Friday, June 24 2016 08:20

Nino Burjanadze, former speaker of the Georgian parliament, Leader of the Democratic Movement - United Georgia Party, says it is absolutely unfavorable for Georgia to join NATO now. 

Talking to reporters in Tbilisi, she said Georgia does not need NATO bases.  "Many accuse me of saying quite different things 10 years ago, but then the geopolitical situation was different too. The world was different. Then it was in our favor to join the Alliance and we had all chances to do that. The situation has changed since 2008 when Russian bases were deployed in our territory," she said.

In her words, NATO does not need Georgia with Russian tanks. The politician believes that Tbilisi will have to refuse its territories - Abkhazia and South Ossetia - to join NATO.
"Russia is much more powerful now than 10 years ago. It is thanks to Putin that Russia has finally risen from the knees," Burjanadze said adding that it is wrong to build one's security at the expense of the security of other countries, even the smallest ones, not to mention Big Power having nuclear weapons.
Nino Burjanadze is sure that Georgia must to its utmost come out in front of the world community as a peaceful, safe, and reliable partner that poses no threat to anyone. The oppositionist parliamentarian believes that Georgia needs a direct dialogue with Russia. 

She blamed the trends established by Saakashvili and supported by the West to keep tense relations with Russia. "Talking to Russia does not mean to be its vassal," she said. "I am accused of pro-Russian stance, though I disagree with such views." 

In response to the question, if the use of banned weapons during the armed conflict in South Ossetia in 2008 by the then president Saakashvili was a substantiation for recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetsia, Burjanadze said it was not a sufficient ground for that. She said a range of conditions are necessary for that and recalled that most of the population was displaced from South Ossetia and Abkhazia during the known developments.  

"My stance is as follows: let us bring back all the refugees that were forcefully displaced. Let us hold a referendum and if everyone votes for separation from Georgia, it will be a legitimate step. Anyway, it will be inadmissible for me, but I will put up with it," Burjanadze said adding that it is necessary to talk to the de-facto leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. She promised to establish a direct dialogue with them if she comes to power. 
She blamed Saakashvili for involving Georgia into no-win war. In her words, he must be brought accountable for the war of August 2008, otherwise Georgia will have no moral rights to talk to Abkhazians and Ossetians. 

Earlier, Burjanadze said Saakashivili bombed the sleeping Tskhinval with banned weapons, and that was reflected in the report on the Georgia-Russia war of 2008 - known informally as the "Tagliavini Report." 

Go Group Media and JAMnews organized the visit of journalists to Georgia.