and the First Caucasus Television station. Medvedev alleged that the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili took "a criminal and irresponsible decision" when he launched a strong attack on South Ossetia on the first day of the Olympic Games in 2008, which consequently ended seventeen years of international difficult political negotiations and successful work of the monitoring commission committee as well as the efforts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent and defenseless people from different ethnic groups, Russians, Georgians and Ossetia's. The Russian president explained that after the attack on the centers of the peacekeepers, Russia decided to enforce the right of self-defense in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, noting that the Russian military operation had stopped the aggression of the Georgian side and halted the potential genocide of the Ossetian people. He noted that the operation was focused on the protection of residents from different ethnic groups and sects. The Russian president went on to say that after the military operation was completed, the Russian troops withdrew from Georgian territory in accordance with a settlement plan developed by the Russia in collaboration with French President Nicolah Sarkozy (Medvedev-Sarkozy plan).